Staff Senate Regular Meeting Thursday, May 14, :00 11:00 a.m. Cortez 118

Transcription

1 Staff Senate Regular Meeting Thursday, May 14, :00 11:00 a.m. Cortez 118 Pre Meeting 1. The Pledge of Allegiance 2. Honor Texas Flag Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible." 3. Moment of silence Senators Present: Kayla Reyes, Dina Guerra, Raquel Vasquez, Mari Stevens, Sergio Chavez, Diana Ortiz, Veronica Cortez, Jennifer McGehee-Valdez, Liza Salinas, Michael Aldape, Jorge Munoz, Janet Amador, Ex-Oficio Jaime Villanueva Senators Absent: Jose Antonio Davila, Yvette Perez, Normalinda Vera, I. Call to Order: Meeting started at 9:03 am II. Roll Call/Recognition of Quorum: 12 Senators present for the meeting and quorum was met. III. Welcome/Opening Remarks President a. Sergio presented and discussed an update on the committees he is serving on and the HOP policies for UTRGV. There were 40 policies left to be worked on. All of these should be completed by mid-june as per Sergio. An update will be presented when everything has been completed to all senators and staff members. The policies has to follow an approval process as presented and discussed by Michael Aldape. Michael thanked staff members who participated in the HOP policies. b. Sergio discussed and presented to all senators and staff members on how the UTRGV Constitution is being worked on. Sergio provided a list of UTB s where a survey will be sent to all staff members. He read the survey out loud to everyone present at the meeting. This way, all senators and staff members are aware of the contents of the survey. The survey will include

2 10 questions to answer. This survey will be ed to both campuses. One of the questions will be to allow directors or administrators to be part of the staff senate? In the Edinburg campus, directors are currently serving in the staff senate and Brownsville campus it is only below the director positions. Some people have said yes and others no. This survey is just to give everyone an opportunity to provide his/her input and opinions. A final decision has not been made on this topic. Sergio commented that another question may be, how big do we want the staff senate to be? Do you want it to be by classification? The survey should take about 10 minutes or less to answer. This survey is to help out on gathering information and opinions. Please encourage other staff members to answer this survey. This is to set up the new foundation for the new staff senate, what the staff senate is, its purpose, how do people get nominated into staff senate, and how the officers get elected. As per Sergio, it is just setting up the basic ground work. The new staff senate will set up the rest of the work. This is just to get a final opinion and how to shape the new staff senate. The new staff senate may considering making changes to the constitution but it has to go through the same process. c. Jaime Villanueva presented an update on Next Job to all senators and staff members present at the meeting. Mike James commented on the Next Job resources and importance. The point of contact for UTB is Jesse Escalante from Human Resources for any staff member who may have any questions. Jaime can still help out since he has a list of contacts. Sergio commented to all the senators and staff members on the total of amount of people that have been hired from the UTRGV website: 996 staff and 795 faculty. IV. Approval of Minutes this has been tabled for the next meeting. The April and May minutes will be ready for the next Staff Senate monthly meeting. V. Guest Speaker Michael James UTRGV Hiring Michael James Presenter from UTRGV Human Resources items discussed in the meeting to all senators and staff members present at the meeting: 60% Brownsville hired for UTRGV. 59% Edinburg hired for UTRGV. Question: Staff member asked will the hiring process end on August 31? Mike commented they are going to be hiring until they are filled. Mike commented there are some key dates that are important. If people are not placed in a job. They may need to start using NEXTJOB resources. Every day job postings are uploaded into the system. The medical jobs postings are new jobs. If administrative staff are interested in those jobs. Question from staff members: Where will the UTRGV administration be housed in the Rio Grande Valley? Mike James replies back to the question and explains in detail to all

3 senators and staff members. The work may require travel and this will apply to everyone. They will go where the person is needed in the valley. Question on reimbursement for travel: If the travel is not part of the home base, will the reimbursement be given? The reimbursement of 23 or 24 cents for UTRGV. Question from staff: Will the state match the reimbursement? Mike explains the reimbursement for UTRGV. School of Medicine is being built in Edinburg which will be the home base. This may require for people to travel to Edinburg or move over there to be closer to the job. Question: Are they really checking to see if the person being hired has write up? Mike responded yes to the question. The hiring manager will make the decision. Question on sick and vacation carrying over? There will not be a break in service with the transition or even if there was a break? Mike commented they will take the years of service in consideration. Question on the enrollment? Initial enrollment - no evidence of eligibility instead of annual enrollment. It is in the best interest of the employee. We are going to have to enroll which will be done in August. Mike explains this to all senators and staff members present at the meeting. We are going to have enroll because we family. We can be placed in default if it is not done or completed. Questions absence and vacations balances: when transition to people soft is it being taken care of because of the errors. Staff member says she has seen those errors for months. Mike James explains the process and what is happening. He commented that Trini is looking into this matter. Make sure as a staff member we keep up with our balances. Staff comments: Usually HR sends a notification of how many hours we are going to carry over. As per Mike, he was never asked this question before. The staff member and Sergio explains this is received via from human resources. Question: Will this be the process for UTRGV? Mike asked who is doing this process. Sergio helped explain this process to Mike, the senators, and staff members present at the meeting. Staff had explained this has been done months and documents have been sent and no answer from human resources. Mike commented for the staff member to schedule a meeting with him and he will get the right people to look at the staff member concern on this topic. Question: Is there anything for severance package? There is not going to be a severance package. Only NEXT JOB services and the unemployment benefits will not be challenged by the institution. The staff member will have one year to be considered for employment for UTRGV. Question: About the layoffs from the last RIF? Will contacts from other UT components be hiring those that are not hired at this institution? Mike discusses and elaborates a little more on this topic to all senators and staff members present at the meeting. Staff member comments how some staff were hired at UT San Antonio.

4 VI. Staff Comments STAFF COMMENT Question: LEGACY AT THE END OF THE MONTH RETIREES and SERVICE AWARDS? People not being asked on the service award. Staff Senate will be sponsoring for staff members buying ordering the food for the event. Check years of service and see if you qualify by asking the human resources department. Contact Alma from the President s Office to check on the years of service. The event will take place on May 27 th. Question: Will the years of service continue when you leave to another institution? For example: UT San Antonio, the years of service go with you because it is another UT component. Question: The new staff senate: percentage of Brownsville and Edinburg Campus? Sergio explained the process and not based on numbers because Edinburg campus is large in numbers. For example, if we go by campus, quorum will not be happen. The question will be in the survey. The survey is important by staff input being provided. Sergio explains this has not been an easy job. Staff member comments that senate should have equal representation. Elections will not happen until August or September until staff are hired or not. The decision will be decided with both institutions. The new senators can start in October and elections in September. July 1 st is the buffer as per Michael who commented to the staff member. VII. New Business New Business Summer Celebration for staff member. June 19(Friday) 7:00 to 12:00 midnight. $5:00 dollars per person. To keep a count of how many staff members are going to attend. The invitation is extended to all staff members. Question: Will there be a barbeque for staff members? Sergio commented back to the staff members. All monies left over will be going to staff scholarship. Schlitterbahn tickets will be sold to the end of the month of July. Question: Staff Senate retreat? Sergio answered this question back to the staff member. The retreat may take place in August or September. VIII. Old Business /Committee Reports There were no reports from the committees.

5 Adjourn: The meeting ended at 10: 25 am. 1 st Michael Aldape 2 nd Veronica Cortez All in favor.