Meeting Minutes

Staff Representative Group Meeting Minutes – September 14, 2006
G23 Aderhold Hall

Present: Shea Ray, Mike Gorman, Susan Christopher, Stephanie Bales, Elizabeth Platt, Chelita Edwards, Marianne Roberts, Laura Patrick, Caroline Wooten, Freita Strickland, Adlee Smith, David Avin, Dean Castenell

Dean Castenell addressed the group at the beginning of the meeting:
Dean Castenell thanked the group for expressing view without it becoming negative. He spoke about setting clear goals and objectives for merit increases instead of staff wondering what it takes to get a good merit increase. The Dean also spoke of accountability (data) that says we’re doing what we say we do. Having a reliable and accurate data to quantify the need for more staff and identifying critical needs for staff hiring and retention is important. He spoke about developing a process for how staff can be reclassified to help with retention and would rather promote from within the COE. He did not think a College or University policy on flex-time was going to happen. Dean Castenell agreed to have a “Needs and Concerns” committee for staff who would like to have issues brought to him but did not feel comfortable doing it on their own. An example would be reclassification issues. An ad hoc committee was formed with volunteers in the meeting: Caroline Wooten, David Avin, Shea Ray, Laura Patrick and Elizabeth Platt.

Old Business

1. Minutes
Minutes from last meeting were approved with revisions to the Staff Awards Committee. Mike will have them posted to SRG website.

2. Standing committee reports

Safety Committee
The Safety Committee is planning training for floor safety representatives at both River’s Crossing and Aderhold to review the COE Emergency Operations Plan. Also, plans are being made to certify volunteers for American Red Cross AED/CPR and first aid, the distribution of emergency walkie-talkies, emergency blankets, and flashlights.

Newsletter Committee
A mid-October to November due date is planned for the fall newsletter.

Staff Awards Committee
No report.

3. Special committee reports

Social Committee
A tailgate themed party is tentatively planned for the middle of October.

Staff Lounge Committee
The Staff Awards winners from 1995-2006 will be posted in the staff lounge. A bulletin board and box for the TV remote will also be added soon. There are 18 new chairs with rollers, the microwave has been repaired. The committee is planning an open house for the last Thursday or Friday of September with cookies and punch. An email will go out asking staff to donate items for general use in the lounge.

4. Report of Chair
Staff Council
Scholarships are available to pay for registration for State Staff Council conference in November at Fort Valley State. Need to apply by September 22nd. University Council vote to amend by-laws for additional staff seats on the Council is scheduled for October 4th. Georgia Federal Credit Union has absorbed the Federal Employees Credit Union. The College of Family and Consumer Sciences is holding “Financial Literacy” classes at noon on several dates in October at the Tate Center. The courses will cover topics like credit management, etc. The Staff Council is also drafting a letter to the football ticket manager regarding the lack of available tickets for dependants. The COE Administrative Council approved the adoption of the OIR F.A.C.T.S. reports for to replace the existing COE credit hour production reports. This will mean less work for staff as the reports are automated. A task force to study graduate education at Research 1 institutions has been formed by the Graduate School. The Administrative Council also is developing a new process for appointing department heads. An accounting code structure breakdown is being developed to help department heads. The AC also reviewed eating in classrooms and how to secure the penthouse archives for HIPPA documents and other sensitive documents.

New Business

No new business.

Next meeting will be on October 12th at 10:00 a.m. in G23 Aderhold.
Meeting was adjourned.