TU Staff Advisory Council Meeting March 11, 2010 Page 4
Tulane University
Staff Advisory Council
Minutes of Thursday, March 11, 2010
ATTENDEES / ATTENDEESOFFICERS / UPTOWN CAMPUS
Susan Barrera, Chair / Present / Kathy Bourgeois / Present
Gwen Chavez, Vice Chair / Present / Linda Cantero /
Present
Rob Platner, Election Coordinator / Present / Liz Davey / PresentLisa Britton, Recording Secretary, Member at Large / Present / Shirley Dymond /
Excused
Cheryl Sterling,Corresp. Secretary
/ Present /Miriam Espinosa
/ PresentJered Bocage, Parliamentarian / Excused /
Mike Griffith
/Excused
Michael Harrison / PresentDOWNTOWN CAMPUS / Cynthia Hayes,Immediate Past Chair / Excused
Tanya Ambrose /
Excused
/ Romella HodgesRon Cail / Absent / Alysia Loshbaugh /
Present
Linzi Conners / Excused / Suzanne Lossi /Present
Cheryl Dempsey / Excused / Aaron Martin / PresentTami Jenniskens / Present / Lisa O’Dwyer / Excused
Paula Lucas / Present / Laurie Orgeron / Excused
Merisa Pasternak / Excused / Kimberly Vega / Present
Patsy Stewart / Present / Judy Vitrano / *Present
Shirley Tubre /
Present
/ Emily Capdeville (proxy) / AbsentJeannine Coxen (proxy) / Absent
Simon Dorfman (proxy) / Excused
Jeanny Keck (proxy) / Present
NORTHSHORE
Scott Goings / Absent
Corrie West / Present
Robert Johnson (proxy) / Absent / INVITED GUESTS AND VISITORS
Ruth Wilson, WFMO / Present
* Via teleconference
All Officers are serving the Staff Advisory Council term 2009 – 2010
Call to Order: Susan Barrera, SAC Chair, called the March 11, 2010 meeting of the Staff Advisory Council to order at 3:30 p.m. The meeting was held at the School of Public Health Dean’s Conference Room in the Tidewater Building.
I. Review and Approval of the Minutes
Chair Barrera called for a motion to approve the February 11, 2010 minutes and the minutes were approved.
II. Report of the Chair, Susan Barrera
No report. Chair Barrera reminded everyone that one-third of our representatives will be rolling off of the SAC roster. She encouraged everyone to nominate individuals to become a SAC rep. Nominations will be in April and elections will be held in May. Officer elections will be at the June meeting.
III. WFMO Liaison
Ruth Wilson, Director, Employee Support Systems gave the following WFMO responses from our questions submitted at our last SAC meeting.
Question: For our life insurance coverage, why did we go from Met Life to Standard?
Tulane made a decision to transfer our life insurance business from MetLife to The Standard for 2010. This decision was made based on cost-savings for the University and our employees and on significant service issues we encountered with MetLife.
We recognize that the loss of the MetLife web site has impacted some of our employees. And, we understand how important access to personal insurance information is. In recognition of this need, we are in the process of developing a system that will give everyone access to all of their insurance information on-line. In the meantime, the WFMO Benefits team is available to verify benefit amounts and/or beneficiary information as needed.
The change to the employee paychecks has been requested and should reflect Life Insurance shortly removing the reference to MetLife.
Question: What is the turnaround time to transfer vacation hours from Vacation Transfer Pool to the employee requesting vacation hours?
The turnaround time is typically within the same week in which the transfer request was made.
Question: What is the maximum number of hours an employee can receive from the Transfer Pool?
The maximum number of hours an employee may receive is up to 12 weeks.
Question: Is it possible to systematically transfer vacation hours in excess of the maximum accrual to the Vacation Transfer Pool?
The University respects the individual employee’s right to use Vacation time at their own discretion. It is up to the individual employee to decide whether to donate time to the pool.
Question: Can WFMO periodically notify SAC of the Vacation Transfer Pool balance?
The pool balance fluctuates so frequently and is used so quickly that an outstanding balance report would typically show zero hours. A report would not provide useful or actionable information.
Question: Can SAC communicate information to staff encouraging them to submit vacation hours to the Vacation Transfer Pool?
The Vacation Transfer Pool is described in the Staff Handbook. As solicitation for vacation hours is prohibited, past practice of relying on the Staff Handbook will continue.
Question: Can WFMO alert employees who are in danger of forfeiting vacation hours?
WFMO communicates vacation hours balance on every pay stub.
Question: What is the FMLA application process? Should the supervisor be notified when an employee applies for FMLA?
The supervisor is notified by WFMO when an employee requests FMLA paperwork and when a FMLA leave is approved or denied. The details of the medical condition are not shared with the supervisor. Under the FMLA, employees seeking to use FMLA leave are required to provide 30-day advance notice of the need to take FMLA leave when the need is foreseeable; this includes the supervisor of the employee. This is so that the supervisor may be able to make preparations for work to continue while the employee is out on FMLA leave.
IV. Officer Reports
A. University Senate
No report. Meeting was held in the Murphy Building and Dr. Ben Sachs gave a brief talk about the simulation center. Entire meeting was brief.
B. Board of Administrators
No report, the Board meets next week.
V. University Senate Committee Reports
1. Benefits
No meeting.
2. Budget Review
No meeting.
3. Information Technology
No report.
4. Equal Opportunity
No report, meeting will be held tomorrow.
5. Physical Facilities
No meeting, next meeting will be on April 6th.
6. Social Issues
No report.
VI. SAC Sub-Committees
1. Election Committee
Rob Platner reported the online nomination form is on the SAC website. He asked all SAC members to encourage coworkers to consider running to become a SAC representative. Rob will have more information at our April meeting. Elections will be in May and elections of the officer positions will be in June.
2. Electronic Technology and Information
No report.
3. Staff Appreciation
Rob Platner and Lisa Britton thanked everyone for their help at the event. Rob then gave a recap of the Family Fun Day event that was held on Feb 27th.
The event was nice but unfortunately the night before the event we had some bad weather. The weather played a big part in many people not showing up for the event. Overall we did a great job and would like to see the event become a yearly event. The people that did attend all seemed to enjoy the event.
· Day before event we had approx 500 people registered. Approx 125 people showed up to participate and we had 19 SAC reps volunteer to help out.
· Food – Mr. Mudbugs was very generous in donating seafood pasta dish and also provided a food server, Mike, who stayed the entire time serving the pasta. Olive Blue Catering supplied the other food for 300 people.
· Athletics -- Jason Potuto was a tremendous help – he ordered the tents / inflatables for the kids, Jason was there the entire time to assist us in any way. He offered that if we have this event again, Athletics would like to be a part of it. Athletics supplied us with 250 tickets for the game and unfortunately we don’t’ know the actual number of participants from the walk who then attended the game.
· The giveaways at the event were a big hit. In addition to the items purchased by SAC, Corrie West donated items from the Primate Center. Linda Cantero did face painting which was also a big hit with the kids.
· A staff member Jonathan Jouet, did a great job as DJ for the event.
· Gina Fortado, also a staff member, sang the national anthem at the start of the baseball game.
· WFMO asked United Way to come to our event. United Way is offering to raffle a poster done by George Rodrigue showing his “Blue Dog” and Drew Brees together. This poster was donated with the intention of it going to a Tulane employee. To be eligible for the drawing, an employee needs to pledge a minimum of $50 to United Way campaign.
· For prizes we had a signed baseball from the 2010 baseball team, two umbrellas. We purchased ten - $5.00 food vouchers from Toulouse Gourmet (the food vendor at the stadium) and gave out as prizes.
4. Staff Issues
No report.
5. Health and Wellness
Judy Vitrano reported:
· 10-K a day is going on right now. They had 365 people register to participate and approximately 220 people are actively recording their steps. There are incentives at the 6-week mark for 30 people to receive a $25 gift card, and at end of the program another 30 people will be picked to receive a $50 gift card. At the end of the program, five people with the highest step count will receive a $150 gift card.
· Upcoming seminars being held at the different campuses: “Natural Energy Boosters” and another one “Aging Well”.
· Seminar will be given by Dr. Gourmet on “Eating Healthy and Losing Weight”.
· Erica Taylor sent out surveys about the different wellness programs to ask what people liked and didn’t like. Committee discussed the major issues that came up from the survey results. Some examples: Some people were frustrated because didn’t have enough time to participate; Another complaint was all programs seem to be targeted only on “walking”; another suggestion was offered to have every participant receive something for participating, not just those with the highest numbers or the “drawings”.
· The committee is now trying to come up with some other programs to target those people who are already active.
6. Community Service
No report.
VI. Old Business
Aaron Martin presented the SAC “Domestic Partner Policies Resolution” (see Attachment 1). After brief discussion, the SAC resolution was unanimously voted to submit to WFMO for their review.
VIII. New Business
Next Meeting: The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at the Lavin-Bernick Center at 3:30 pm.
IX. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa M. Britton
Recording Secretary
ATTACHMENT I
Domestic Partner Policies Resolution
Staff Advisory Council
Resolution 2010-01
Approved: March 11, 2010
Whereas, Tulane University is committed to attracting and retaining the best and brightest faculty and staff.
Whereas, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), in a 2008 national study examining workplace climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees, found that acknowledging an LGBT employee’s partner and family — in the same ways non-LGBT families are acknowledged — has a “significant impact.” Furthermore, the existence of inclusive employment policies, benefits and other practices affect the degree to which LGBT employees are open at work. Employees who are more open at work experience fewer negative outcomes from their workplace environment. These negative outcomes affect productivity, retention and professional relationships.[1]
Whereas, Tulane’s domestic partner policies have not evolved in recent years with other universities’ domestic partner policies and several obligations such as residence and financial are beyond what other civil unions would require.
Whereas, the current policy does not recognize the existence of same-sex marriage, same-sex civil unions or domestic partnerships offered by some geographic regions of the U.S.
SAMPLE OF TULANE UNIVERSITY’ CURRENT DECLARATION CRITERIA
1. We are each other’s sole domestic partner and intend to remain so indefinitely.
2. We are of the same sex and neither one of us is married.
3. We are at least eighteen (18) years of age and mentally competent to consent to a contract.
4. Neither of us has been legally married within the last twelve months.
5. We are currently residing together in the same principal residence, have done so for the last six (6) months, and intend to do so indefinitely.
6. We are not related by blood or marriage to a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which we reside.
7. We are jointly responsible for each other’s common welfare and share financial obligations. In addition, Employee and Partner have a lawful and substantial economic interest in having the life, health or bodily safety of each other continue, as provided by La.R.S. 22:613C (2)[2]. We agree to maintain on file with Tulane University current evidence documenting that joint responsibility for each other’s common welfare and financial obligations by the existence of at least three (3) of the requirements listed below.
__ Joint ownership of real estate (e.g. deed), joint mortgage, or joint lease;
__ Joint ownership of one or more automobiles (e.g. title);
__ Joint bank accounts and/or other financial instruments (e.g. accountant statement, independent financial statements) having a value of at least $25,000 or 30% of the combined net assets of Employee and Partner, whichever is less;
__Designation of Partner as the primary beneficiary in Employee’s will
(e.g. a copy of a valid will); or
_ Designation by either of us of the other as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement contract having a death benefit of at least $25,000 (e.g. a copy of the policy or contract).
SAMPLE OF UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DECLARATION CRITERIA (6/14/05)
1. We are engaged in a committed relationship and intend to remain together indefinitely;
2. We are the same sex and for this reason are unable to marry each other under Minnesota law;
3. We are at least 18 years of age and have the capacity to enter into a contract;
4. We are jointly responsible to each other for the necessities of life;
5. We are not related by blood closer than permitted under Minnesota marriage laws;
6. The children identified above qualify as dependents under IRS regulations.
Whereas, a change should not have any significant impact on the university’s budget and is within the law, both federal and state.
Resolved:
The Staff Advisory Council recommends that Tulane University revise its policies to be more equitable and accessible in relation to domestic partners.