University of Southern Maine
Professional Staff Senate Minutes
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
11 Baxter Blvd., Portland
I. ATTENDANCE:
Present:
Julie Archibald, Dan Axford, Donna Bird, Sondra Bogdonoff, Joy Britting, Robin
Day, Casandra Fitzherbert, Dana Gray, Anita Higgins, Rebecca Hodges, Eric
James, Sheera LaBelle, Joyce Lapping, Pat Marston, Susan Martin, Mark Menezes,
Rodney Mondor, Kathleen Pease, Lisa Yaeger
Excused: Norma Charette, Pamela Roy, Kerry Sullivan, Michael
Mullett
Absent: Elaine O’Reilly, Kim-Marie Martin, Nolan Thompson,
Colleen White, Tom Wood
Guests: Rosa Redonnett
II. ACCEPTANCE OF MAY 14, 2003 MINUTES: Minutes were accepted as written.
III. PRESIDENT’S REPORT:
Rosa reported that this would be her last Senate meeting and that Beth Shorr would be in attendance at the Senate meetings beginning in July. The bond issue, which was voted on June 10, passed. Rosa urged anyone who has yet to tour the new biosciences building to go over and take a tour. PeopleSoft will be live in HR on July 7; people should sign up for training and/or remind supervisors to sign up and notify co-workers to sign up. A general session will be held June 30. For more information visit http://www.usm.maine.edu/erp.
IV. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
a. Treasurer’s Report- There is $228.43 left in the account. There may be a bill coming to cover any left over costs of the Professional Staff Luncheon.
b. Communications Committee- The By Laws have been updated on the web site. Senators for the 2003/2004 year should bring a short bio to the July meeting or email their bios to the new secretaries.
V. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
a. New Committee: Rodney announced that the President’s office is creating a new committee headed by Beth Shorr to look at the 5 year budget plan. He didn’t have specific details on the committee, however Donna Bird and Dana Gray volunteer to represent the Professional Staff Senate on the committee.
b. Professional Staff Luncheon: It was reported that the luncheon was a success with approximately 226 people in attendance.
c. Professional Development Program (Employee Development Day): Pat Marston asked the Senate if it would donate $250 to the development day, as it had done this past year. It was decided that the Senate would wait until the next fiscal year (July 2003) to decide about the donation based on the budget.
VI. ELECTIONS:
Chair: Rodney reopened nominations for Senate Chair. Robin Day was nominated during last session. Hearing no other nominations, a motion to close nominations was made and seconded. In a unanimous vote, Robin Day was elected Senate Chair for 2003-2004.
Vice-Chair: Rodney reopened nominations for Senate Vice-Chair. Pat Marston was nominated during last session. Eric James nominated himself, with a second nomination from Donna Bird. Hearing no other nominations, a motion to close nominations was made and seconded. The 2 candidates were allowed to make a statement, and then were sent from the room. The current senators engaged in discussion, and were handed ballots on which to vote. The 2 candidates were brought back into the room so they could vote. Ballots were collected by Rodney and counted by Rodney and Lisa Yaeger. Pat Marston was voted in as Senate Vice-Chair for 2003-2004.
Co-Secretaries: Rodney reopened nominations for Senate Co-Secretary. Mark Menezes and Eric James were nominated for co-secretaries during last session. Before elections commenced, Eric James withdrew his nomination for co-secretary. Rebecca Hodges nominated herself, with a second from Eric James. Hearing no other nominations, a motion to close nominations was made and seconded. In a unanimous vote, Mark Menezes and Rebecca Hodges were elected Senate Co-Secretaries for 2003-2004.
Rodney announced that Colleen White submitted a letter of resignation from the Senate. The empty seat would be filled through an appointment from the Senate because elections have all ready taken place for 2003-2004. Dana Gray motioned to have the Election Committee research candidates and bring findings back to the Senate. The motion was seconded and findings will be brought to the next meeting.
The seat for the Judiciary Committee was voted on at the end of the meeting. Joyce Lapping was nominated for this seat at last election, and voted in unanimously during this session.
VII. SENATE REPORTS:
a. Classified: Rodney reported that Jim Bradley sent a memo updating him on the lack of exercise facilities at several USM campuses/off site locations. An Ad Hoc committee will be formed to look into this further. Rodney announced that any professional senate member interested in being on the Ad Hoc committee for these exercise facilities can either contact him or the newly elected chair. Pat Marston volunteered to be on this committee. He also reported that the classified staff senate is excited to have 16 senators for the upcoming year, and noted that there are still seats open to classified staff.
b. Faculty: No report. Their last meeting for the year was in May.
c. Student: Kathleen Pease reported that the meetings have ended for the year. There are two positions at the Free Press, the Adviser and the AA1. The Free Press Adviser left at the end of the Spring Semester and the Student Senate Exec/Free Press/University are doing a search for a replacement. Also the AA1 position was 10 months 1/2 time and the Free Press/Student Senate Executive committee have approved this position to be 12 months 1/2 time.
VIII. OPEN FORUM:
Pat Marston reported that the Library is waiting to hear whether or not the candidate for Library Director will accept the position. The deadline was yesterday. She also reported that the back parking lot for library staff will be out of use at the end of the month due to construction. The construction will be on the top 3 floors of the library and has an approximate completion date of March 2004. Events being held at the library are closed until further notice. Dana Gray reported that communication regarding the construction will be distributed through the listserv at some point.
Dana Gray reported that the John Mitchell Center had a walkthrough last night (June 10). The new parking garage is approximately on schedule and is slated to open sometime during the 2004 semester. The Community Ed Center will commence soon thereafter.
IX. FAIRWELL/ADJOURN: Meeting adjourned at 10:25a.m. by Rodney Mondor, Senate Chair.
Next
meeting: July 9, 2003, 9:30 a.m. –11:30 a.m., Husky Hut Gorham
Reported by: Julie Archibald, Co-Secretary
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