Staff Senate Minutes 
of Regular Meeting  
October 12, 2011 – 1:15 p.m.
Martinsville Room
Senators Present:  Suzann Bennett, Angie Campbell, Tony Craig, Zoraida Irizarry, Tina Jenkins, Cay Kolling, Phil Lang, Michelle Morgan, Patty Shonk, Anita Thomas, Antoine Thomas                 
Senators Absent:  Maria Barrientos, Brad Green, Tami Duzan, Rick James 
Call to Order:  	The meeting was called to order by Pres. Thomas at 1:16 p.m. 
Updates from Dr. Weber:  Strategic Planning - Dr. Weber updated the Senate on the strategic planning process and shared a draft of the new Vision Statement for EIU for the next 5 years.  The plan and Vision Statement were formulated by various planning groups working over a period of several months and culminating with a goals conference scheduled for November 1, 2011.  A final draft of the statement will be forthcoming and will be presented to the BOT for review in January 2012.  
Budget - Until last week, $20-21 million from FY 11 had not been received from the State.  All state universities are in the same shape.  EIU did receive an $8 million installment on that money. $12.1 million is still owed.   The rest of the balance should be received by the end of December.   Payments for FY 12 are current; we have received $8 million so far this year.
Pension – Dr. Weber traveled to Chicago to hear testimony before the legislative group working on pension reform.  Pension experts presented comparisons of IL pension plans to other states.  Most systems are comparable to ours except when it comes to COLA and how money is compounded.  A guaranteed COLA is unusual in other plans.  TRS analysts showed that if SB 512 passed, the state will pay out more in pensions that what they would collect.  TRS is against SB512; Labor is against it and says the proposed changes are unconstitutional. 
   Old Business:  
	A.  Amendment to the Constitution – 
		President Thomas presented the amendment to the Constitution for review and discussion.  Motion was made by Tina Jenkins to accept the Amendment as worded.  Angie Campbell 2nd the Motion.   All aye votes except 1 No vote.  Motion passed.  Amendment will be sent out to membership for ballot voting within thirty (30) days.

Sick Leave Bank – Angie Campbell reported on outcome of Sick Leave Bank Committee meeting.  The Executive Committee met with Human Resources staff and HR asked for feedback from staff on wording for a new Sick Leave Bank Policy under consideration.  Staff Senate appreciates the opportunity to suggest revisions to that policy.  Staff Senate would like to keep certain aspects of the current policy and make changes to other parts.  Policy items such as insuring proper implementation of the policy, determining who administers the requests for sick leave and disability use will be reviewed.  Anita will invite Linda Holloway to a meeting to explain current Sick Leave Bank policy.   
New Business:  Shared Governance – Angie Campbell updated the Senate on the progress of President Perry’s task force groups.  A report from the committee will be forthcoming. 
Problems with the Text Emergency Alert System have been worked out.
Michelle Morgan is working on updating our web site.  Michelle would like to change layout of senator’s page with links to email.  All minutes will be consolidated and put in pdf form.  
President Thomas asked about an appropriate place of storage for Staff Senate minutes/paperwork/binders.  It was decided that Booth Library Archives Dept. could house all of the old documents, etc.
Committee Reports: 
Angie Campbell and Michelle Morgan reviewed parking appeals at UPD.
Patty Shonk was named to the University Naming committee.
Tina Jenkins was named chair of the Staff Outreach Committee and will decide when the committee will meet. Tina Jenkins and her daughter represented the Staff Senate Outreach Committee by volunteering to work at the Charleston community garden as part of the EIU/Community Day events.
Suzann Bennett was named chair of the Election Committee.
Angie Campbell was named chair of the Personnel Policies, Benefits and Welfare Committee.  
Antoine Thomas was named chair of the Liaison Committee.
Anita Thomas was named chair of the Budget and Planning Committee.
Angie reported on Homecoming events and about the faculty/staff luncheon on the library quad, spirit t-shirts, and the decorating contest. 
Angie Campbell made the Motion to Adjourn.   Zoraida Irizarry 2nd the Motion.  Meeting adjourned at 3:01 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted, 
Suzann Bennett, Secretary
Next meeting:  November 9, 2011 at 1:15 p.m. in the Martinsville Room