STAFF SENATE Meeting Summarymay 8, 2006

STAFF SENATE Meeting SummaryMay 8, 2006

EKSTROM LIBRARY, CHAO AUDITORIUM

Call to Order

Noting a quorum, Senate Chair Bill Forman called the May meeting to order at 2:35 PM.

Approval of April 10, 2006 Minutes

A motion to approve the minutes as distributed was approved without dissent.

Officers Candidacy Speeches – Bob Cochran, Parliamentarian

This is the time of year we nominate Senators for offices for the fiscal year of July 1 – June 30. Candidates will be given an opportunity to speak to the Senate body for three minutes.

A. Chair Candidate(s) Beverly Daly

Senator Daly made her candidate statement.

B. Vice Chair Candidate(s) Brent Fryrear

Martyna Warren

Senator Fryrear made his candidate statement first and Senator Warren made her

statement immediately thereafter.

C. Secretary/Treasurer Candidate(s)Dhiane Bradley

Angela Lewis-Klein

Senator Bradley requested an extension until next month.

Senator Lewis-Kleinfollowed with her candidate statement.

Report of the Staff Senate Chair, Bill Forman

Over the past month, Bill has continued to attend meetings on the Provost’s Planning and Budget Committee (an ongoing committee to discuss the budget on an ongoing basis).
In April, we looked at a report by the Provost’s Budget Model committee. The recommended a new budget model that will decentralize the budget. The proposed budget system would make the units responsible for creating their own budgets and would be dependent on the unit’s performance. Performance Based =Unit Driven. It has been done in several higher education institutions and IndianaUniversity uses a model similar to theproposed model for U of L. The system looks at the budget from the bottom up rather than the incremental increases from the top down, and all unit plans have to be in compliance with the university’s strategic plan.
In May, Mike and Susan went through the most recent budget scenario. We are meeting every 2 weeks for the time being which can be adjusted as necessary.

AVPHR Search – The Committee has narrowed the field to 14 candidates with video interviews coming this week. Airport interviews will likely follow with finalists being brought to the campus for meetings with constituency groups and Q & A sessions with faculty and staff. Mr. Owsley will make the final selection along with President Ramsey.
Dean of the Med School Search – The field has been narrowed to four candidates – two external and two internal. Dr. Cook and President Ramsey will make that selection.

Executive Cabinet Meeting – There is a major fund-raising campaign being proposed by the President. U of L has hired a consulting group to review the campaign and see if the University is ready for a major development campaign. The consultants believe a bit more work needs to be done on the Strategic Plan along with some branding and marketing before going forward. Staff and Students (outside the VP of Advancement office) had no input. Dr. Ramsey hopes to raise $650 million through the new campaign when complete.

Meeting with Mr. Owsley –
the Senate officers had discussions with Mr. Owsley and John Ralston – we are a couple of weeks away from the salary upgrade software being active and going forward with salary catch up in 06 – 07.
We need to have a Career Fair for Staff. Not like a student career fair, instead have staff look at the different jobs, possibilities and opportunities at the University and what you may have to do to advance in your career. What is the risk? People may get skills and leave the University. This Fair will bring forward many different types of training events other than just classes or degrees. How many of us still don’t know want we want to be when we grow up? Many people aspire to do something different…what career counseling can we do to see what people are best suited for?
Question – does U of L promote from within? Yes and no…if someone meets the qualifications they go on in the candidate pool, but if they do not, the do not go forward.
Question – If HR has nothing to hide, can HR post how many promotions are internal vs. external? That is one of the items that the Senate has asked for from HR on an annual basis. The Peoplesoft upgrade has gotten in the way, but the Senate is trying to get the information on a variety of fronts.
Question – in an interview process the supervisor doing the interview can play favorites in the buddy system and the promotion does not happen. That is true and it is a concern we continue to address.
Governor’s Cuts – When he cut fundingfor the new BiomedicalCenter Parking garage, the Basketball/Volleyball practice facility, the MDR renovation and Miller Hall renovation, Bill wanted to demonstrate!! Faculty Senate Chair Bill Pierceproposed drafting a resolution from all governance bodies to go forward to the Governor, Legislative Leaders and Local Government Officials. Faculty Senate has adopted it as has the SGA. President Ramsey and the Governor have met and they have reached a tentative agreement to move ahead with the four projects and as a result, the University agreed to support the downtown arena. Bill read a cover letter and the joint resolution which is posted on Docushare. Senator benAvraham offered a motion to ratify this joint resolution with a second by Senator Eiden. One Senator discussed his concern for the State funding and how Louisville was bullied. The resolution carried without dissent.

Special Guest, Vice President for Finance, Mike Curtin

We seem to be a little confused about where the money goes and what happens with the budget. Chair Forman invited Mike Curtin who brought Larry Zink with him to speak and answer questions.
Mr. Curtin has heard the question asked more than once…how can you build buildings and not take that money to use for raises?

Operating funds are one set of funds that are used to operate the university like salaries and benefits; maintenance and operations; things that the university requires on a daily basis and are monies that when spent, are gone.
Capital funds are used for buildings purchases, leases and other big-ticket items that transfer dollars of cash to another asset value like renovations, buildings, etc.
There are different kinds of Bonds sold. The State can issue its own bonds – for example with the BiomedicalResearchBuilding, the State is selling some bonds of its own and the University is also issuing Agency Bonds that the University will responsible for repaying. Both require legislative authorization. We would rather have the state pay the debt service than having the University pay it.
Q & A Can the revenue generated in some of these research buildings be used for raises? On all grants and contracts, the University receives a Cost-recovery portion to use for whatever the University has negotiated with the Federal Government. It is referred to as Finance and Administration or F & A. Pays for all the things that it takes torun a grant. U of L currently has a 48% F & A.
Where does it go? We do a cost study – a consultant measures the space in the research buildings and records a variety of other research costs to prove to the government that we are spending real dollars on research. Then the government looks at the cost study and says, although you have justified a 55% F & A rate, we are going to fund you at a 46% rate and then the University negotiates to an agreeable rate for both parties. Part of F&A goes into the general fund to fund raises. Some has been held in savings for the Center for Predictive Medicine. Dr. Martin uses some to support research infrastructure…the positions that are required for the grants and research.
There is a 5% return to each department and 5% to each principal investigator. University Scholars receive additional funding from the indirect cost recovery.
Who offers the Bonds? We go with an outside firm – financing firm and a bonding firm that the state picks for us to use under a contract basis.
With no more questions, Mr. Curtin said that he is happy to answer questions that Senators may have. Feel free to email him with budget questions.

Faculty Senate Representative, Robert Staat

Faculty Senate had its annual elections – Dr. Beth Boehm was elected as Chair and Melissa Lanning from the Libraries was elected Vice Chair. Dr. Staat was re-elected as the Faculty Senate representative to the Staff Senate.
Redbook changes were brought forward – the changes to the document passed.
Faculty Senate also has a Secretary position listed and had a by-laws change to eliminate the office which is now staffed by a professional staff person. He said it is a great idea to review the bylaws to ensure thattheyare current and accurate.
Chair Piercehad a new treatise on potential changes intheGraduateSchool to the Provost. It is posted onthe Faculty Senate Docushare website.
The Faculty Senate passed the Joint Resolution as read by Chair Forman.
Provost – Salary increases will be an average of 3.5% for all Faculty and Staff.
President gave a report on his meeting with the Governor. The two of them did not agree on many things. Parking structure will be worked through the River City Parking Authority. He also discussed the capital campaign and thanked the Senate for its hard work.

Report of the Student Government

No Student Government Report.

Report of the Vice President for Business Affairs, Larry Owsley

Mr. Owsley discussed the bond issue and contracting topic.

On the research overhead question – labs are not charged for utilities or anything like that. There is a cost study that we do and we never get all the cost recovery that we can establish.

Practice Facility – In 2005, there was an expansion of Cardinal arena approved as a Title IX gender equity issue. Too many sports have to use the same space which requires scheduling practice time late in the evening. The expansion was too close to the electrical lines so U of L went back to the legislature this year with a proposal to build a free standing building that addresses the same Title IX gender equity issue giving basketball and volleyball teams additional practice courts. Mr. Owsley sent a letter to the state about the 2005 approval with the additional intent for athletics to raise the additional funds to pay for the freestanding arena.
Parking Garage – Parking Authority of River City (PARC) is working with us to fund the needed parking structure. If PARC builds it, and if it is going to become University property, it requires legislative approval. There are several options on the table right now.
Miller Hall and MDR will probably have to wait until next session of the general assembly. Was planned in the second year of the biennium anyway.
We are working to build BiomedicalResearchBuilding #3 and BiomedicalResearchBuilding #4 just east of the CarmichaelBuilding. $65 million is slated for #3 and $69 million is slated for #4. The plan calls for the construction of both buildings to beginin September. U of L has signed a lease for 460 parking spaces at the Haymarket area.That will be more than an even trade for the first phase of construction as it starts…but some else wanted the parking spaces, so Mr. Owsley signed the contract for them.
How about a circulator for the HSC? – We are looking at that as well.
Q&A
A constituent totaled his car in March and decided to use TARC in the interim, but could not get a refund on a parking permit, since permits are not refunded after February. Mr. Owsley will ask them to look at that.
On the HSC Circulator Concept…if every other route of the second shuttlecould go to HSC and back, it would be a great convenience and time saver for Staff who have meetings on Belknap campus. TARC has to have certain prescribed routes, but they will look at it.
Satellite Administrative Offices downtown – nothing has happened as yet.

Report of the Acting Associate Vice President for Human Resources, J. Ralston

John Ralston reported that

Employment Services Manager interviews are being done now and he hopes to have some hired in the next several weeks.
Compensation Analysis Software is becoming active soon, our data is in the system!
House Bill 3 requires background checks starting soon and the Provost has named a committee to look at how this will impact initial hires. Factor that into your hiring process.
Will departments have to pay for that? Other institutions are requiring that of departments. U of L is looking at different vendors to control cost and address the Peoplesoft issues.
There are some issues since the upgrade with applicant tracking – and Peoplesoft knows about the problem and they are working on a resolution to be able to print the resume and cover letters. U of L is an “Early Adopter” of this new program (a step or two up from beta testing).
Q&A
You can’t print a job posting either? HR will follow up on that. Netscape vs. Microsoft – what is the browser?
Job Descriptions do not include pay ranges. HR is to check on that as well.
Difficult to use according to another Senator. John will look at it to follow up on it. Early Adoptors get to find the problems and report them to the software company while receiving a discount on the software.
Any way to print the postings as a whole instead of each one? HR to investigate.
Can there be more explanation on how to automatically fill in your information from a previous application? HR will investigate.
Feedback on applicant tracking training? Send an email and John will pass it along.

Report of Standing Committees

Credentials and Nominations, Valerie Browning

VP/Dean area elections will be conducted from May 15 – May 27, 2006.

Committee did not meet since the last Senate meeting.

They will also be looking at some by-laws changes at the next C&N Meeting

Executive Committee, Bill Forman

No report past the Chair’s Report.

Finance and Economic Welfare, Martyna Warren