Miami University

Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee
February 5, 2008

Present:  Melanie Hoffmann, chair; Mary Bausano, Matthew Boaz, John Burke, Janet Cox, Doug Curry, Stephen Gordon, Scott Lessing, Marsha McIntosh, Karen O’Hara, Ted Pickerill, Amy Poppel, Anne Schauer, Barry Zaslow;  Guest:  Jerome Conley, Chair Bicentennial Committee

The minutes of the December meeting were approved.  The minutes of the January meeting were distributed for review and will be approved at the March business meeting.

Report from Jerome Conley
Miami University will celebrate her 200th anniversary from February 2009 – February 2010.  A 25-member steering committee, representing all segments of the Miami family, has begun planning activities that will focus on examining our past as well as defining our future.  Thus far, activities include an exhibit of Miami Indian Art, a Miami oral history, a bicentennial Charter Day ball, a student organization megafair, special performances, and a bicentennial symposium.

Academic Personnel (Janet Cox)
The new Miami P.R.I.D.E. Award will be formally introduced soon. The award recognizes performance resulting in distinguished excellence. It is a centrally-funded, monetary bonus program for Classified and Unclassified staff. Complete details of the program can be found on the Human Resources and Academic Personnel web sites. Staff members must have a current performance evaluation on file in order to be eligible for the award.

Human Resources (Marsha McIntosh)

• HR staffing changes:  Tom Mobley has taken a position on the Middletown campus. The appointment of Kelly Phillips as Director of Labor Relations is effective April 1, 2008.
• A letter clarifying aspects of the Alternative Retirement Plan will go out in early February to all participants in that plan.

Subcommittee Reports
Academic Policy (Mary Bausano)

• The committee has forwarded a recommendation on the restructuring of Latin Honors to Senate.
• The committee continues to work on a new form to evaluate teaching effectiveness, a unified exam schedule, and  possible modifications to the final exam policy.

Networking (Doug Curry)
Doug noted the UPAC luncheon on February 20 with Jason Elwood (DARS). The lunches have been well attended.  Amy Poppel will investigate the possibility of finding and using a larger facility.

Communications (Steve Gordon)
The next issue of the newsletter is scheduled to go out in a few weeks.

Old Business

• John Burke reported that the subcommittee working on the emeritus/a issue expects to wrap up its work in the next few weeks.  A draft of the report will be available for comments.
• Doug Curry reported that the interviews for the Vice President of Business and Finance are completed.  A decision should be announced within 1-2 weeks.
• The Networking Subcommittee will finalize a date for the planned UPAC Meet-and-Greet in April.

New Business
Matt Boaz reported that 4 candidates for the Vice President of Student Affairs position will be on campus during the next few weeks.  Each candidate will have an open forum from 4:30-5:30 on the first day of his/her interview visit. Comments and feedback should be directed to Steve Snyder or Sharon Long.

Next Working Meeting: February 19
Next Business Meeting: March 5;  Adolph Haislar, guest

Respectfully submitted

Mary Bausano