March 1999

LaFortune Student Center - Notre Dame Room

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

 

Present: Deb Bennett, Jan Blazi, Rachel Boyd, Dan Brazo, Emily Cassidy, Tammy Chapman, Debra Clark, Victoria Cotton, Janet Dillon, Norma Frost, Connie Gard, Toby Green, Rita Grontkowski, Beverly Harbor, Pam Jobin, Wanda Lansford, Mike Manijak, Norma Mezykowski, Terron Phillips, Fred Sonneborn, Leona Strickland, Joshua White and Melodie Wise. 

Absent: Gina DeLaruelle, Deb Fox, Linda Hansen, Frances Leedy, Sue Penrod, Doris Smuda and Dona Waters.

 

HR Liaisons: Rich Nugent, Wendy Mott, Sabine Taras, Rita Winsor and Sarah Misener.

 

Dan Brazo, Chair, called the Council meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. 

I. Council Photo 

The photographer took the Council's picture.

 

II. Approval of the February 11, 1999 Minutes

Josh White was added to the Communications Committee. After the change was made Pam Jobin made a motion to accept the minutes. Melodie Wise seconded. All were in favor.

 

III. Fill Women's Committee Vacancies

There was one vacancy for a Council representative and Leona Strickland volunteered. Three campus representatives were needed for the Committee and the following names will fill the vacancies: Giovanna Edwards, Carla Ross and Marcy Simons.

 

IV. Ad-Hoc Committee Reports

The Staff Picnic Committee shared some ideas they were considering doing at the picnic. Nothing has been decided on at this point. Dan offered the Council to contact any of the Picnic Committee members if they had any ideas.

 

The By-Laws Committee shared that they have work in progress and have had meetings. Since there are many new Council members the By-Laws Committee will mail out to everyone a copy of the current by-laws. They will report back at the April 8th meeting any progress.

 

The Women's Committee met March 4, 1999 and are working on goals.

 

V. Update on Performance Reviews

Sarah Misener, Manager, Training and Development in the Department of Human Resources, gave a brief presentation and fielded questions from the Council. Sarah then passed out a copy of the new forms. She shared with the Council the changes that were made to the Non-Exempt 1999 Performance Review Forms. A highlight of the changes to the form is as follows:

 

The instructions for completing the Position Description section have been moved from the Guidelines page to the actual form. A yes/no check box has been added to indicate whether a revised Position Description will be submitted. 

 

Commendable (C) is being changed to Exceeds Expectations (E)

 

Acceptable (A) is being changed to Meets Expectations (M) and definitions have been revised accordingly. Overall Rating section has been changed to reflect this new terminology.

 

Reference to attendance in the definition for the criteria, Dependability has been deleted.

 

Separate check boxes have been added to the nonexempt form to indicate the level of Attendance and Punctuality being experienced. The criteria, Initiative and its definition are now included on the exempt form. 

 

Reference to taking a leadership role found in the definition for the criteria, Individual Effectiveness has been deleted from the nonexempt form, and is now included on the exempt form as part of the definition for Performance Management.

 

The Development Plan section now includes a more expanded explanation on conducting this part of the review; examples are included. 

 

VI. July 1, 1999 Increases

 

Rita Winsor, Director of Benefits and Compensation in the Department of Human Resources shared with the Council an update regarding the July 1, 1999 increases and fielded questions from the Council. Rita showed the compa-ratios since the inception of the classification project which reflected improvement in the employee categories of exempt, office/clerical, technical and service maintenance. An additional increment of 1.25% will be distributed to office/clerical and technical because the University wants to focus extra to the categories with lower compa-ratios. (Rita added clarification to the minutes that the instructions in the budget guidelines indicated that office/clerical and technical with less that one year of service will not receive the additional increment.)

 

Rita commented that this year ranges will increase by 2.75% and a matrix will be used for non-exempt staff below 110%. She reminded the Council that the matrix is a transitional tool which is reviewed each year subject to change and may ultimately be eliminated. The question was raised whether copies of the matrix and ranges could be distributed. Rich Nugent responded that the expectation is that supervisors communicate this during their discussions that occur when the individual compensation statements are distributed.

 

Rita added that a meeting will be held at the end of April with the Human Resources Planning Group to discuss the supervisors communication of ranges and the matrix. (Rita will provide an update at the May meeting.) 

 

VII. Discussion of Amended Priorities Issues

There was no time left in the meeting for this agenda item and is moved to the next meeting to be discussed. 

 

VIII. 1998 Annual Report

A copy of the 1998 Annual Report was distributed at the meeting to the Council members. 

 

IX. Set Agenda for the April 8, 1999 Meeting

I. Review/Discuss the presentation given by Sarah Misener at the March 11th meeting regarding Update on Performance Reviews and the presentation given by Rita Winsor regarding the July 1, 1999 Increases.

 

II. Approval of the March 11, 1999 Minutes

 

III. Discussion of Amended Priorities Issues

 

IV. Ad-Hoc Committee Reports

 

V. Set the Agenda for the Thursday, May 20, 1999 Meeting

 

Pam Jobin made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Emily Cassidy seconded this motion. A vote was taken, and all present Council members were in favor of the motion.

 

Respectfully Submitted, 

Communications Committee