IUPUI Faculty Council (“IFC”)

March 21, 2007

MEETING SUMMARY

ACTION ITEMS

ü Hearing no objections, the 2/21/07 IFC minutes were approved as written.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

· Indiana Blood Center Outreach Specialist Jacquelyn Peelle gave a presentation on the critical importance of blood donation. She also explained how the Blood Center would work with the SC to staff and coordinate its first annual “Let’s Get Stuck Together” Blood Drive on Tuesday April 17^th planned by the SC’s own Special Events Committee. Following the meeting, SC members received the following announcement and information sheet about the blood drive:

Please join the IUPUI Staff Council from 9:00am-3:00pm on Tuesday April 17th for its first annual “Let’s Get Stuck Together!” blood drive. We are seeking a record-number of donors and need your help. The Indiana Blood Center will be staffing two* bloodmobiles that day: one outside of Fesler Hall and one in the University College courtyard area. *NOTE: Separate notices and sign-ups have been provided for a third, indoor, off-campus donation site: the SafeCo Building.

Visit http://fd2.formdesk.com/iupuistaffcouncil/blood-drive to make your appointment today!

Things to consider as you plan for your donation:

* The professionals of the Indiana Blood Center are staffing this drive. Learn more about the center, the critical need for blood donors, and more at http://www.indianablood.org/company.cfm.

* Learn more about donor requirements at http://www.indianablood.org/donating.cfm.

* Everyone who attends the drive and registers to donate will receive a t-shirt and a magnet, even if they do not pass the initial donor screening.

* All donors must present a valid photo ID at the donation site.

* Please set aside 45-60 minutes for your total donation experience including paperwork and screening (but don’t fret: the actual blood draw takes only 10 minutes or so).

* Drink plenty of fluids prior to and after donating. Don't forget to get plenty of iron in your diet, too!

* Please tell your friends, co-workers, family members, and others. All are welcome to join us on April 17th.

Thank you for your generosity. Again: don’t forget to sign up to donate at http://fd2.formdesk.com/iupuistaffcouncil/blood-drive and we’ll see you on the 17th!”

· SC President Susan Martin welcomed the day’s guests: visiting staff member Brett Jackson, visiting External Affairs Marketing Intern Angelo Smith, and HRA’s Judith Carley. Martin, then, briefed the SC on the following:

o Martin did send a letter to Chancellor Bantz following the February 21^st SC meeting to share staff concerns about the Having not yet received a response, Martin sent inquiries to the office of the Chancellor to verify that he was in receipt of the letter. Representative Miki Hamstra reminded the SC of the “Chat with the Chancellor” forum being held in the UC immediately following the SC meeting and encouraged SC members to attend and share their concerns with Chancellor Bantz directly.

o The SC has invited Beth Jeglum, the Director of the IUPUI Center for Young Children, to meet with the Council in April. Please collect any feedback or questions from your constituents.

o The SC website now highlights community scholarship opportunities.

o If your school or unit has its own staff council and would like to be linked to the SC website, please e-mail the Council office.

o Martin has written letters to staff council leaders throughout the IU system asking for their support of the pursuit of short-term disability benefits for staff.

o In response to a question from the floor about staff interest in elder care offerings, Martin referred the issue to the Staff Affairs Committee.

· Judith Carley spoke to the SC about the importance of promoting student employment. On-campus student employment, she noted, benefits the campus as well as the students and is proven to bolster retention and graduation rates. She asked SC members to explore the JagTemps program and consider its usefulness in staffing short-term projects or temporary needs within their own departments (call 4-2554 for more information). She also announced the creation of awards honoring outstanding student employees and outstanding student supervisors.

Per the HRA website, SC members are encouraged to “Consider the following ways that your department might offer students employment on campus:

o Whenever a grant is written, include money for one of more student positions, especially if the grant is related to work that could provide experience for students studying for a degree offered at IUPUI (e.g., if the grant is related to radiation oncology you might find students pursuing a radiation oncology degree who would value the opportunity to gain applicable experience).

o When a position is vacated and you are making plans to refill it, take an open-minded look at whether one or more hourly-paid students might be able to get the job done for you.

o Consider hiring a full- or part-time student to take the load off of your overworked staff.

o Work with the Career Center (4–2554 or http://www.career.iupui.edu) or post your opening on JagJobs at http://www.jagjobs.org, their free and easy online database where you can list work-study jobs, internships, student hourly positions and JagTemps opportunities.”

· 1^st Vice President Sue Herrell encouraged SC members and their colleagues, friends, and family to join Team Staff Council in the annual Susan Komen Race for the Cure. At meeting time, the Team was still in need of members. Herrell and Representative Leslie Kidwell explained how much fun the event is, as well as how convenient event parking is on the day of the race; they also noted that the time commitment is minimal, lasting only until 11:00am or so that Saturday. NOTE: Following the meeting, Team Staff Council met its goal (a minimum of 12 members) and, therefore, will participate in the April 21^st event. Many thanks to Sue Herrell for her work in coordinating the SC’s participation in this important civic event.

· Representative Pam Rogers reported the following [on behalf of Karen Best, Special Events Chair]:

“Staff Council presents IUPUI Night at the Pacers' on March 14th was a modest success & a great time with 160 members and friends of the IUPUI community in attendance. Don't forget to spread the word about a second chance at the same special price: $4 balcony tickets are available to IUPUI for the April 7th game against the Celtics. See Molly for details or refer to prior e-mails.

The contract and deposit have been submitted to secure Bradford Woods for the Friday July 13th all-day annual Staff Council retreat. Lunch will be provided and the retreat is free of charge to all Staff Council members (past, present and future). As the event draws closer, we will be doing a ride share as we did last year. The committee is currently planning the day's program, including professional development (hopefully featuring Deb Dunbar) and possible workshops on healthy living, jewelry-making, etc. We are currently exploring costs and availability. If you have any activities to suggest, please contact Karen Best. The committee has already begun soliciting donations for the retreat (door prizes, gift bags, etc.) and welcomes any donations or suggestions from the Council at large.

As Jacquelyn explained at the beginning of the meeting, April 17th will be the first annual 'Let's Get Stuck Together' Staff Council Blood Drive. Please distribute the posters and materials you receive today as well as the e-mail containing sign-up information that you will receive following today's meeting. Please also remember to invite three friends to donate with you that day. Our goal of 180 is lofty but if we spread the word to students, staff, faculty, and friends, we can achieve it!”

• Diversity Committee Chair Gary Curto announced an upcoming workshop on unintentional intolerance (a formal press release is forthcoming, but please mark your calendars) with special guest David Casey, the Vice President of Diversity at Wellpoint (April 13^th, 1:00-3pm, UL 00110). This program is free of charge and open to all staff, students, and faculty. Please spread the word. SC President Susan Martin asked that any SC members whose supervisors only permit them to miss such a significant block of time once a month [normally for the SC meeting] attend this diversity program rather than the monthly meeting.

Curto also asked SC members to save the date for a second program on May 4^th (tentatively scheduled for 1:00-3:00pm). The speaker is TBA.

· Explaining that he will be representing staff and the Staff Council on the IUPUI Safety Committee, Representative Lee Stone gave the following report:

“Please feel free to direct any safety concerns to me.

We had 26 individuals injured as a result of a fall on slick walkways during the period of January 1, 2007 thru March 1, 2007. A Snow Summit meeting involving a collaboration of Grounds, CFS, Parking Services, IUPUI Police and EHS representatives was held on March 12th to discuss what worked well; what didn’t work well and how to improve the ice/snow removal from walkways. As a result of this meeting, a committee has been created to review the snow plan, to determine ways to use resources from other areas of CFS to increase the manpower capacity, to inspect and audit all exterior areas, to improve on the communication process and to develop a campaign to remind people about the dangers of slips and falls.

A kick-off of the Pandemic Preparedness and Response committee is scheduled for April 19th, 2007 in the University Library auditorium from 9-11am. A representative from the Indiana Department of Health will present a very interesting and enlightening program describing the pandemic flu and how to plan for it. We will then discuss our planning process.

The goals of the committee are as follows:

o Preserve human life

o Decrease the occurrence of illness among the IUPUI community

o Maintain continuity of academics and essential operations

o Maintain educational and financial viability despite possible disruption of normal class schedules

o Keep the IUPUI community educated and informed

o Support the local community and affiliated institutions when possible

The Subcommittees that are being created and their respective chairs are listed below:

Closure/Suspension/Academic Continuity Subcommittee – ?

Advises and develops procedures regarding the closure of campus, student housing, and/or public transportation. Advise on need to cancel classes, sporting events, and/or other public events. Develop and disseminate alternative procedures to assure continuity of instruction in the event of university closure.

International Students and Study Abroad Student Services Subcommittee - ?

Develop contingency plans for students who depend on student housing and food services.

Admissions and Financial Aid Subcommittee - ?

Develop a recovery plan to deal with consequences of the pandemic flu (i.e. loss of students, financial disruption). Develop a continuity of operations plan for maintaining the essential operations of the university.

Community Relations Subcommittee – Jim White

Serve as a liaison between the university and the community at large, including state and local health departments, the state higher education agency, and local authorities.

Legal/Ethical/Risk Management Subcommittee - Eric Meslin

· Consider the legal and ethical questions for limiting the availability of a scarce resource, such as rationed diagnostic laboratory testing, pandemic strain influenza vaccine or antiviral drugs.

· Consider and identify liability issues in the event the institution fails to respond appropriately to a pandemic outbreak or to provide adequate level of care to students.

· Identify the advantages and disadvantages of a declaration of a state-of-emergency on campus during a pandemic have been identified.

· Assess the legal impacts of public health measures that are likely to be proposed, including: travel or movement restrictions (leaving and entering areas where infection is established); campus closings; prohibition of mass gatherings; isolation or quarantine of infected persons, or of persons suspected of being infected, or persons from areas where pandemic strain influenza infection is established.

· Consider the liability, insurance, and any necessary licensing issues have been considered for temporary, retired workers, and volunteers who may be assisting in areas outside their training and competence, particularly health and emergency services.

· Consider the liability issues for unforeseen adverse events in the possibility of administering a vaccine and/or antiviral drug, especially where the licensing process for a pandemic strain vaccine has been expedited.

· Develop assumptions from which to evaluate the impact of a pandemic event.

Information Technology Subcommittee - (working with UITS to determine)?

Assist and support other committees related to the use of technology.

Human Resources Subcommittee – Ellen Poffenberger

Establish policies for employee and student sick leave absences unique to pandemic influenza. Establish policies for working at home. Develop a recovery plan to deal with the consequences of the pandemic flu (i.e. loss of staff).

Fiscal Issues/Business Continuity Subcommittee – Mike Cozmanoff

Develop a recovery plan to deal with consequences of the pandemic flu (i.e. financial disruption). Develop a continuity of operations plan for maintaining the essential operations of the university including payroll.

Communications Subcommittee – Rich Schneider

Assess readiness to meet communication needs in preparation for an influenza pandemic. Develop a dissemination plan for communication with employees, students, and families, including lead spokespersons and links to other communication networks. Disseminate information pertaining to the pandemic flu and the campus’ preparedness. Establish an emergency communication plan and revise regularly. Develop a continuity of operations plan for maintaining the essential operations of the university including ongoing communication with employees, students, and families.

Research and Research Animals Subcommittee – Joel Trammel

Develop contingency plans for maintaining research laboratories, and animals. Identify critical needs of research and essential personnel.

Campus Operations Subcommittee – Rich Strong

Develop a recovery plan to deal with consequences of the pandemic flu (i.e. operational disruption). Develop a continuity of operations plan for maintaining the essential operations of the university including security, maintenance, as well as housekeeping and food service for student housing. Advise on stockpiling non-perishable food and equipment that may be needed. Provide assessment of facilities for use by the public, hospitals, or campus personnel. Evaluate the suitability of student housing for quarantine of exposed and/or ill students. Identify essential functions and personnel to support operations.

Health Advisory Subcommittee – Dr. Steve Wintermeyer

· Infection control, monitoring and health services recommendations.

· Implement infection control policies and procedures that help limit the spread of influenza on campus.

· Identify means to procure, store and provide sufficient and accessible infection prevention supplies.

· Establish systems to monitor the health of the campus community and the county, state and federal populations.

· Coordinate hospitals’ activities with the campus.

· Establish a pandemic plan for campus-based healthcare facilities that addresses issues unique to healthcare settings. Adopt CDC travel recommendations (i.e. distributing health information to persons who are returning from affected areas) during an influenza pandemic and be able to support voluntary and mandatory movement restrictions.

· Recommend sick leave policies/procedures for employees and students suspected to be ill or who become ill on campus.

· Advise the following subcommittees as necessary: Closure/Suspension/Academic Continuity, Human Resources, Campus Operations, Community Relations, International Students and Study Abroad Student Services.

If you are interested in planning for a pandemic and would like to attend this meeting, please contact Colleen McCormick at 278-1308 or via e-mail at cjmccorm@iupui.edu so we can plan accordingly. We are looking for a few subcommittee chairs and members for the subcommittees. Please volunteer for a subcommittee if you can and/or ask others who you feel have an interest and can contribute towards developing a plan for the campus.

In closing, we now have several emergency planning resources for both work and home, including information on survival kits, first aid kits and family communications plans, available at the following link: http://ehs.iupui.edu/ehs/emerg_Plan.asp.”

Following Stone’s report Representative Leslie Kidwell asked him to follow-up on three issues:

• A scramble light needed at Blackford and Michigan
• “Is anything being done to institute a new crosswalk across Michigan to IT?”
• Crosswalk buttons should be moved out of the grass to a wheelchair accessible location.
• Can the turn from West onto Michigan be converted to “no right on red.”

Chancellor's SC Academic Designee Paul Galanti reported that the IUPUI Faculty Council is considering a resolution on pedestrian safety and urged SC involvement.

Representative Anna Zufall, responding to a suggestion for the extension of traffic light timing, remarked that Clarian had been unsuccessful in making a similar request to the city in the past.

Representative Suzanne Vick suggested “chirping” scramble lights, as are used at Ball State, noting that they are “very effective.”

Representative Chris Walther asked if, in light of the tragedy at Purdue, the Safety Committee would discuss the security of restricted hazardous areas on campus.

• Chancellor's SC Academic Designee Paul Galanti gave the following IUPUI Faculty Council updates:

• IFC President Bart Ng presented an open letter to the Trustees and President-Elect of IU.

• The search for the new Vice Chancellor for External Affairs continues and is nearing its final stages. Amy Conrad Warner is currently serving as the Interim Vice Chancellor.

• A search committee has been convened for a new Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance. Vice Chancellor Bob Martin is nearing retirement.

• Under the new Trustee-approved IU Chancellor Review Policy, Chancellor Bantz will be up for review during the next academic year.

• Representative Becky Thacker encouraged SC members to be aware of SJR 7, a proposed amendment to the Indiana Constitution that would deny rights and legal protections associated with marriage to all unmarried couples, same-sex or otherwise. Representative Miki Hamstra echoed Thacker’s concerns, noting the negative impact the denial of same-sex partner benefits could have on faculty recruitment. Her concerns were echoed buy several SC members. Please see http://eqfed.org/campaign/sjr7_house to learn more.

THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 18^th FROM 3:00-5:00PM

IN THE WYNNE COURTROOM OF INLOW HALL (“IH 100”).

Information about SC business, meeting schedules, and more are available on our website.