Miami University

Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee
November 10, 2009

Present: Vanessa Cummings, Chair; Amy Carito, Lindsay Carpenter, Marlene Diers, Janet Cox, Steve Gordon, Kerri Jackson, Karen O’Hara, Kelly Phillips, Anne Schauer, Mark Walker

The meeting was called to order by Vanessa Cummings at 9am.

The October UPAC Business Meeting minutes were approved.

Academic Personnel Update (Janet Cox)

• The 2009 salary roster is complete. Copies are available in the libraries.
• Academic Affairs is examining a new profitability model for summer sessions. They are refining last summer’s model and plan to include workshops within the new model.
• MUPIM policy has been developed to assist associate professors in obtaining promotion to full professors. A structured review process has been defined.
• Budget remains an ongoing issue.

Personnel Update (Kelly Phillips)

• Open enrollment has closed.
• Seasonal flu shots will be offered to those who are currently on a waitlist and to those who sign up in advance.
• Reminder: MUPIM policy prohibits bringing weapons to campus, even when stored in vehicles.
• Nov. 11 is Veterans’ Day, a paid holiday. Essential staff who work on Veterans’ Day may take this holiday during the Christmas break.
• The holiday schedule for 2010-2012 was distributed to UPAC members. The 2012 dates are still tentative, as the university will require staff to use four days of leave rather than two or three for the Winter Break in December of that year.
• A statement from CPAC regarding the Senate Resolution on Miami’s fiscal responsibility was distributed to UPAC members. Although this resolution has not yet been adopted, it includes language that relies on the OBOR ‘Fiscal Watch’ metric, which could lead to a focus on building up reserves before devoting resources to other areas of the university. Since the opening paragraph includes the word “staff”, CPAC raised objections to the resolution in an Oct. 22 letter to the Chair of the Senate Executive Committee. Depending upon UPAC’s position on this statement, CPAC would like to issue a joint statement on behalf of both groups. Anne reported that Senate had tabled the motion, and that the wording in question had been problematic for others as well. It was decided to set up a joint meeting with CPAC representatives and UPAC representatives to discuss a joint statement. It was suggested that UPAC members review the Oct. 19 Senate meeting minutes, available at http://community.muohio.edu/senate/minutes.
• Budget remains an ongoing issue.

Senate Representative (Anne Schauer)

• Senate viewed a presentation on the Bicentennial Student Center. There are many fundraising benchmarks that still have to be met before construction could begin.
• The Senate participated in the enhancement of the associate professor to full professor promotion process. See remarks under Academic Personnel for more information.

Academic Policy Representative (Pete Haverkos)
No report

Benefits (Ted Pickerill)
No report

Networking (Vanessa Cummings on behalf of Sarah McNitt)
Luncheon speakers are lined up and spring dates have been reserved. Members were reminded of the UPAC luncheon scheduled later in the day (Nov. 10). Members discussed the possibility of sending e-postcards to all staff via the HR mailing list or placing luncheon announcements in the HR newsletters.

Communications (Steve Gordon)
No report; Steve commented favorably on the David McCullough lecture of the previous night.

Old Business
University Consultants (Vanessa Cummings)
Several consultants have been performing work for the university. A class in the RTFSB has been working with Dionn Tron on university branding. A financial aid/recruitment consultant has been asked to develop a database to help track and predict student choices. TargetX has been examining the campus visit process in every aspect. Changes are being implemented now and a future workshop, “It Takes a Campus”, will be presented by the consultants. Vanessa will forward Laurie Koehler’s e-mail, detailing the work of these firms.

MUM Replacement
No news yet.

CPAC/UPAC Holiday Project
Members discussed the holiday project’s biggest needs (wrapping paper and money) and ways that building occupants could work to raise money or build interest in the project.

New Business
Performance Development Process—Benchmarking Other Institutions (Lindsay Carpenter & Kerri Jackson)
This initiative is intended to investigate unclassified professional development/training, and is not intended to look at performance assessment. As a sidebar, two performance assessment models are being proposed to PEC. Information for UPAC might be presented at the December business meeting. Training and implementation is expected early next year.

Recognition of Steve Gordon
Members thanked Steve Gordon for his service to UPAC.

Other Agenda Items:
Next working meeting: November 24
Next business meeting: December 8

Respectfully submitted

Karen O’Hara