PSS -

Professional Staff Senate
Regular Meeting - August 2, 2002

Present: L. Brummels, R. Smith, P. Spethman, S. Gardner, C. Polenske, M. DeBoer, J. Carstens
Absent: none
Guests: none
Visitors: none

The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. Minutes of the previous meeting were approved as written on a motion by Gardner, second by DeBoer.

Treasurer Gardner announced that the treasury now holds a balance of one penny.

Committee Reports:

Mentoring (Brummels) - the committee has developed a mission statement and flowchart to illustrate how mentoring will work. Both have been submitted to President's Council for feedback.

Social (Spethman) - invitations to the summer social (potluck) have been distributed. A question was raised as to what the 'at-large' members should bring. The question will be forwarded to the committee chair.

Recognition (DeBoer) - plans are being finalized for the August 9 Annual Meeting and Recognition event. Due to budget considerations, certificates of recognition for years of service will not be framed. Dr. Stearns will host the continental breakfast. A copy of the Employee Recognition Program proposal developed by the campus-wide task force was distributed to senators. Discussion of this proposal will be an agenda item at the next regular meeting.

Continuing Education (Gardner) - emails were sent out to all professional staff regarding workshops on August 6 & 7. Topics to be covered are college resources on webpages, the Help Desk, and browsers. This committee is looking at the plausability of other types of continuing education for professional staff, i.e. sabbaticals.

Membership (Polenske) - working on getting the database current and will send a copy to everyone when it's finished.

Hospitality - no report. Since Jamie Vaughn has resigned, Lin will check with Dorothy Weber about status of this committee.

Policy (Carstens) - had been waiting for policies to arrive. Committee will meet soon.

Communication (Smith) - commended Elaine Balogh for her work on the invitations for the annual meeting. Invitations have been distributed to all professional staff.

Other agenda items:

Mike Barry has volunteered to organize an election to replace Jamie Vaughn who was the senator representing the professional staff in HHPS and Atheletics.

There was discussion (continued from last month) about having the professional staff represented on the Computer Usage committee. It was determined that there is a need to review the entire campus committee structure now that there are two additional senates on campus. Jeff will head a task force (includes Lin and Stan) to review the current structure and draft a proposal for a revised structure.

Suggestions for the Annual Meeting included introducing senators, providing a description of committees and saying who serves on them, and having copies of the constitution available.

There was discussion regarding the fact that some employees on campus are in supervisory positions but are not listed as professional staff. Lin will gather information about who/what determines how positions are classified.

Discussion to decide about a senate logo was tabled until the spring term.

Dr. Stearns has requested representation from the professional staff to serve on her budget planning committee. Ruth will send out an email requesting nominations, and then she will create a ballot to have available for the Annual Meeting.

The next regular meeting will be September 6 at 9:30 a.m.

Meeting adjourned at 10:50 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Phyllis Spethman, Secretary

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