July 1, 2004 Minutes

1. Call to Order - A regular meeting of the Staff Senate of Missouri State University was called to order at Plaster Student Union, Room 313 at 1:30 p.m.

2. Roll Call -

Present - Sherry Adams, Sara Clark, Diana Garland, Monya McMichael, Marline Ritter, Scott Walker, Ben Boslaugh, Allison Crocker, Norm Griffith, Steve Mills, D. Lynn Singleton, Lisa McEowen-LeVAngie, Patrick Byers, Earle Doman, David Liss, Phil Nichols, Tami Sutton

Absent - Veronica Adinegara, Antoinette Foster (SGA), Tara Horton, Lois Shufeldt (Faculty Senate), Mike Clark, Cynthia Giacin (Resigned), Phyllis Kenney, Chris Strodtman, Belinda Davis, LaDonna Hansen, Cheryle Pawling

Guests - Anne Baker, Dale Moore, Larry Dudley, Leslie James

Phil Nichols, Chairperson, presided and Tami Sutton recorded the proceedings of the meeting.

3. Announcements - Phil Nichols reminded everyone that it was important to please sign in on the attendance sheet that was provided.

4. Guest Speaker - Dr. Earle Doman, Dean of Students provided the Staff Senate with a Centennial Celebration update. He reported that the Centennial Celebration Committee has been meeting for over a year and a half and that much preparation and hard work was being put into the success of the year-long celebration.

The main focus of his presentation was the calendar of events for the upcoming Centennial Celebration year. Dr. Doman indicated that several events were scheduled and others were in the formulation stages. The first official University kickoff for the Centennial Celebration year will be the New Student Convocation held in August. Dr. Don Landon, author of Daring to Excel: The First 100 years of Missouri State University will be the guest speaker. The first community kickoff will be in conjunction with the Ozarks Celebration Festival to be held on campus the weekend of September 11, beginning with a concert by Big Smith on Friday evening, September 10 in front of Strong Hall. Following events will be a Centennial Concert on September 26 at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, special events on Founders Day in March 2005, Public Affairs Week in the fall 2004, and the Public Affairs Conference to be held spring 2005. A Centennial Celebration flyer detailing the upcoming events has been sent out through campus mail and everyone should be receiving their copy. You may also access the Celebration Centennial website at www.missouristate.edu/countdown/.

5. Approval of Minutes - The minutes of the open, regular meeting of June 3, 2004 were approved.

6. Report from the Chair - Phil Nichols - Phil Nichols, Chair, gave a brief report of the May Board of Governors’ meeting.

7. Committee Reports -

Budget and Priorities, Lisa McEowen-LeVangie-Chair - Lisa McEowen-LeVangie, Chair, asked for the Staff Senate members to please comment either by phone or email regarding the draft version of the guidelines (handout was provided) for Staff Senate committees to apply for funds from the Staff Senate budget.

Lisa indicated that in July the committee would meet and discuss the efforts that Taylor Health & Wellness Center is making that relate to last fall's Staff Senate healthcare resolution, and specifically the fourth proposal.

Also at this meeting the committee will be developing the staff survey that will go out in late August. Please contact any member of the Budget and Priorities Committee with possible questions for the survey.
Staff Senate Centennial Celebration Committee, Diana Garland-Chair - Diana Garland, Chair, reported that the Staff Senate Centennial Project case had been ordered. She reported that it would either be placed outside the President’s Office on the second floor of Carrington Hall or outside the Bursar’s Office on the first floor of Carrington Hall. Due to space, the clock will not be able to be placed above the case, but instead a suggestion had been made to purchase a mantle clock to set on top of the case. She indicated that at the next meeting there would be discussion about items to be placed in the case for display.
Veterans Committee Report, Phil Nichols-Chair - Phil Nichols, Chair, gave a brief report.
Health Care Committee, David Liss and Ben Boslaugh-Staff Senate Representatives - David Liss and Ben Boslaugh reported that the major concern of the health care committee was the rise in health care costs and meeting that demand. They reported that a motion had been developed by the health care committee and was to be presented to Administrative Council for approval regarding the dental insurance. The motion reflected the rise in the family dental care plan premium from $25.38 to $36.50 monthly. The motion also included language stating that the dental plan needed to be funded at trend.

They reported that the medical side of the health care plan would be discussed at the upcoming meetings.
Salary & Compensation System Taskforce, Phil Nichols-Member - Phil Nichols reported that the upcoming meetings of the Salary & Compensation System Task Force
would primarily focus on market parity and that he was soliciting input by email to be taken to further meetings of the committee.
Human Resources Planning Task Force, Lisa McEowen-LeVangie-Member - Lisa McEowen-LeVangie gave a brief report of the first meeting of the task force. She reported that the committee was just beginning the formulation process for the first ever human resources chapter in the long-range plan.

8. Unfinished Business - There was no unfinished business.

9. New Business - Subsidized child care was discussed under the new business portion of the meeting. Monya McMichael had asked Chair Phil Nichols if a discount at the Infant Toddler Lab had ever been addressed as a fringe benefit for university employees. With no definite answer to this question being brought forth at this meeting, Phil appointed Monya to chair an ad hoc committee to investigate this issue. Sara Clark also volunteered to serve on the committee.

The next regular meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. on August 5, 2004 in Plaster Student Union room 313.

The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted:
Tami Sutton
Staff Senate Secretary