In attendance: Kileene Collins, Sheila Barton, Sharath Rongali, Grayson Gordon, Lu Adams (via conference phone), Karla Bean, CJ Collins, Scott Schneider, Mary Kellum, Jill Stephens, Emily Gibson, Luke Pitchford and Chulapol Thanomsing.
Updates Chancellor:
- Thanks to IT, Scott and the Physical Plant for the reminder email regarding protecting our computer equipment while on holiday break.
- Congratulate Rachel Peterson for being chosen as the Public Affairs Spotlight recipient.
- We were chosen to be on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, mostly for our 50K Initiative and all of the volunteer hours our University contributed this past year.
- Dr. Bennett has been working on the ADP’s and is convinced the secret to our success is “We have good people here”.
Welcome New Employees:
- Luke Pitchford, Director of IT Services
Open Positions:
Career Center Data Coordinator (Full-time Staff, TAACCCT Grant) Application deadline 1/05/2015.
Registrar (Full-time Staff) Reviewing applications.
Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs (Full-time Staff) Closing search without a hire. Position will be reposted & re-advertised.
Part-time Technology & Social Media Support (Part-time Staff, TAACCCT Grant) Open until filled.
Part-time Events Coordinator (Part-time Staff). Open until filled.
Program Director/Instructor, Health Information Technology Program (Full-time Faculty, TAACCCT Grant)
Biology, Instructor/Assistant Professor (Full-time Faculty)
Nursing, Instructor (Full-time Faculty)
History, Assistant/Associate Professor (Full-time Faculty)
Accounting & Entrepreneurship, Instructor/Assistant Professor (Full-time Faculty)
Per-Course Faculty (Spring 2015 Semester) All divisions posted.
Capital Projects: Scott Schneider
- Everything is in place for the greenhouse to be built and it will be started soon after the first of the year.
- Clock tower faces have been replaced.
- The state is looking at a Revenue Bond and if we are awarded that money, it will be used to renovate and expand the post office building as well as other possible renovations around campus.
Upcoming Events: Emily Gibson reminded the group to use the vouchers we received for any of the upcoming events.
- Jan. 15th (7 pm) – Mentalist Christopher Carter
- Jan. 23rd (7 pm) – The Emperor’s New Clothes, presented by the St. Louis Repertory Theatre’s Imaginary Theatre Company.
Departmental Updates:
- TRiO (Mary Kellum) – Their letter writing campaign will be in February and they welcome any non-used cards to be donated. They also announced they met all of their goals on their Annual Performance.
- Civic Center Pool & Fitness (Emily) – The pool & fitness center will be open during the holiday break with the exceptions of Christmas and New Years Day.
Approval of Minutes:
- Motion to approve: Mary Kellum
- Second: Sheila Barton
- Approved: All
II. Old Business
Staff Dedication Wall:
- Chulapol will visit Howell County Outpost for ideas and prices on designs for the plaques.
Book Club Common Reader “Garbology”:
- Nothing to report, seems to be lack of interest.
Battery Recycling Effort:
- We can proceed but Chulapol is waiting for confirmation from Sylvia Kuhlmeier that the Library will benefit from this effort.
Mass Email Communication Survey:
Click on the following link for survey results: Email Communication Survey Result
Christmas Donation (Angel Tree):
We helped 44 children and it was a success!
Common Reader Selection finalists for next year:
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- What is the What? by Dave Eggers
- Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
III. New Business
Christmas Donation (Angel Tree) Survey: To determine if the Angel Tree donations interfered with United Way Campaign contributions. Click the following link for survey results: Angel Tree 2014 Survey Result
FY16 Budget:
- We are looking at a $170,000 reduction in the budget, based on the current formula used. The Faculty Senate is forming a committee to review the formula and discuss changes. Chulapol shared with the faculty senate we would like to have at least 2 representatives from the Staff Senate involved in that committee.
- Chulapol, Mary and Grayson attended the Springfield Staff Senate meeting on December 17th. They are working on a Staff Salary Incentive Program (SSIP) and Chulapol asked to allow our Staff Senate representatives be involved. The goal is to have something to present to President Clif Smart in February.
New Meeting Schedule:
- We are looking at changing the meeting day/time of our Staff Senate to accommodate a representative from our group to attend the Faculty Senate meetings which are the first Friday of the month. Any ideas of new schedule and/or if you would like to be our representative at the Faculty Staff meetings, please contact Chulapol.
Commencement Speaker:
- Sheila Barton has a name to submit. If anyone else has a speaker in mind, please notify Chulapol.
Miscellaneous Items:
- Mary Kellum stated it was brought up in Admin. Council that each member that attends the Staff Senate meetings should be reporting back to their department on the items covered.
- Scott Schneider discovered we need a representative from West Plains to serve on the Staff Handbook Committee. Chulapol will follow up with Alyssa Collins to see if she is interested in being that representative. If anyone else is interested, please contact Chulapol.
IV. Next Meeting:
- TBD