April Meeting Minutes
April 8, 201510:00am – 12:00pm
UC 330/331
Welcome & Call to Order
President Linder called the meeting to order at10:08am.
Roll Call
Attendees: Andi Armstrong, Kris Csorosz, Matt Filer, Molly Fishburn-Matthew, Rozlyn Haley, Jefferson Heath, Rochelle Krahn, Maggie Linder, Becky Maier, Maria Mangold, Denise May, Shaunagh McGoldrick,Gloria Phillip, Chelsey Porter, Brandie Terpe, Renee Valley, Jennifer Zellmer-Cuaresma, Judy Wellert (Administrative Associate)
Excused: David Crowley, Maryann Dunbar, Geri Fox, Grace Harris, Denise Nelson, Kathy Reeves, Angela Weisenburger
Public Comment
Molly Adamson, UM Foundation
Rochelle Krahn is SS rep for the UM Foundation Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign. Staff will receive marketing emails, mailers, etc. including a sign “I give because…” via campus mail. Philanthropy Day is April 30th; 12-2pm on the Oval. Grant funding relies on percentage of donor participation from faculty and staff. Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign 2014 raised $100,000. Payroll deduction is an option. “It’s not how much you give, it’s just THAT you give.” SS Fundraising Committee efforts could be eradicated if everyone gave money to our SS scholarship fund (UM Foundation Code: 2GW). Goals for 2015 are $100,000 and/or 500 donors. Students are also participating in a fundraising campaign with the money used for scholarships. President Engstrom will give out giant check for $2800 on the Oval representing the amount given by students.
Peggy Kuhr, VP for Integrated Communications
Update from SARC: The website is a one-stop place for various initiatives, training, resources, link to PETSA, etc. “It’s your call: 911” is a hard copy give-away containing resources and by-stander tips. It will be distributed to students and available at various locations with a projected release date of April 15th.
Update on Krakauer book: Release date: April 21st. National media attention is ahead of the curve. Currently an ABC News Nightlineproducer is here on campus to produce an 8-minute story. Dateline NBC is also going to run a segment on UM. Al Jazeera was here a month ago. Chronicle of Higher Ed wants to do longer piece on policy improvements, etc. Please let VP Kuhr’s office know if you hear of any other media.
Due to our law enforcement investigation and resolution agreements (DOJ calling us the “blueprint”), we’re under the microscope. If Krakauer’s book serves as a reminder of victims’ voices/stories, that’s a good thing. Our role is to provide a safe learning environment and protect victims (complainants). President Engstrom does not intend to discuss specific examples/stories/individual cases. We have increased our police coverage to 15 officers on campus. We’ve improved our staffing and training, eliciting atremendous response. There is more work to be done, and it’s an ongoing priority. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. UM students have planned numerous events.
Senator Haley asked if this website ( different from the safety website? VP Kuhr: Yes. The safety website ( has a different function. It’sconnected to 911/police, etc. If you’re on campus, you can be accompanied (walked) from one location to another (GrizWalk website: More people are tuned into that option and are utilizing the service.
Judy Wellert stated that a question was brought up at the Title IX Staff Senteroundtable asking what resources are available for the accused (Title IX language identifies them as “respondents.”)VP Kuhr: Processes are neutral. Services are offered to bothvictims (“complainants”) and respondents. Due process is maintained.
Senator Fishburn-Matthew asked VP Kuhr to speak to situation in Oregon involving an institution sharing students’ medical records. VP Kuhr: We do not share students’ Curry Health Center medical records. Administrators do not have access.
Minutes of March Meeting
No comment or changes suggested. Motion to approve minutes PASSED.
Financial Report
Motion to approve reports PASSED.
University Committee Reports
(Full report distributed prior to meeting; this info was discussed at the meeting) No comments.
Staff Senate Committee Reports
Nominations & Elections Committee
Ten Senators’ terms will be ending in June 2014. Currently, there are also five vacant Senator slots. Senators Zellmer-Cuaresma, Filer, Phillip, and Crowley will be running for re-election. Six new applications for senator positions have been received. We need to recruit at least five more nominations.
Old Business
SS May meeting date
Motion: Meeting will be moved from week of finals (May 13th) to the following week (May 20th). PASSED.
Resolutions
1.)SB 4 Resolution to Define Visibility Fund Expenditure Process
Senator Phillip asked if we should increase the amount from $150 to $200. Senator Armstrong statedonly twice per year does CVC spend more than $150 on an event/item. General discussion included a description of what type of expenses would qualify and how these are brought to the attention of Pres/VP at Executive Officer meetings. Typically, bigger purchases are noted during financial statement portion of meetings so the entire SS would have oversight of these.
Motion to approve resolution as-is. PASSED.
2.)SB 5 Resolution to Appoint Staff to University Committees
Senator Linder cited an example of her recruitment for the Parking Appeals Committee in which she was inundated with volunteers. Resolution SB 5 would provide for a more efficient method of filling vacancies by using the “Staff at Large” volunteer form instead of cattle call email.
Senator Valley asked if we would prompt non-Senators to use the form in the event that we need to fill a spot. Senator Linder said, ideally, we’ll have enough interest so that we can avoid individual requests/blast emails.
Senator Maier asked how often we would renew “Staff at Large” profile. Senator Linder said we would use it in perpetuity.
Senator Zellmer-Cuaresma asked whether President Engstrom’s cabinet has responded to the Staff Senate’s new method of filling committee slots. Senator Linder stated that we would use this methodinternally and make changes as needed.
Senator Porter asked who would manage maintenance of “Staff at Large” database. Judy Wellert said we would need to check to ensure that volunteer is eligible. Senator Filer statedit would be a step in the process. Senator Haley stated we could request info from HR and clean up database. Senator Mangold suggested we develop policies and procedures later.
Motion to pass resolution: PASSED.
3.)SB 6 Resolution Changing Duties and Definitions of Staff Senate Officers
Senator Filer stated nothing in the by-laws suggests that a brand new Senator could not run for the chair of Staff Senate. In June new senators would be eligible to run for chair or chair-elect. In this resolution, the president ex-officio position is eliminated. During the next election in June 2015, we’ll elect a Vice-president (Chair-elect) for the first time. The following year, the Chair-elect will complete his/her second year commitment, and we’ll elect a new Chair-elect.
Senator Krahn: Motion to add “only” before “senators” to line 24. Motion PASSED.
Senator Haley pointed out half of the Senate is eligible every year to run for Vice-president (Chair-elect) and suggested we should find out how long Faculty Senators’ terms last. (Update/note: Faculty Senators serve three-year terms. “Members of the Senate shall be elected for three-year staggered terms, the terms of approximately one-third of the members expiring each year.” Source: Faculty Senate Articles & Bylaws website: ).
Senator Mangold: Motion to pass resolution and further action to find out faculty senators’ term lengths (see “Update/note” above). Motion PASSED.
New Business
UM Food Policy
A hard copy handout (created by Environmental Studies graduate students) was distributed to Senators. Judy Wellert will send out a survey to Senators. Please help these students to develop the policy by taking the survey.
Tamarack Fundraiser
The event was well-attended, but total amount raised will not be available until May or June. Tamarack cuts checks once per month. (Update note: $152.75 was received from the Tamarack on May 7.)
Scholarship Awards Presentation
Senator Csorosz assumed the floor. The presentation of Staff Senate Scholarships included introduction of Scholarship Committee members and dignitaries/contributors who attended including University President Royce Engstrom, The Bookstore CEO Jon Aliri, and UM Police Chief Marty Ludemann. Senator Csorosz individually recognized scholarship recipients, their family members who were present, the Staff Senate Scholarship Committee, and scholarship donors.The meeting was (informally) adjourned at11:41am for scholarship reception/refreshments.
Next meeting: May 20, 2015, 10:00am – 12:00pm (Update note: Skaggs 025)