Present: Julia Biglin, JoAnn Fischer, Mary Hittle, Elaine Howard, Leonor Mendoza, Anita Rios, Adele Springer

Proxy: Melissa Busby

1. Open Meeting
1. President Hittle called the meeting to order at 10:12 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank You to Senator Mendoza for getting the flags.
2. Secretary/Treasurer Springer took attendance of senators present.
2. Approval of Agenda

Vice President Biglin made a motion to approve the agenda with Senator Howard seconding. Motion carried.

3. Approval of Minutes

Senator Fischer made a motion to approve the minutes from the June 1, 2005 meeting with Senator Howard seconding. Motion carried.

4. President’s Report
1. The new fiscal year began July 1, 2005.
2. With the new fiscal year, please start submitting nominations for Employee of the Month. President Hittle stated the $1500 stipend for the Employee of the Year can be taken as cash. training for professional development, or a computer.
3. Tuition Waiver for staff is 18 credit hours for the 2005-06 fiscal year. President Hittle will e-mail the spreadsheet that she created last year with the increases in tuition and fees. Last year, the way to most utilize the waiver hours was for employees to take 6 hours in the summer, fall and spring semesters.
4. Randy Jones, Acting Vice President of Business Affairs, has expressed an interest in doing a budget information orientation for staff members.
5. Union Update—A forum with the university lawyer was held on June 14^th. Currently, the labor board representatives are John Paul Jones (WNMU representative) and Armando Galindo (union representative). These members will pick the third representative to the board. After the third person is selected, the board member list will go to Regent President Tony Trujillo for approval.
6. Affirmative Action Plan and the Policy Manual have recently been updated. Margaret Soucy asked that the library be given copies of these updates.
7. WICHE-WUE Competitive Scholarships—These scholarships were approved. These students will pay in-state tuition and fees rates at 1 ½ times the in-state rate tuition rates. These scholarship will be used to help recruit in Arizona and California.
8. Luncheon with Dr. Counts—The Staff Senate recently hosted Dr. Counts at a luncheon to discuss the status of the university. Another luncheon will be held in the Fall semester after the new senators are elected.

Senator Fischer made a recommendation that at the next luncheon we discuss the goals of staff senate with Dr. Counts.

5. Old Business
1. AQIP Strategic Planning Team—Dr. Gilbert is asking for committee chairs and members for this team. If you would like to be a member of the group, please see Mary Hittle.

The group questioned if anything positive had came out of the last AQIP teams (especially the communications group). President Hittle was asked to invite the communication co-chairs to the next meeting to discuss their committee’s outcomes.

2. Staff Handbook Committee-Fischer-Senator Fischer will meet with Charlene Ashburn on July 13^th about handbook changes. This meeting will occur from 9:00-11:00. After the handbook changes are e-mailed out, then Senator Fischer will get with the Webmaster Steve Leibhart on getting the changes on the web site.
3. Reward and Recognition-Biglin-Mike Aguirre from the Maintenance Department is the July Employee of the Month. Mr. Aguirre was not able to attend the meeting because he is on vacation.
4. New Employee Orientation—The committee met and has scheduled a new staff orientation for the end of July or early August. The committee is working on what information to put in the new employee packets.
5. Election Committee-Rios-A new list of employees will be obtained for Human Resources after the contracts are finished. The election for new senators will take place in August. As a group, we need to stress to other senators that meeting attendance is important to function as a group.
6. Staff Senate Goals for 2005-06

President Hittle asked for goals for the new fiscal year. The ones proposed are:

1. improve communication between staff and administration, faculty, students
2. facilitate resolution of concerns brought to Staff Senate’s attention
3. become more knowledgeable about Unum’s budget, AQIP, assessment, and marketing WNMU to student market segments
4. Concerns over work environment:
1. time off harassment—why are employees asked to prove that they will lose time accumulated if they ask for time off.
2. Comp time—how do employee’s ask for comp time off when their supervisors are not around or their supervisors position is vacant
3. Why are answering machines not to be used by academic secretaries? We are entitled to breaks and lunch times, but some of the secretaries do not have coverage in the office, so answer machines are necessary.
4. Tracking down of faculty or supervisors—We are constantly asked to track down faculty for meetings. Why are we asking to track down faculty when they are away from campus during the semester or summers?
5. Rev-Classifications—Developing procedures and time

deadlines for the Staff Handbook. Could a committee be put into

place to review reclassifications (like the faculty have)?

6. Working with the Registrar’s office in developing a room scheduling program for the General Use Drive. This would allow us to find a room before calling the Registrar’s office.
7. Open Forum
1. Senator Rios stated she was told that the last pay checks for the fiscal year included the last week of the fiscal year. This week was to be paid on the next pay check. This will make the pay check the next time lower. Where was the communication on this?
2. Comp Time—Does the appropriate Vice President have to sign the time sheets? It is different based on the Vice President over your areas.
3. West Wind Article—It was suggested that Staff Senate do an article for the next West Wind on what does Staff Senate do? The goals for next year. The time commitment for meetings and committee meetings.
4. Staff Senate Picnic will be held around homecoming in the Fall semester. The homecoming is October 8^th.
8. Adjournment—