COSA Chair, Pat Rozier, called the meeting to order at 8:40 am with the following members present:

Alan Bernstein; Debi Britt; Holly Decker; Pearl Everett; Lisa Hayes; Shannon McGee; Tommye Miller; Pat Rozier; Ruth Salter; Beverly Sharpe, Lisa Benton, and Inman Grimsley.

 On a Bernstein/Britt motion, the minutes from the meeting of April 10, 2001, were approved with the following corrections:  Section IV of the COSA Policies and Procedures were changed (not the By-laws as noted in the minutes).

COSA Treasurer, Nina Windham, was unable to attend the meeting.  The Treasurer’s Report was submitted via email and will be approved at the June meeting.  The account balances are:

            Fund 10                                                  $548.33

            Discretionary Fund                                       $974.52

            Retirement Walkway-Employee Recognition Fund:            $1867.98

 Committee Reports:

 Elections:  Ruth Salter reported on behalf of the committee.  The elections results for FY 2002 COSA slots have been compiled and most slots are filled.  There is a run-off between three people for the EE04 slot, with run-off ballots due May 18, 2001.  Once a full slate of new members is complete and the candidates’ willingness to serve is verified, the names will be released.

 Policy:   Chair, Ruth Salter, reported that the Policy Committee completed work on the revision of the COSA By-laws in addition to developing the first COSA Policies and Procedure Manual.  The new Manual and By-laws, in written form, will be distributed at the June meeting.  These documents will also be placed on the COSA web page.

Welfare:  Chair, Debi Britt, reported that COSA is on target to unveil the Retiree Walkway in front of the Biology-Chemistry Building after the retiree luncheon scheduled for August 9, 2001.  Ms. Britt asked that the COSA minutes acknowledge the contributions that have been made to the Retiree Walkway/Employee Recognition Fund to this date.  Personal letters of acknowledgement to each contributor and recipient will be done no later than June 30, 2001.  Effective with the new fiscal

year for COSA it will be the responsibility of the COSA Secretary to acknowledge contributions with a personal letter and to also notify the recipient of the recognition.  It will be the responsibility of the Chair of the Welfare Committee to provide the Secretary with this information on a timely and routine basis.

 The Committee is working with Sandra Fletcher, VSU Foundation, to do a postcard survey to faculty, staff, and retirees, to determine the interest in and willingness to support a major fund drive for the Retiree Walkway-Employee Recognition Fund.  This postcard survey should be distributed within the next few weeks so that results can be tabulated and a decision made about the fund drive before the August 9, 2001, retiree luncheon.

 Recycling: Chair, Holly Decker, reports that she has been unable to pick-up materials for recycling from campus departments because of her work schedule involving moving various campus departments.

Academic Scheduling:  Pat Rozier reported that the committee did not meet during April.

 Partners in Campus Excellence Advisory Committee:  Lisa Benton reported that she met with this group for the first time at a reception for the program start-up.  The Financial Aid Office, 1Card Office, and The Bursary participated in the first session of “Partners in Campus Excellence” program.  Modifications to the program will be made based on participant responses, and the program will continue throughout the summer and next academic year.

 Report from the Chair:  Ms. Rozier announced that the State Council meeting of COSA chapters will have their quarterly meeting on June 15, 2001, in Building K, Macon College and State University.

 Ms. Rozier attended a reception in honor of Mrs. Joan Bailey given by the Division of Social Work.  At this reception announcement was made of a scholarship in the name of Mrs. Bailey’s mother to honor both Mrs. Bailey and her beloved mother.

 Old Business:  The next meeting of “COSA On The Move” will be held at the College of Education during the month of September.  It was agreed that summer was a difficult time to bring together enough people to warrant the session.

 The first annual COSA Training Session will be held on June 11, 2001, from 8:30-10:30.  This meeting will introduce newly elected COSA members to the history of the organization; familiarize them with the By-laws and Policies and Procedure Manual; discuss leadership opportunities within COSA, and introduce members to Robert’s Rules of Order.

 Ms. Rozier asked for volunteers to begin work on the Staff Appreciation Day sub-committee.  The new chair of COSA will lead this committee each year.  Volunteers included Tim Yorkey, Holly Decker, and Pat Rozier.  Traditionally, Staff Appreciation Day has been the closest Friday to October 1^st.  The tentative date for the event this year is September 28, 2001.

 New Business:  On behalf of the Elections Committee, Ruth Salter distributed ballots for the positions of chair and chair-elect of COSA for FY 2002.  There were no nominations from the floor.  The COSA Chair-Elect is Shannon McGee, Programmer II, 1Card Services, and the COSA Chair is Kae Sinkule, Assistant Director for Production, Palms Dining Center.  They will take office July 1, 2001.

 Other Business:  Inman Grimsley noted that the previously announced “hiring freeze” for the State of Georgia has become a “hiring slowdown”. 

 Ms. Rozier reported that she has not heard from the newly elected president of the Student Government Association about their planned presence at COSA meetings next fiscal year.

On a Decker/Bernstein motion, COSA agreed to invite President Hugh C. Bailey to the June 12, 2001, meeting to recognize him for his dedication to the staff of Valdosta State University during his tenure as President of the institution and to thank him for supporting the development of the Council of Staff Affairs at Valdosta State University.

 The meeting adjourned at 9:20 a.m.

 Respectfully submitted:

Tommye H. Miller, Secretary, Council on Staff Affairs

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