Staff Council Supporting Faculty Council PAO/PAU Resolution

To:          Charles R. Bantz, Chancellor, IUPUI

From:    Sue Herrell, President, IUPUI Staff Council

Subject:Staff Council Statement Supporting IFC Resolution

Date:     June 19, 2009

As the university looks at civility as a campus goal, I am appreciative of the fact that we have an active Staff Council which allows staff members to have a voice on campus. This year, more than ever, we have felt the need to express our voice on the issue of the PAO/PAU timekeeping initiative.

As a result and in support of the IUPUI Faculty Council resolution adopted on June 8, 2009, the Staff Council on June 17, 2009 adopted the attached statement supporting the IFC resolution by a two thirds majority vote. As you can see by the contents of the resolution, the Staff Council and staff members of IUPUI, are clearly troubled about the impact the PAO/PAU timekeeping initiative will have on both professional and support staff on this campus. Most specifically, consider these points:

•Adverse financial impact from the shift from monthly to biweekly pay - 50% PAO/PAU’s indicate transition will represent a hardship (Office of Vice Chancellor Rhodes)
•Damaging effect the move to TIME, especially synchronous will have on the morale of staff
•Expense to the university, in these economic times, to implement this PAO/PAU timekeeping initiative (IU Internal Audit)
•Lack of timely and serious-minded consultation with all staff as a partner with IUPUI and Indiana University.

On behalf of the Staff Council and the Executive Committee, I ask that you earnestly review the resolution & supporting statement focusing on a supportive solution. While we understand that not all will be satisfied with the final outcome, it is our hope that together we can come up with an agreement that will benefit both the University and the staff.

Enclosure

cc: Dawn Rhodes, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration
Ellen Poffenberger, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Human Resources
Simon Atkinson, President, IUPUI Faculty Council
Staff Council Members

 

IUPUI STAFF COUNCIL STATEMENT SUPPORTING
THE IUPUI FACULTY COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO SUSPEND
THE PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION OF TIME FOR PAO/PAU STAFF
June 2009

Whereas, the rationale offered for the change in timekeeping systems appears incomplete and misleading since there is no violation of compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and Indiana University’s internal auditors determined the current timekeeping system to be adequate; and

Whereas, the IUPUI STAFF COUNCIL is concerned about the damaging effect this change will have on the morale of staff, the vital bond of professionalism, the academic culture of the campus, and customer service, especially to students; and

Whereas, lack of timely and serious-minded consultation with all staff, many of whom supervise and work with PAO/PAU staff, who are also PAO/PAU staff themselves, indicates disregard, if not disrespect, of the fundamental nature of academic work; and

Whereas, considerable time and energy will be required on the part of those staff who supervise PAO/PAU staff, thereby shortchanging interaction with students and taking time from tasks; and

Whereas, the decision to shift from the current timekeeping system to the synchronous TIME system appears to be an arbitrary choice and one that is not systematically applied across the IU system, that is decidedly user-unfriendly, and that is expensive to implement; and

Whereas, the proposed shift from monthly to biweekly pay would cause affected staff to experience a de facto pay cut each month for more than six months and cause them a considerable amount of involuntary deferment of pay that would create real and considerable hardships.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, IUPUI Staff Council is in agreement with and endorses the IUPUI Faculty Council Resolution adopted June 8, 2009, to suspend the planned implementation of the synchronous TIME system and biweekly pay for PAO/PAU staff.

Be, It Further Resolved, Chancellor Bantz and the IUPUI administration is hereby requested to assign highest priority to this matter.