By Diana Marie Waggener, Chair, UW Staff Senate Communication Committee
At its regular monthly meeting on Aug, 12, the UW Staff Senate passed Resolution Number 194, sponsored by the ad hoc Employee of the Quarter Committee. The resolution establishes the Employee of the Quarter Committee as a standing, rather than an ad hoc committee. In the past, the responsibility for selecting the Employee of the Quarter from among nominees rested with the Staff Recognition Day Committee. To lighten the committee's workload, an ad hoc committee was formed. All resolutions are published on the Staff Senate Web site at www.uwyo.edu/StaffSenate.
While Unireg 34 clearly states the roles and responsibilities of UW Staff Senate (see the Staff Senate Web site), President Chris Clements asked current staff senators to answer a set of questions designed to help develop a mission statement with the intention of defining Staff Senate's values. Among the questions posed was "Why should someone want to be a member of Staff Senate." Senators agreed that serving on UW Staff Senate gives staff members an opportunity to learn more about the university community as a whole and become educated, informed and empowered.
Currently, 13 seats remain vacant in the following units: College of Agriculture, Office of the President/Athletics, Office of the VP for Information Technology, Office of the VP for Student Affairs, Physical Plant Operations, School of Law/Outreach, the Offices of Administration/Budget Planning/UW Police and the Offices of the VP for Advancement and General Counsel/Government Communication and Legal Affairs. Benefitted staff members who have been at UW for at least one year are eligible to serve as senators, and those who are interested are encouraged to e-mail Stacy Lane, chair of the Credentials and Elections Committee, at slane6@uwyo.edu.
Other business at the meeting included administrative reports by Vice President for
Administration Doug Vinzant and Interim Director of Human Resources Joe Montelongo.
Vinzant discussed a memo to deans, directors, and department heads that outlines
vacancy review and central salary management processes. In this memo, Vinzant details
procedures and progress aimed at meeting the goals set forth by President Buchanan
regarding fiscal year 2010 budget reductions. Senator Diana Marie Waggener, College
of Arts and Sciences (seat number 7), asked for clarification on the statement: "c.
The Division of Administration will implement a system of business service offices
to consolidate and coordinate accounting personnel across multiple departments."
Vinzant answered that the Division of Administration is in the early stages of implementing this charge from President Buchanan and that this statement was included in the memo to remind deans, directors, and department heads that this directive is developing. Vinzant plans to put a team together to examine best practices among comparative institutions. No deadline is set.
Montelongo reported that HR continues to communicate with individuals who were affected by the reduction in force (RIF) on June 4. HR and the UW Advising and Career Services Office will hold a job fair in September to assist those who continue to look for employment.
Montelongo also provided an update on those RIFed employees with whom HR is still in contact. Of those employees who were RIFed, nine who qualified for retrenchment have been rehired into UW positions; four at-will employees have been rehired by UW; two have moved away from Laramie; three are no longer interested in employment with UW; three have obtained jobs off-campus; one has started a private business; one elected to retire; three are considering retirement; and one has decided not to return to the workforce.
All UW staff members are welcome to attend meetings and encouraged to share concerns and ideas with their senators. A list of current senators and the units they represent, official meeting minutes, committee reports and current and upcoming events can be found on the UW Staff Senate Web site. The next full-senate meeting is scheduled for September 9 at 1:15 p.m. in Union Senate Chambers.
For more information, call the Staff Senate Office at 766-5300 or send e-mail to staff.senate@uwyo.edu.