August 1999

 

LaFortune Student Center - Notre Dame Room

 

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

 

Present: Angeliek Anderson, Debbie Bennett, Jan Blazi, Rachel Boyd, Dan Brazo, Emily Cassidy, Tammy Chapman, Gina DeLaruelle, Janet Dillon, Connie Gard, Toby Green, Pam Jobin, Rose McMahon, Norma Mezykowski, Sue Penrod, Phyllis Shelton-Ball, Doris Smuda, Fred Sonneborn, Leona Strickland, and Melodie Wise. 

Absent: Debra Clark, Victoria Cotton, Debbie Fox, Norma Frost, Rita Grontkowski, Linda Hansen, Beverly Harbor, Mike Manijak, Terron Phillips, and Dona Waters. 

 

HR Liaisons: Jessica Brookshire, Rich Nugent and Pam Zarazee

 

Dan Brazo, Chair called the Council meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. 

 

 

I. Wellness Presentation

 

Rich Nugent thanked Dan for allowing Jessica Brookshire, Wellness Coordinator to come to the Council meeting to share information regarding the fall events that the Wellness area will be sponsoring. Jessica also thanked Dan for the time to share the Wellness events with the Council and asked each member to communicate the information to their districts. 

 

Jessica explained that the IRISHealth Resource Center is located in the Rolfs Sports Recreation Center and is available to all staff. The Resource Center contains books, videos, and magazines available for check-out, as well as campus and community health information. The Resource Center also offers a free health risk appraisal for any staff member wishing to participate. The Office Hours begin at 7 a.m. and are posted on the Wellness website at http://www.nd.edu/~wellness.

 

Jessica shared with the Council the calendar of events that will be taking place this fall including: 

*Fitball: A Team Approach to Wellness (Fitball season lasts from Sunday, September 5 - Saturday, October 30.) Information will be forthcoming via campus mailing. (*Cost for program)

 

*A lecture on "Tobacco Research and Marketing:When Science and Business Collide" will be presented by Dr. Victor DeNoble, Former Research Scientist, Phillip Morris on Monday, September 13, 1999 in Washington Hall at 7:30 p.m. This event will be open to the public.

 

* Lifesteps Weight Management sponsored by IRISHealth and RecSports will be host an open meeting on Tuesday, September 14th and the first class will be held on Tuesday, September 21st and will meet every Tuesday until December 7th. A registered dietician runs the meetings and basis discussions around 3 key points - exercise, nutrition and behaviors. The class may include tours to the grocery store to read label contents accurately and to the Rec Center to use exercise equipment properly. (*Cost for program)

 

* The Blood Drive sponsored by IRISHealth and RecSports will be held on Wednesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 23 at Rolfs Sports Recreation Center from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 631-6100 to schedule a convenient time.

 

*Smoking Cessation will be held in the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education meeting room of LaFortune Student Center and is sponsored by IRISHealth and the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education. The class meets every Tuesday from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. 

 

* Jocie Antonelli, R.D., Manager of Nutrition and Safety, will be conducting a lunch time presentation on the controversial "Protein Diets." This presentation will be from 12:10 p.m. to 112:50 p.m. in the Notre Dame Room of LaFortune Student Center on Wednesday, October 13th.

 

*A Breast Cancer Education Program conducted by Dr. George Sledge, Ballve-Lantero Professor of Medicine, Program Leader, Adult Oncology Program, IU Cancer Center will be held on Thursday, October 14th in the Monogram Room of the Joyce Center. This event is open to the public and will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. and presentation at 7 p.m.

 

* A Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon just for Notre Dame employees only will be held on Wednesday, October 27th in the Monogram Room of the Joyce Center from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.

 

*Blood Pressure Screening and Waist-Hip ratio will be offered this Fall but specific dates have yet to be determined.

 

Jessica encourage the Council to share any ideas, suggestions, or comments on wellness related issues/topics with her via E-mail (Brookshire.4@nd.edu) or by telephone at 631-5829. Jessica told the Council that the next issue of IRISHealth and the new Healthy Pleasures Brochure will be forth coming once all dates are finalized.

 

Jessica thanked the Council for their time and valuable input. Jessica also asked the Council in advance for helping disseminate the Wellness information to the members of their districts. Dan thanked Jessica for her time and all the information she shared with the Council.

 

II. Approval of the July 8, 1999 Minutes 

Phyllis Shelton-Ball made a motion to accept the July Council minutes. Melodie Wise seconded the motion. A vote was taken and all members present were in favor of this motion.

 

III. Committee Reports 

Approval of the By-Laws: Dan discussed the terms of Council members with the Council. The Council discussed and determined that the terms issue has been addressed and is accurately stated in the By-Laws. Toby Green made a motion to accept the third and final reading of the By-Laws. Gina DeLaruelle seconded the motion. A vote was taken and 19 Council members were in favor of the motion and one Council member chose to abstain. 

 

Communications Committee: Jan read aloud what is expected of the Council member that volunteers to serve on this standing committee. Phyllis Shelton-Ball volunteered to be the third member of this committee. The Communications Committee also consists of Emily Cassidy and Pam Jobin.

 

Parking Committee: Deb Bennett informed the Council that there is nothing to report at this time.

 

Elections Committee: Dan welcomed Angeliek Anderson to her first Council meeting as the representative for District #21 (North Dining Hall). Deb Bennett explained to the Council that no self-nominations were received from District #21. Deb then sent out an extension for self-nominations and this is when Angeliek Anderson volunteered.

 

Women's Committee: Melodie Wise shared that the Ad-Hoc Women's Committee is currently working on the fair that will take place on October 19th from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Ball Room of LaFortune Student Center. The Women's Committee would like to see a booth for the Staff Advisory Council as well as a separate booth for the Ad-Hoc Women's Committee. At the present time it looks like sixteen booths will be set-up at the fair. In addition, presentations will be going on in various rooms located in the LaFortune Student Center. 

 

IV. Update on Proposal on University Holiday Hours 

Rich Nugent presented the new figures based on the Council's input to consider having holiday hours count as hours worked for the purpose of determining overtime pay. Rich shared some overhead slides of the costs with the Council. Rich explained that some basic assumptions were made in figuring the cost associated with the proposal to include holiday hours in the calculation of overtime. Based on all the data and the assumptions the total incremental cost to the University would be $103,240. Rich shared his concern that the amount would mean extra dollars at a time when extra funds are currently being allocated for the compensation project. Rich felt it is important to note that the University's holiday program is very competitive within the community.

 

The Council discussed the various issues surrounding the holiday hour/overtime issue. Issues included scheduling concerns and requests for voluntary overtime during weeks of holidays. Rich stated that based on the Council's discussion he would be more than willing to share the concerns brought up with the Human Resource Planning Group (HRPG) at their next meeting. The Council felt that having Rich address their concerns with the HRPG would be appreciated.

 

Dan thanked Rich for getting the appropriate information and statistics together for the meeting.

 

V. Promotion of the Staff Advisory Council 

Dan began the discussion by giving each district the opportunity to share input received from their districts on how the Council is viewed and how it can improve. Dan then asked Emily Cassidy to begin discussing the ideas that the ad-hoc committee (tentatively called the PR Committee) has come up with. The ideas included communication with new non-exempt employees, a budget for the Council, a booth at the Women's Fair, co-sponsoring more seminars, having district meetings and presentations, open Council meetings, more information distribution, highlight big accomplishments, more district contacts, conducting a survey, and having a letter sent to all non-exempt staff from Rich or Father Beauchamp, supporting the Council and its accomplishments. In addition, problems to overcome were briefly discussed.

 

Due to time constraints, Dan asked the Council to continue seeking input from their districts on the value of the Council and to have this discussion continue at the next meeting. Dan also stated that if a Council member would like to be a part of the PR Committee please contact one of the following ad-hoc committee members Emily Cassidy, Melodie Wise, Phyllis Shelton-Ball, or Leona Strickland. 

 

VI. Set the Agenda for the Thursday, September 9, 1999 meeting 

I. Approval of the August 12, 1999 Council minutes

 

II. Update on the Human Resources Policy Manual

 

III. Committee Reports

 

IV. Promotion of the Staff Advisory Council

 

V. Holiday Hour Proposal Further Discussion

 

VI. Set the Agenda for the October 21, 1999 Council Meeting

 

An update on the status of the tuition reimbursement policy was given, but the details are pending based on finalization from Human Resources. 

Gina DeLaruelle made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 3:00 p.m. and Pam Jobin seconded the motion. A vote was taken and all Council members in attendance were in favor of the motion.

 

Sincerely,

 

Communications Committee