Staff Advisory Council Minutes

Wednesday, September 20, 2017, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

HR Conference Room

Present: Kim Altier, Tamra Hjermstadt, Laurie Booth, Helena Warburg, Bonnie Bresett, Sue Gaskell, Vishakha Sheoran ex officio, Martha Tetrault ex officio, Veronica Bosley, Rachel Louis, Kevin Thomas ex officio

Announcements

Martha announced that Keli Gail would be sending staff a message regarding ways they can provide input into the Presidential Search.  First, staff are invited to attend sessions with Spencer Stuart, the search firm, to answer questions in a large group.  In addition, Spencer Stuart will be conducting a survey to get additional feedback.  Martha shared that it would important for staff to share their views.

Nominations for Fall 2017 through Spring 2020 Staff Advisory Council Members

Kevin shared the needs of the Council to be considered as the council members went through selecting members based on the pool of nominees. He further added that the council would need two administrative staff member and one support staff member. Martha pointed out that the council hasn’t received any nominations from dining and it is important to have representation from a big department like Dining Services. She will work with Dining to identify a candidate. The council members selected Scott Henderson, Scott Dunca, Nadine Nance, Brittany Burdick as the new members of the council.   Given their lack of attendance, it was possible that another member may withdraw from the council, which would open up another spot.

Wellness at Williams Program Evaluation Survey

Martha shared that the Wellness at Williams program is now in its sixth year, and the Wellness Committee is seeking input on the future direction of the program.  The Council reviewed and gave input on a survey that will be administered to obtain feedback and suggestions. The Council also discussed the relative merits and consequences of changes to the program, for instance, offering the incentive in gift cards rather than cash.

Support Staff Leave Communication

Martha asked for input on a draft communication to employees about the upcoming changes in support staff vacation leave.  The council recommended supplementing the email communication with an image of how the vacation balance will appear on paychecks, office walk in hours, and a FAQ page on the website.

Next meeting:

October 20, 2017