EVPECC Council Minutes for
Attendees:
Jon Rice, Procurement
Missy Brads, Budget Office
Arlene Buynak, Athletics/IM Sports
Nykki Critzer, Housing Division
Betsy Thompson, Parking & Transportation
Melanie Prince, Business Operations
Sue Collins, Dining
Tony Townsend - ITC
Teresa Smallwood - Printing and Copying
Laura Sprung – ITC
Rayshon Tibbs - Human Resources
Darlene Kratz - UVa Police
Kathleen Jump, EVP.COO
Anna Van Clief, University Relations
Gina Corell, OSP
Sebrina Ivey, Audit
Jackie Cooke - Human Resources
Program:
Council Business
I.
Old Business:
Elections for the Executive Council were held and the results were as follows:
Chair is Missy Brads.
Vice Chair is Beth Reinhard
Secretaries are Mary Russell and Nykki Critzer
Council wished to thank both Jon Rice and Arlene Buynak for their services as previous Chair and Vice Chair. They helped the Council to accomplish its goals, as well as to set new goals for the forthcoming year. Council would also like to welcome its newly elected officials, as well as the new members of the Council.
Information was
provided and stockings were handed out for the WAHU stockings, as introduced at
the previous meeting by Beth Reinhard. WAHU stockings are to benefit local
teens between the ages of 13-17. If you picked up stockings, please remember to
return them to any of the following locations: Qdoba Mexican grill, Enterprise
Rent-a-Car, WAHU FOX27 studio, the Ridge Street Salvation Army, or the
Updates:
Kathleen Jump provided information that the Management Agreement was passed by the Board of Visitors. It is now posted on the University’s Higher Education Restructuring website at http://www.virginia.edu/restructuring. An overview of the agreement is online at http://www.virginia.edu/restructuring/faoamao. Also, the university has received some follow-up from the Governor regarding the six year plan.
Jackie
Cooke from Human Resources attended the meeting in the absence of Alan
Cohn. She advised that the
Guest Speaker
Brad Holland: Ombudsman for the University
www.virginia.edu/eop/ombudsman.html
Brad described the role of the Ombudsman. Brad discussed the critical role that trust and effective communication plays in so many of the employee issues he is asked to help resolve.
Q&A Session
Q: Is there ever a feeling of threat or retaliation for the employee if they seek out the help of the Ombudsman?
A: Not from just having a conversation with me. I try to talk about different things the employee can do, to give them the options of what they want me to do. I try to make sure I am not doing anything to hurt the employees, but at the same time, if the employee wants us to get involved, I am definitely willing to do what I think might help, in a way that does not create any backlash on the employee, and I have at times warned managers that we have a policy against retaliation, and I don’t want to hear that this has happened to the employee. I am not going to say that it has never happened, because retaliation is a hard thing to put away. The University is looking at a broad retaliation policy.
Q: Is there a Standard procedure for Employee issues?
A: The standard procedure is to first talk to the employee and to listen to their issues. Sometimes an employee will come in with a very specific issue, and I’ll realize this is part of a bigger problem with the way that person manages. Then it becomes a problem of solving the greater issue. It becomes about helping the employee get to the real issue.
Q: Do you ever go to departments preemptively? Not because there was a problem, but to help communications flow more smoothly?
A: Yes, I’ve gone and talked to managers about issues employees may have. I’ve gone into departments where I’ve had two or three people come to me with issues. But, mostly, I do not go until an employee comes to me, because there are two sides to every story.
Q: Why is reverse ageism not considered a problem? Or why is it not an addressable issue unless you are over 40?
A: Parties have to show that they are forty years or older, and have been a victim of discrimination. It’s not the way the law is written, but at the same time I’ve seen it where it has been addressed. We just don’t have a lot of people saying that they’ve been discriminated against because they are young.
Brad closed by inviting the council to participate in an initiative to use the University’s internet to enhance employee communication, using HR Employee Relations, the councils, and the Ombudsman to increase the dissemination of information to employees and provide an outlet for expression from employees. Missy Brads invited Brad to contact her as chair-elect to designate a councilmember to serve on such a committee.
II.
New Business:
Arlene reminded the council that it is important to remind all constituents of the $50 subsidy for Intramural Recreational Sports memberships, which was approved by University Administration. The increased subsidy should be taken advantage of so that it will not be lost. The subsidy was approved with the anticipation of increased use, so its future resides on enrollment numbers significantly increasing.
The Council then discussed activities/speakers for upcoming meetings. A speaker of great interest during this time is Bill Harvey, Chief Officer of Diversity and Equity. The University of Virginia Museum of Art has agreed to give the Council a tour of the Museum, which the Council has agreed upon. Other speakers of interest included, but were not limited to, Becca White from Parking and Transportation, Sonny Beale from Recycling, someone from the Real Estate department, an update for the South Lawn Project, and a possible Housing Tour.
Starting in 2006, all meetings may
be held at
Our
next meeting will be held on December.15th, 2005 @