The Year in Review…

IUPUI Staff Council 2006-2007

 

 

v      GETTING THE JOB DONE

       The Council

…continued discussions with Assistant Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Ellen Poffenberger and Associate Vice President for Human Resources Dan Rives in an ongoing discussion of short-term disability insurance and the concept of a crisis leave bank.  The SC sponsored a January focus group on the issue, organized by Executive Committee member Natalie Harvey and featuring CL and PA staff from the School of Liberal Arts.  Following a report on the results of the IUPUI focus group, Rives began a formal exploration of Vice Chancellor support [across the university] for the staffing and potential cost implications of a short-term disability program.  The SC Executive Committee meets next with Rives in August2007. (Staff Affairs Committee)

  

…participated in lengthy discussions about diversity issues, as well as racism and other forms of prejudice on campus. 

 

…solicited constituent feedback and provided Council feedback on the creation, mission, and structure of the new chief diversity officer position (the position is now titled "Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion").

 

…convened an ad hoc committee to explore diversity issues on campus, as well as racism and other forms of prejudice.  The committee sponsored a successful workshop in April (“Beyond Awareness,” led by WellPoint Chief Diversity Officer David Casey) and will sponsor another in late June 2007 (led by Julie Lash).  (Diversity Committee)

 

…met with Dean of Faculties and Executive Vice Chancellor Uday Sukhatme to offer feedback on the Academic Action Plan.  Several Staff Council members were appointed to task forces assigned to explore various facets of the proposed plan.

 

…continued to refine the online elections process and the publicity of the Spring elections, enjoying a higher voter turn-out than in 2006-07 and, for the first time in at least five years filling all 46 representative slots for the School of Medicine. (Membership Committee)

 

…continued communicating with IUPUI Chief of Police Paul Norris to discuss pedestrian safety, traffic concerns, and emergency preparedness.  Representative Lee Stone assumed the role of staff representative to the Campus Safety Committee mid-year and has since ensured a strong staff voice in policy-making and public education about crisis response, general safety, and emergency preparedness. (Staff Affairs Committee)

 

…solicited, organized, and reported [to the Chancellor] staff concerns about campus closure during severe weather, accurate and clear communication about them, and expectations regarding staff attendance/time-off accounting.  (Staff Affairs Committee)

 

…developed a knowledge base of issues explored and projects completed by the Staff Affairs Committee.  (Staff Affairs Committee)

 

…met with the then-Director of Chartwell’s Campus Dining Services and maintained regular communication with dining services, appointing liaison Janice Canganelli to the Campus Food Services Advisory Committee. (Staff Affairs Committee)

 

…appointed Becky Thacker, Leslie Kidwell, and Jan Canganelli to represent staff on the Campus Center Advisory Committee.

 

…raised important concerns about the availability, safety, and convenience of staff parking at the Medical Information Sciences Building.  Gary Curto will continue to raise the concerns with the Parking Advisory Committee and report back.

 

…received and disseminated information from Chief Information-Technology Policy Officer Merri Beth Lavagnino about new data protection laws in Indiana and how such laws impact best practices when dealing with personnel and student information.

 

…met with Beth Jeglum, the Director of the IUPUI Center for Young Children, to learn more about the center’s mission, resource challenges facing it, and opportunities for staff assistance and involvement. (Staff Affairs Committee)

 

…received and disseminated information from Human Resources Administration [courtesy of Assistant Vice Chancellor Poffenberger and her staff] about training &development opportunities, Work/Life programming, university benefits, and changing policies.

 

…ensured staff representation on and facilitated regular communication with the Parking Advisory Committee (via Staff Council liaison Gary Curto), the Faculty Council(via Paul Galanti and Jacqueline Blackwell), and the Compensation Systems Initiative work group.

 

…engaged Vice Chancellor Martin and his staff in an ongoing dialogue on campus construction projects, campus finances, and long-range plans at the university.

  

…enjoyed a successful July 2006 retreat at the IU Bradford Woods Outdoor Education Center, planned by 2005-06 Special Events Chair Sue Herrell and her committee.  The retreat—the theme of which was “Camp Staff Council”--included a professional development seminar on customer service (led by IU’s Deb Dunbar); nature walks; a workshop on self-defense; a chair yoga class; and team-building activities.

 

…filled 9 unit representative vacancies mid-term or directly following the 2006 Spring election. There remained one vacancy among the officers (Delana Gifford had to resign the role of 2nd Vice President due to scheduling conflicts) and one among the members-at-large of the Executive Committee (Lena Woods had to resign due to a job change).  No RC (as defined by the Staff Council’s membership breakdown) went unrepresented by the Council in 2006-07. (Membership Committee)

 

…received and responded to countless staff inquiries about campus services and work/life.

 

 

The initiatives above owe much of their success to the hard work of the following committees and the strong and focused leadership

of their chairs:

Bylaws – Amy Jones Richardson, Chair

                                                Communication – Michelle Hurst, Chair  / Barbara Jarjoura, Chair

Diversity (Ad Hoc) – Gary Curto, Chair

Membership – Amy Jones Richardson, Acting Chair

Rewards & Recognition – Lorna Griffin & Mike Oakley, Co-Chairs

Special Events – Karen Best, Chair

Staff Affairs – Becky Thacker, Chair

               

 

 

v      REACHING OUT

The Council

…sponsored three IUPUI Night at the Pacers Game events in February through April, the first of which enjoyed a 121- person turn-out. (Special Events Committee)

…planned, organized, and executed [a smaller scale] Staff Council Awareness Month.  As the event lacked a chair, this year we did not sponsor the IUPUI-opoly trivia game or weekly information tables.

 

…sponsored, organized, publicized, and staff its first annual Spring Blood Drive (“Let’s Get Stuck Together!”) on April 17, 2007. 138 people attended and 95 were able to donate. (Special Events Committee)

 

…planned a successful holiday celebration for Council members and students at the Center for Young Children in December 2007. (Special Events Committee)

 

…sponsored its first Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure team, raising more than $300 for the April 2007 event.

 

 

v      APPLAUDING EXCELLENCE

The Council

…awarded the Carol D. Nathan Scholarship for the 2006-07 school year to Tim Bennett (Kelley), Karen Eckert (UC), Nathaniel Spaulding (CFS), and Melissa Titus (Medicine). (Rewards & Recognition Committee)

 

…recognized IUPUI staffers for their valuable contributions to the IUPUI community and their communities-at-large as “Spotlight Staffers.”  This year’s primary honorees (those honored throughout Staff Council Awareness Month 2007) were Carmen Buchanan (E&T), Dana Casey(SLA), Pam DeWeese (Medicine), Tenicia Nicole Manuel (UITS), Brenda Meredith(Psychology), and Lillie Watkins (Nursing). (Rewards & Recognition Committee)

 

…named two Gerald Bepko Staff Council Spirit Award winners in March 2007: Sandra Wilson (Enrollment Services) and Mabel Walker (Ruth Lilly Law Library). (Rewards & Recognition Committee)

 

…worked with the Center on Servicing Learning to develop the application and criteria for the new Nan Bohan Community Engagement Award.  The award will be co-adjudicated and awarded in Summer 2007 by representatives of the Staff Council Rewards & Recognition Committee and Center for Service Learning. (Rewards & Recognition Committee)

 

…launched an “Applause!” page to offer staff members avenue for announcing professional, academic, and community accomplishments.

 

 

v                  MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CIRCLECITY AND BEYOND

 

The Council

…continued a successful cell phone drive to benefit the Indiana Coalition against Domestic Violence, donating more than 100 phones this year, alone.

  

 

Council members also

 

…donated to the IUPUI Campus Campaign.

 

…participated in the first IUPUI Take Back the Night event to raise awareness about sexual violence and its survivors.

 

…participated in community emergency preparedness training.

 

…participated in Chat with the Chancellor forums and Trustee forums on tuition and fees.

  

…impacted their communities in countless ways (http://www.iupui.edu/~scouncil/applause.htm).

 

 

 

 

2006-07Staff Council Executive Committee

 

Susan J. Martin, President

Sue Herrell, 1st Vice President

Vacancy, 2nd Vice President

Amy Jones Richardson, Secretary

 

Members-at-Large: Keith Battle, Christina Freeman, Natalie Harvey, Wayne Husted, Leslie Kidwell, 1 Vacancy

 

 

Report prepared by Molly Martin (Staff Council Coordinator) 6/10/07