Staff Council Annual Meeting Minutes – May 2017

Committee Meetings
August 31, 2017

Staff Council met on Thursday, May 25 at 9:00AM in Perry Presentation Room. Below are the meeting minutes (approved on September 20, 2017) for your review. These minutes can also be found on the K: Drive, located at K:\Staff Council\Staff Council – Meeting Minutes\June 2016 – May 2017. Please send any recommended revisions to cbostock@champlain.edu prior to the September 2017 meeting.

I.   Welcome – Call meeting to order (Christina Erickson)

II.   Approval of the April meeting minutes (see in K:drive/Staff Council Meeting Minutes),

• A motion was made to approve, motion was seconded, and the April meeting minutes were unanimously approved 

III.   Treasurer’s Report – Christina Erickson

IV.   Committee Updates

Staff Welfare & Advocacy Committee

• Committee members: Karen Dusini (Co-Chair), Dan Selicaro (Co-Chair), Mike Crowley, Julie Eldred, Toni Finnegan, Linda Goodrum, Will McCrary, Conor O’Brien, Dan O’Hara, Jean-Marie Severance, Cheryl Taylor, Mary Lee (People Center Liaison), and Debra Dayman (People Center Liaison), Regina Farrell (Staff Council Executive Board Liaison)
• In addition to changing the name (formerly Staff Welfare Committee) and revising the bylaws to reflect such changes, the committee also accomplished the following:
  • Earned Breastfeeding Friendly Employer Designation
  • Created Family Friendly Practices webpage on People Center website
  • Collaborated with the People Center in addressing communications regarding several initiatives, including:
    • Planned overtime changes to Fair Labor Standards Act
    • Changes regarding Champlain Open Enrollment
    • Updates to the GMHEC with regards to health insurance and benefits
    • Strategic direction of upcoming People Time Off initiative
• Professional Development:
  • Worked in helping increase staff/manager participation in campus Professional Development workshops
  • Currently developing new landing page on People Center blog outlining all PD opportunities available for Champlain staff/faculty
• Tuition Exchange — next plan is to examine process and language of policy

Communications & Engagement Committee

• Committee members: Roland Palmer (Chair), Katie LeClair, Jen Perlee, Sandy Yusen,, Nic Anderson (Staff Council Executive Board Liaison)
• The committee’s major accomplishments for this year included:
  • Revised the Staff Council Bylaws and also published them on the Staff Council website
  • Created the new Engagement Opportunities web page (be sure to check it out if you haven’t already!)
  • Updated the Guide For Employees webpage and also added several new perks to the Employee Perks webpage
  • Formed the Staff Council Nominating Committee (thanks Jen and Katie) to bring the amazing slate of candidates you will be voting on today
  • We are working with Marketing over the summer to create a short video about Staff Council that can be posted on our website and also used for the new employee orientation sessions
• Roland also provided a brief update on the New Staff Welcome Program. Since June 1, 2016, 21 new staff were hired and were welcomed by one of 33 Staff ambassadors. Special thanks to the following Staff Ambassadors who were matched with a new staff member this year: Becky Peterson, Jane Faust, Nic Anderson, Karen Dusini, Karen Heil, Ursula Jones, Jodi Kuzia, Daphne Walker, Kara Berg, Vikki Gauvin, Jimena Huaco, Linda Goodrum, Ted Laskaris, Leslie Carew, and Patrick Volz!

Staff Networking & Recreation Committee

• Committee members: Jared Cadrette (Co-Chair), Jimena Huaco (Co-Chair), Brian Andrews, Patrick DiMambro, Maggie Melvin, Nadia Mitchell, Kelsey O’Connor, Meghan O’Sullivan, Alana Perry, and Shaylea Scribner (Staff Council Executive Board Liaison).
• Some of the notable accomplishments over the course of the year include:
  • Hosted 3 Traditional Programs:
    • Halloween Luncheon (October) which raised money for Champlain Angel Fund
    • Let the Good Times Bowl! (February)
    • Staff Social: Funkytown! (June)
  • Hosted 5 Pop Up Events with an average attendance of 10-15 people:
    • Food Truck Friday (September)
    • Fantastic Beasts Movie Night (November)
    • Harry Potter Trivia (November)
    • Comedy and Crepes (March)
    • Pine Street Crawl (May)

College Council

• Staff Reps to College Council: Christina Erickson, Brian Andrews, Noah Goldblatt, Jimena Huaco, Will McCrary, Melissa Carlson, April O’Dell
• The primary focus for College Council this year has been to re-visit the Bylaws, which were last revised in 2009, to more accurately reflect the conversations taken place among the group regarding building a community at Champlain College.
  • Preamble: “The College Council has been the only Champlain College body where representatives from across the College meet to report and discuss matters of college life and advise the President of the College. The Council with its structure and representation offers a unique role in bringing together diverse perspectives in formulating College policies and promoting a College culture and sense of community. As the College has grown there is now a need and an opportunity for integration across College communities, institutions, divisions and organizational structures. The College Council with its college-wide representation is best equipped to recognize and avail of emerging synergies and to promote further integration and develop our College community.”
• Other significant changes to the bylaws were to reflect the focus of the College Council committees:
  • By-laws and College Calendar Committee. The purpose of this committee is to review the Council By-laws and College Calendar at least once per academic year.  All recommendations for change will be brought to the College Council.
  • Policy committee: The purpose of this committee is to prepare and present new policy initiatives to the Council for consideration, discussion and approval and to present existing policies for review. (For example, Pet Policy, Smoking Policy, etc.)
  • Integration committee: The purpose of this committee is to facilitate discussions and prepare proposals around campus wide integration. (Note: this Committee would suggest topics and presentations for the College Council, for example, an update on Centers of Excellence, etc.)

V.   Staff Council Elections

2017-2018 Staff Council Open Positions and Candidates:

Vice President – 2 year term

Andrew Dubuque – Manager, People Center Services – People Center

Secretary – 2 year term

Cullen Bostock – Senior Reporting Analyst – Continuing Professional Studies (CPS)

Board Member – 1 year term  (3 positions available)

Nic Anderson – Associate Director, Sustainable Transportation – Campus Planning

Tim Austin – HVAC/Locksmith – Physical Plant

Mikael Blanco – Student Accounts Representative – Student Accounts

Melody Brook – Operations Manager – Residential Life & Community Standards

John Lanzetta – Assistant Director – Financial Aid

Jaime Martin – Systems Manager for Informer – Information Systems

Carin McCarthy – Counselor – Graduate Admissions

Shaylea Scribner – Administrative and Event Coordinator – President’s Office

Aram Sevakian – Maintenance & Move Coordinator – Physical Plant

Voting was tallied, and the new 2017-2018 Staff Council Executive Board members are:

Vice President – 2 year term

Andrew Dubuque – Manager, People Center Services – People Center

Secretary – 2 year term

Cullen Bostock – Senior Reporting Analyst – Continuing Professional Studies (CPS)

Board Member – 1 year term  (3 positions available)

Nic Anderson – Associate Director, Sustainable Transportation – Campus Planning

Aram Sevakian – Maintenance & Move Coordinator – Physical Plant

Mikael Blanco – Student Accounts Representative – Student Accounts 

Congratulations! And thanks to all who ran! 

VI.   Breakout Discussions

Several breakout groups were formed and members were discussed the following topics.

• Diversity Awareness Profile Tool – facilitated by Ted Laskaris and Roland Palmer
• Freedom of Expression – facilitated by Jen Sweeney
• Employee Giving Process – facilitated by Regina Farrell
• Fostering and Supporting a Learning Culture – facilitated by Jennifer Archambault and Christine Hutchins

VII.   Closing – if you have questions, feedback, ideas – please speak to Christina or one of our Executive Committee members