Staff Advisory Committee

Minutes

Staff Advisory Committee

November 7, 2018

Room 338 Natural Resources Bldg.

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Attended:  Colin, Kathryn, Sarah, Becca, Bridget, Sharon, Jan & Kris

1. Welcome Rebecca Ives (filling Zone 3 vacancy) – Welcome Becca we need to get website updated; email list; S drive access; information sheet. Quentin Tyler, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. DEI committee staff members – Intros and welcome. Gina Flores – staff members of the DEI committee. Jenette Riebow – staff member DEI committee. 14 people on DEI committee. Stressed the importance of DEI training important for everyone. Building resources. Jessica Garcia OIE 2-day training is available through HR.SAC could have their own training, may be a stepping stone before rolling out to staff.
2. Quentin Tyler - Goals of DEI office – Staff are important in his role, previous role at UK he was a staff member. Spent 19+ yrs. research and teaching, involved in hiring and recruitment.  Liaison with 1890 group.  Looking to SAC group, to be a voice to DEI Office and committee.  CANR Leadership team when through training and now wants to move towards training for staff; unconcise bias, scenario training, power privilege are some suggested topics; and provide speakers.  Quentin and the committee are commitment to represent us, has an open-door policy, and a confidential voice.  Aggressive in getting MSU brand out into the pipeline. How can SAC help or support these goals? Survey to gage the climate of CANR staff, would like SAC to distribute to the staff.  Hope to get more responses.  Things the committee could address may come out of the survey.  Developing identities that people bring to work related to religion, by visiting local religious institutions look at from a research stand point, Faculty and Staff member to report back as to how they represent the community, then a native American perspective; Intercultural Awareness day.  Women, cultural, inter-sexuality, educational stand point from a global perspective.  DIE committee, preparing a statement, mandatory inclusion statement, and culturally inclusive reporting form for things that may not meet standards of OIE but still need to be addressed.  Departments are developing Community norm policies.
3. Approve minutes from November meeting - Approved
4. MSU Safe Place campaign - Colin – will have additional flyers posted around the bldgs. Additional flyers. Current end date: Friday, December 21
5. CAC update - CANR Sabbatical policy – not getting used, pushing faculty to take advantage. Community Norms document – Brian Teppen from CAC asked SAC to provide feedback from staff, on topics related to power imbalances, communication, diversity, equity, bias, knowledge, active learning, mentoring, dealing with conflict. What areas would we add from our perspective?  SAC did a survey 2017 we can share with Quentin.  Areas were presented to Ron and Jeff from Extension.  (Sarah – KBS is doing a survey that she can share,) (Quentin – what qualifies under learning? CAC did not have any specific qualifiers), What about funds or time to send staff to train? Performance Excellence program to provide goals training fund for noncredit courses and tuition assistance.  Many staff didn’t know it was available or time to utilize benefit.  (Gina - $800 is for attendance fees but not for travel, also how that person is funded could also pose challenges.  There has been some success working with Kris to document training needs and use of funds for more than just attending. Request for SAC input for staff survey
6. SAC info sheets – talk of distribution via email from Unit HR person after the first of the year. Any updates or feedback? – add Rebecca to sheet, website
7. Basketball tickets/games update - Kathryn – first round of tickets will be mailed out next week. 140 tickets for Dec 30^th Game and 98 for Jan 31^st.  Kris will have added to the ANR weekly update.
8. Ideas Portal – tabled. Colin - Need to contact IT
9. November 14 All staff meeting with Dean Hendrick - Colin /Sharon/Jan/Sarah/Kris attended in person. Bullet points from Dean: No layoffs as a result of the Nassar settlement. New medical delivery system – no off-campus care. No more goals to cut staff after Simon retired. Ag Bio and MSUE funds are above level prior to 15% cuts. No more than 1% fund cut next year. Green House Capital Improvements priority next year. Block Tuition – more Fri./evening classes, complete in 4 yrs. IT Centralization – no change for 1^st year. RCM creates unhealthy competition (online credit courses)
10. Work, Life Balance Office possible survey – Tabled, will review with other potential surveys that we may be sending out.
11. Toys 4 Tots trophy - Alter for Safe Place? – Kris took trophy to update plaque for changes in community campaign drive.
12. Card for Mackenzie – Kris may have a card will check and let us know.
13. Other business

Side Conversations:

Soft money hires; APA layoff process for end dated folks

Salary equity could be a question this group could ask within a survey

What determines a Specialist vs APA – Central HR makes decision on classification, potentially something to look at.

Mostly women at the “ALL” staff meeting – research staff mostly men, don’t go to these types of meetings – office staff mostly women; how do we bring both groups together? 

Kris suggested having the Dean send a letter to Department Chairs whose staff serve on committees.