Staff Assembly Executive Council Minutes

November 17, 2010

CG Conference Room 1898

 

 

 

Present: Angela Ruff, Rodolfo Pagsanjan, Kim Gieber, Laurie Hitchcock, Erik Blackerby, Connie Hickman, Carol Huston, Norm Leatha, Ann Price, Wendy Thompson, Alisha West

Guests: Dan Bubb, Molly Ayers, Dennis Hansen, Jane Hession

Call to Order: 11:00 a.m. by Angela Ruff, SAEC President

Treasurer Report: Laurie Hitchcock reported a starting balance of $38,200.00 and a current November balance $12,027.31.

Committee Appointments: Approved appointments of Toni Boggan to the Safety Committee and Tim Woodard to the Advisory Council on Stewardship and Sustainability respectively.

Community Service - Molly Ayers

a) United Way Campaign Outcomes:

15% of the Gonzaga Community participated;

Donations totaled 20% with an amount of $30,000 collected during the two week time frame.

Drs. Mike Hazel and Jane Rinehart served as faculty liaisons to encourage more Faculty participation in this endeavor.

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Kick Off and Silent Auction were well attended with Tim Hinkle, President, United Way and Dr. Thayne McCulloh, President, Gonzaga University, as speakers.

Post-campaign survey gathered input about employee giving preferences.

Future campaign strategy ideas include: broader support from

Administration; develop a specific budget line in the amount of $500-$1000 for expenditures; possibility of co-sharing expenses with Faculty Senate; create a larger steering committee to help with planning and to head this project.

Our thanks and appreciation goes to Molly Ayers and Committee for a job well done in heading the 2010 United Way Campaign.

Action Items: Pursue a decision from President McCulloh as to whether the United Way campaign is an institutional priority.  Council will then decide if campaign effort will continue to be a Community Service Committee activity.

b) Cares Initiative - website information and request forms are up and ready.

c) Other Committee Activities - Committee exploring possible service project for Spring where employees can utilize the service learning hours benefit. 

Action Item: Molly Ayers to research a potential Habitat project for Spring 2011.

 

 

Sharp Avenue Revision:

 

Security Advisory Representative, Dan Bubb, in attendance reporting on continuing conversation about possible revision of Sharp Ave. There are apparently two main proposals up for discussion between Gonzaga University and the City of Spokane. One entails potential ‘restriping' of the lane structure going from two lines to one costing about $75,000 and the second proposing a ‘reengineering' of the street costing about $1million.

Dennis Hansen, Safety Programs Manager, was in attendance to bring in any pertinent information from the University Safety & Health Committee.  In light of recent events with a female GU student being hit by a motorist, much of the presentation from Dennis added on to the discussion already begun with Dan's report.  Dennis cited a pyramid of items that are closely monitored by the Safety Committee. In order they are: pedestrian safety on Sharp Ave, fire safety on campus, and severe weather threats.

Action Item: Dennis provide plan drawings and an accident pyramid to Angela who will post to Blackboard and invite discussion about potential SAEC activities and support for campus and pedestrian safety.

Regent Representative: Reactivate the committee to search for several candidates who might be interested in holding this position.

Action Item: Ann Price and Rodolfo Pagsanjan will recruit for possible candidates.

Heads Up Gonzaga: Need to create an Event Committee

Action Item: Angela will recruit committee chair before the December meeting.

Elections Process:

Elections & Nominations Committee is to be reactivated and headed by Rodolfo Pagsanjan.  The purpose of this committee is to organize, implement and oversee the upcoming Staff Assembly elections to occur this early spring. Participation in this committee is open to any staff person willing to volunteer in the effort.

Action Item:  Rodolfo will post the drafted process to Blackboard and invite comment from the council.  He will also recruit committee members.  Krystal Burns will join the committee. 

University Mission - Jane Hession

The Mission Advisory Group met November 17. Our discussion covered a review of the mission activities taking place during fall 2010, the data gathered at these events from participants' feedback, and a serious conversation about our mission statement.

Action Item:  A university-wide survey will be undertaken in the very near future to poll all campus constituencies, including faculty, staff, administrator, regents, and trustees, about their familiarity with the mission and participation in mission activities. 

Action Item:   All council members submit survey question ideas via Blackboard discussion thread. 

Employee Survey Project:

Norm is continuing his work identifying the most productive avenues on how such a survey might be implemented on Campus with the results distributed and acted upon.  He recently met with EVP Martin to discuss the value of the survey and potential outcomes.

Action Item:   Norm requested a meeting with AVP Killen to discuss survey ideas and benefits.

Committee Relations: No discussion at this time.

Action Item: Discussion set for a future meeting

Action Items - Kim Gieber

Most action items from our October Meeting have been addressed. Those that have not are, once again, included in our current minutes with suggested follow-up and new action items assigned.

Next Meeting: December 15, from 11:00-12:00 in COG Washington/California Room.

Action Item: Our President reminded the Council to come prepared for our meetings by accessing blackboard for information to be discussed.

Adjourned: 12:05

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Respectfully submitted on November 18, 2010 by Kim Gieber, Staff Assembly Secretary

Approved on:  November 29, 2010