MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL ON STAFF AFFAIRS MEETING

March 10, 2003

COSA Chair Shannon McGee called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. in the President’s Dining Room of Palms Dining Center.  Representatives present were:  Sharon Butcher, Sammy Dees, Jeff Giles, Jeff Grant, Inman Grimsley, Mike Hamm, Rosalyn Hatcher, Lisa Hayes, Stanley Jones, Rebecca Kimbrough, Sue Lampert, Bob Lee, Shannon McGee, Kae Sinkule, Patrick Smith, Josie Stone, Trisha Taylor, and Carolyn Wilson.

SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY:

Ms. Becky Murphy, Training Administrator, talked with COSA representatives about the development and status of “Partners for Campus Excellence” program. This is not just another customer service training program where you learn how to talk nicely on a telephone. This unique training program’s purpose is to build a TEAM service oriented culture within the campus community. The importance of service started in 1998 from a study on the retention of students. An advisory committee with representatives from across campus was established to examine different ways the university could retain students. One committee finding was the need to enhance internal teamwork and campus communication to improve our services. A basis of providing service requires a collaborative effort between everyone in the university community.

Thus far, sixty-six departments have participated in the Partners for Campus Excellence training. Two hundred and sixty-eight more employees were trained this fall.  It is an ongoing process with student employees being trained at the beginning of each semester. The latest department participating in the training is Plant Operations. Feedback received from participants following training suggested they enjoy the opportunity to interact with other departments across campus, and develop action steps, which are used to enhance service in a particular area.  Sample results from the action plans include development of an operations manual, creation of additional on-the-job or departmental training, exploring and implementing new ways to improve procedures, redesign of office space to be more efficient, and creation of computer list serves to enhance communication. The program is being extended to faculty with a concentration on service through student advising. This program module is currently being developed.

In addition to service through student advising, there are three additional programs being implemented:

1)      “I Caught You Caring” – is a structure to allow an individual to recognize the service effort of a VSU employee. This will be accomplished by filling out an “I Caught You Caring” card and submitting it to Training and Development. The card is then sent to the employee’s supervisor to be presented to the employee.

2)      Creation of Management training classes – this will be a series of support type classes for university middle management.

3)      Partners departmental liaison discussion groups – this will be support sessions/lunches held to facilitate problem solving between departments.

The Office of Training and Development is composed of full time employees Becky Murphy, Training Administrator, Tim Yorkey, Training Specialist and Regina Lee, Sr. Secretary.

MINUTES:

Due to a change in procedure and unforeseeable circumstances the approval of the February 11, 2003 minutes was tabled.  A motion for approval of the February minutes will be held at the April 8^th COSA meeting.

TREASURER’S REPORT:

Treasurer Sue Lampert presented a written report of the three COSA accounts:

• Fund 10000 (state money)                 =  $ 967.17
• Discretionary (Foundation)                 =  $1,194.33
• Retirement Walkway (Foundation)     = $ 11,520.42

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Academic Scheduling/Procedures: This committee met on March 6. The main discussion topic was the establishment of the 2005 spring break for VSU. A consideration was to coordinate our spring break with the rest of the Georgia system universities. The next committee meeting is scheduled for April 10. They are hoping to have more student feedback on the spring break dates by this meeting.

Faculty Senate: Shannon McGee attended the last Faculty Senate Meeting. There was a specific request made by the faculty to Vice President Jim Black to provide some means to synchronize the campus clocks. This was requested to facilitate the coordination of starting/ending times of classes.

Parking Appeals:  Sammy Dees, on behalf of Mike McKinley, distributed a pie chart showing the number of parking appeals for the month of February 2003. Out of 302 appeals, 180 or 60% were dismissed.

Partners for Campus Excellence:  Please see “Special Order of the Day”.

Policy: Bob Lee distributed a document summarizing the proposed changes in COSA Chair elections. Each representative was asked to review the document. On a Lampert, seconded by Dees, motion it was agreed to accept the proposal as written and vote on its finalization at the April 8 meeting. A summary of the proposal:

“Add a statement into the COSA procedures that clarifies the Immediate Past Chair as an ex-officio member of COSA if they have not been re-elected. Also clarify ex-officio status as either non-voting or voting.

OPTION 1:  add to the COSA manual a statement that it is impossible for a person to run for the office of Chair Elect in their third year, therefore making it impossible for anyone to run for Chair Elect at anytime except their second or fourth year as a COSA member. This option insures the continuity of the Chair Elect moving into the Chair position.

OPTION 2: elect the Chair/Chair Elect every year. This makes it possible for anyone to hold either office his or her second, third, fifth or sixth year of service. This option removes the continuity factor.”

State Charitable Contributions Program: Bob Lee reported this year’s campaign closed the books with approximately $ 30,000 in contributions.

Welfare Committee: Rebecca Kimbrough reported that APRIL 10 would be our next “COSA On the Move” meeting. It will be held in the Magnolia Room from 11:00 – 2:00 p.m. All staff employees are encouraged to stop by the Magnolia room and meet their COSA representative. Shannon agreed to prepare a COSA handout that will have representative pictures and a description of their work responsibilities. This is a very informal gathering intended to connect COSA representatives with their constituents.

• Employee of the Semester sub-committee: No report
• Retirement Walkway sub-committee: Inman Grimsley suggested the Retirement Walkway committee consider giving each retiree a university “spirit” pin. This pin would look like the service recognition pins given for five, ten, fifteen, twenty years service. Instead of the years of service engraved on the pin, it would have “retiree”. The luncheon committee has met and all arrangements have been set for the menu. It was reported that several Plant Operations employees collected $50 for a retirement brick for Rayford Owens who passed in February.
• Staff Appreciation sub-committee: No report
• Staff Development sub-committee: No report

REPORT FROM THE CHAIR:

Shannon announced that Mike McKinley has re-designed the COSA web page. She encourages everyone to stop by and see its “new face”. It can be accessed at www.valdosta.edu/vsu/cosa.

OLD BUSINESS

• Representatives voted to accept the proposal listed in the February 11 minutes for the re-construction of the staff appreciation committee. This includes using the Chair Elect to oversee the whole Staff Appreciation committee. Two Co-chairs will be nominated and elected by the COSA body one month after Staff Appreciation Day (held in September). The Co-chair’s term will begin immediately once COSA has voted. The co-chairs must meet the following requirements: 1) they must be a current COSA representative 2) they must have one or more years experience working with Staff Appreciation Day events. The Staff Appreciation Day committee will meet once a month throughout the year to complete a year round planning effort. Throughout the year COSA may host fund raising events (raffles, car wash, yard sales etc.) to raise money for the Staff Appreciation Day. All monies raised during the year will go towards funding this day.
• Representatives voted on a Lee motion, seconded by Kimbrough, to establish a Benevolence committee that would handle occasions such as house warming, sending a sympathy card, etc.

NEW BUSINESS

• Rebecca Kimbrough reported that the University Planning Advisory Committee has met three times. All of the Strategic Planning Goal committees have made their preliminary reports. President Zaccari has charged this committee with directing the university’s future. Their commitment is to coordinate the work from the Goal committees. The committee must continually ask, “ where have we been and where are we going?” If we are not together in growth, we will not survive. Rebecca Kimbrough is the selected COSA representative. There are two other VSU staff members appointed by President Zaccari. They are Patrick Smith and Sue Lampert.
• Rebecca Kimbrough received many complaints from staff regarding a $5 check-cashing fee levied by the Bank of America.  Vice President Jim Black issued a statement that was sent out over the computer list serves:

“ We have been advised that Bank of America will institute a charge as of April 1, 2003 for check cashing for individuals not having an account with their institution. When brought to our attention, we contacted the appropriate parties and they have agreed to a six-month waiver of this charge for VSU payroll checks only. We will do all that is possible to make certain that the fee will not apply to University employees; however, they have the authority to assess such fees regardless of the fact that they are our payroll clearinghouse. Hopefully, we will be able to work this matter out to everyone’s satisfaction.”

Respectfully submitted by:

Susan E. Lampert for Melinda Cutchens, March 2003.