PSS -

Minutes Archive

Professional Staff Senate
Regular Meeting – March 7, 2003

Senators Present: Ruth Smith, Phyllis Spethman, Lin Brummels, Rollie Bulock, Stan Gardner

Senators Absent: Jeff Carstens, Cheri Polenske, Mitch DeBoer

Liaisons from Other Senates Present: none

Guests: none

Visitors: Dorothy Weber, Laura Thayer-Mencke, Becky JOhnson

The meeting was called to order at 9:35 a.m. by Lin; a quorum was present.

Minutes of the last general meeting were approved as written. M-Stan. S-Ruth.

Treasurer reported there were no receipts or expenses this past month.

Committee reports:

Mentoring (Brummels) – The mentoring program continues on hold for now.
Social (Spethman) – no report
Recognition (DeBoer) - no report
Continuing Education (Gardner) – There will be two workshops on Excel offered over spring break: one will cover basic skills, the other will be on advanced skills. Anyone interested should contact Jeannette Barry to reserve a space. The workshops may be repeated later in the semester for those people who will be gone over break.
Membership (Polenske) – no report
Hospitality (Bulock) – A note from Cheri Polenske was read, thanking everyone for the ‘welcome baby’ gift – a picture frame for her desk. It was announced that Judy Johnson had back surgery earlier this week. There is a balance of $30.69 in the hospitality fund. It was noted that only 24 out of a possible 99 people on the professional staff have donated their $3.00 to this fund. Senators will receive a list of those people in their work area who may need a gentle nudge.
Policy (Carstens) - no report
Communication (Smith) – no report

Other agenda items:

Lin received a request from Dr. Stearns, asking for 8-9 people from the professional staff to serve on a budget/personnel advisory committee. This committee will be asked to review the recommendations regarding the positions that have been targeted for elimination. The committee will consider the viability of the program and how it will be affected by the loss of staff. Dr. Stearns would like to have a cross-section of representation. Five people (representing the professional staff who are represented by the bargaining unit) have already been selected: Marilyn Wilson, Chad Smith, Mary Carstens, Marilyn Liedorff, and Terri Heggemeyer. Suggestions for people who could represent the staff not covered by the union were: Mitch DeBoer, Kyle Rose, and Lynette Lentz. Rollie Bulock volunteered. Lin will contact the other three people; she is willing to serve if needed.
Stan reported on the upcoming Smithsonian exhibit, Yesterday’s Tomorrows. The exhibit will be on campus from March 22-April 18. In honor of the exhibit, WSC will have lots of events scheduled beginning March 18 and ending April 29. Please encourage people to attend. A schedule of the events will be linked to the WSC homepage.
Lin will begin the process of preparation for election of new senators. Those senators whose term will be up this year are: Cartsens, Polenske, Bulock, and Brummels. There are no term limits – senators may be re-elected.
Professional staff lay-off announcements will probably be made by the end of this month. The non-union staff must be given six months notice of a lay-off; the negotiated agreement with union staff is for three months of notice. There has still been no official statement on whether a professional staff person who is laid-off can bump a support staff person. Lin will continue to check with Carolyn Murphy.

The next regular meeting will be April 4th at 9:30 a.m. at the Multicultural Center.

Meeting adjourned at 10:10 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Phyllis Spethman, Secretary

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