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Program
Acting Chair, Rebecca Arrington, called the meeting to order
at 1:34 p.m. followed
by introduction of Council members and guest speaker Megan Lowe.
Megan filled in for Leonard Sandridge who was late getting to
the meeting. Leonard was called to a Hurricane Isabel Preparation
Meeting.
Megan Lowe opened the meeting on Leonard’s behalf and
gave the council an update on the Hurricane Isabel Preparation
Meeting she attended. Megan said the University
of Virginia would
assess the situation on Thursday and make arrangements, if needed,
to close in order to get staff, students, and faculty home safely.
Megan said an email to all employees would be sent outlining
the details. Managers and supervisors were encouraged to give
liberal leave to their employees so they could be home with
their families. Thursday is the highest volume day on grounds
in terms of faculty, students, and classes scheduled. They were
hoping to get through the day without major incident.
Megan addressed several questions submitted by EVPECC
representative constituents:
- Can employees who are paid monthly convert to a
bimonthly pay?
Megan said no, this was not feasible. The University does
not have the funds to
implement this. It would cost 4.25% of the employee’s
salary to do this, in other words
several million dollars.
- What about health care premiums? Is the cost to
employees going up? And if so, when?
Megan said these changes are being discussed by the Board
of Visitors in their October meeting. Open enrollment will
run from November 3 – December 12, 2003. As employees,
we will receive notice of this. Also, Tom Gausvik will be
addressing all employee councils in November. Alan made a
comment regarding the open enrollment meetings. He said even
if you are not making changes, the meetings are very informational.
- Heath Care provider choices? Waving Co-pays? Making
priority appointments?
No, remarked Megan, not at this time. Physicians and third
parties negotiate these things and UVA does not interfere
with this.
- How could we encourage employees to exercise more?
There was a comment made about Carruther’s Hall and
the lack of space. Could there not be shuttle service to the
gyms and lockers installed?
This will be discussed at the the next Carruther’s Mayor
Meeting. Barbara Deily is the mayor. The council will ask
Becca White, from Parking and Transportation, to look into
shuttle options.
There were many comments from the council members regarding
the UVA gyms and
Facilities:
Arlene said free passes are available for you to “try
out” a facility. The passes are good for four visits
in one month. By doing this, you can look at options to see
what might work for you prior to joining a gym. To get a pass,
either visit the Aquatic and Fitness
Center, or email
Arlene Buynak at Arlene@virginia.edu
and one will be sent via messenger mail.
Georgia
spoke up about parking being a problem; saying Slaughter had
very limited spaces. She also asked if when a gym closed,
if they could not close others gyms on the same day.
Leonard Sandridge now joined the meeting:
Leonard suggested that parking would be freed up after 5:30 p.m.
- Chellie asked if it were possible for UVA to help
defray the cost of a membership if the
employee joined another gym?
Leonard mentioned there were some
discussions regarding this with ACAC. He said it is difficult
to pick one gym over another when such services have to be
put out to bid. Leonard commented that someday, we will give
the employee a set amount annually and they can decide where
the money goes.
- Question asked by Steve about how UVA will handle
student population increases?
Leonard remarked the student enrollment
projection is to add 50 students annually. Some undergraduate,
some graduate. We’ve been on this pace for 15 years.
There are fewer grad students now than 15 year ago. This is
a product of the economy and is changing. When economic times
are bad, students go to grad school. In boom times, students
find jobs upon graduating.
Over the next five years, most of the instate students will
come from Northern Virginia; they feel
an entitlement to come to UVA. The State would like to see
1500 addition students over the next 10 years (100 undergraduate,
400 graduates). However, the Board of Visitors only approved
50 students a year over the next five years. The following
areas are needed to support the growth:
- Food: O’Hill
is equipped to supply this.
- Housing: There is a
need to add student housing over the next 15 years. All
the Monroe Houses will be replaced. The vision is to create
a Residential
College with
appealing esthetics. Pedestrian bridge crosswalks are also
being looked at. Other housing also planned by new parking
garage on Emmet Street
and Ivy Road.
They may tear down the Cavalier Inn.
- Academics: South Lawn
Project and the McIntire buildings.
If we were required to add more than 4,000 students, the Board
would not be happy.
This would put us at a 25,000 student body. Adding 1,500 is
more reasonable. The
emphasis will be placed on the arts and sciences, particularly
the performing arts. The
University must take a stand here and provide smart growth.
The quality of the
University is not what it used to be. You ask alumni what
the ideal size should be and
they will tell you, it was the right size the year they graduated.
- Steve asked if students would be allowed to have
cars.
Leonard: No cars the first year; cannot register
them on grounds. We will register any student who is authorized
to have a car and we will provide parking. The city of Charlottesville
is taking advantage of the fact that UVA will provide parking.
The city builds apartments and they do not have to supply
parking. Leonard commented there is ample parking, it just
may not be where you want to park. UVA will continue to provide
parking so as not to cause problems in the community.
Congestion is a problem in the city. The city has a hard
time building roads, look at Meadow Creek.
In trying to attract good students, UVA will pay to get amenities
students are accustomed to. Students know what they want.
It cost $100,000 per bed when building new dorms (services,
computers, etc.).
- Jon wondered about the increase in students and
how it relates to in-state and out-of- state?
Leonard: UVA historically has maintained
a 2/3 in-state to 1/3 out-of-state ratio and would like to
stay with this. However, if the state required we take 2,000
new in-state students UVA is not certain it would add the
extra 1,000 to maintain this ratio.
- Jon also asked about the decreases in the UVA budget
coming from the state. It is only
$114 million (8%).
Leonard: The state, as a minority
contributor, carries a lot of weight; especially in the areas
of nursing, architecture, arts, and engineering. The university
is trying to foster new relationships with the commonwealth.
The state fears if they quite funding programs, the tuition
at UVA would go through the roof. Of course, the General Assembly
also fears UVA would take fewer in-state students.
- Vicky asked if the new Ivy/Emmet parking garage
would have a walkway to U-Hall?
Leonard: No – not now. The garage
was designed to have two accesses to U-Hall; one was to boar
under the railroad (this was deemed unsafe), the other to
go over the railroad Track (this is more likely). The dorms
that are someday slated to be built in the front of the garage
will have access via a walkway.
- Georgia
wondered if the University could offer some incentive
to having employees workout at UVA facilities or other gyms
(things like discounts on health care insurance, discounts
on staff cards, etc). She commented the city employees enjoy
such benefits.
Leonard: Historic data shows whether
UVA kicked in money or not, the same folks were regularly
attending regardless of cost. It would be nice to see an increase
in use and a decrease in health insurance. Arlene said the
facilities are heavily used by firefighters and 911 employees.
- Paulette noted there was not a lot of attendance
at a recent IQ Health exercise program. Georgia
said it was because the rooms in Carruther’s Hall were
too small and people felt squeezed in.
Leonard: Exercise needs to be made
part of the workday. It may be horrible for some, but it may
be better than having to work.
- Rebecca inquired about getting rooms in the various
locations across grounds set up with
treadmills and bikes. Would there be liabilities?
Leonard: A Pilot program perhaps?
Would the council use it? This needs to be looked at.
- Steve asked about parking at the Bookstore on football
days. Employees are having a
hard time finding spaces.
Leonard: Call Becca White with Parking
and Transportation. Spaces can be reserved for employees working
the same days as the football games.
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