November 29, 2011 Minutes

Summary: Guest Speaker from LGBTQ Center ~ Angela Mazaris, Standing Committee Reports, Outside Committee Reports, Elections update, Staff Appreciation Event planning, General Announcements

In attendance: Deb Alty, Prentice Armstrong, Carmen Canales, Cathy Chinlund, Mary Cranfill, Debbie Deheck, Karen Frekko, Jeff Gaither, Tomma Gustaferro, Teresa Hill, Harold Holmes, Corey Jenkins, Ted Johnson, Angie Jones, Marc Jones, Travis Manning, Buz Moser, Dee Perry, Paul Sheff, Lori Sykes, Frank Thomas, Elide Vargas, Amalia Wagner

LGBTQ Center, Angela Mazaris, guest speaker: Angela spoke about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisezual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Center

• The Center was founded in Fall 2011 and provides advocacy for students, faculty, and staff across the University
• Institutional structures to make all feel comfortable
• Financial Aid is available for students in case their money is cut off
• Human Resources will insure that staff are treated fairly
• The Center is creating educational opportunities across campus
• Education is a focus that touches across campus (i.e., helping students have skills to deal with all people; as faculty and staff, how to help all)
• Forums are planned
• PDC training courses will be offered (these will count toward CORE certification, teaches one how to be an ally to LGBTQ)

1)   May I Ask You Something

Lunch and Learn planned for Wednesday, January 17th

2)   new topics will be offered in the future

• What does LGBTQ Center have to do with me?  Helps people have a place to be whole self and helps inclusion (helps all feel at home and safe in this environment)
• Angela discussed the recent incidents of vandalism.  The LGBTQ students are seeing support of all (from President down to fellow students) as meaningful.  They have seen lots of caring and support in the community.
• LGBTQ.wfu.edu (website)
• LGBTQ@wfu.edu (email address)
• Angela is available to speak to staff or at department meetings.  Some topics could include:

1)   how to help staff/faculty know how to interact with homosexuality

2)   best way to feel more comfortable with someone who is gay is to get to know that person

3)   need to find ways to work together – no matter what sexual preference

• Angela is working with first responders (counseling center, campus police, student health) in case of crisis to make sure they are on board and able to help and ensure there is no bias, i.e., how to respond to a situation without bias
• A spring event is being planned to bring high school students to campus to see what being at college is like
• Angela is planning something for new student orientation for students and parents and hopes to be involved with new faculty and staff orientation
• When someone asked why queer was included in the title, Angela responded that all of the letters of LGBTQ don’t have to fit everyone.  Queer was included to make anyone feel welcome.

Standing Committees:

Committee Charter ratification:

• Work-Life Balance
• Professional Development

These charter ratifications were pass along for vote and passed.  The communication snad fringe committee charters were not complete

Members of the standing committees met during November with the following reports:

• Professional Development (Buz Moser, Chair):

o    Met with Carmen Canales

o    They are making a collaborative effort; getting involved with surveys, etc.; don’t conflict with PDC, etc.

o    Discusses how to track progress/completion of CORE

o    possible inconsistencies with who can attend/participate

o    assist in marketing and promoting (work together in join communication in CORE)

o    have a survey sanctioned by SAC (they may be various surveys conducted by each group but will be sponsored by SAC)

• Communications (Karen Frekko, Chair):

o    A regular meeting time has been established

o    website updates

1)  update committee listing

2)  minutes to be updated each month

o    Committee will focus on communicating SAC info to other groups on campus as opposed to reaching out to other groups

o    Develop a communication network:  The group discussed creating an email notification to go out ot SAC members one week prior to our regular meeting.  It would contain information the SAC, upcoming meeting, the speaker and possibly the agenda (if available).  This would be sent to the SAC listserv for each representative to forward/print and post to his/her constituency.  (For non-represented departments, the Communications Committee will review the list of departments and reach out to people who have access to or will share departmental listservs.)

o    Help Mary with communications:  The committee volunteered to take over the following items:

1)  posting on the WFU calendar

2)  posting on Inside WFU

3)  sending out meeting requests to all SAC Members for regular meetings

4)  sending out the “Broadcast Reminder Message” the week before the meeting

5)  new places to post:  WIN announcements, WFU Email News Feed, WFUSB Intranet

• Work/Life Balance (Beth Hoagland, Chair)

o    Reviewing staff climate survey

o    Work on new survey

o    Miller Center offerings in relation to new facility planned

o    look at PDC offerings

o    new class schedule and how it affects staff schedules

• Fringe Benefits (Pat Morton)

o    Debbie Deheck attended the Faculty Senate Meeting on November 16th

o    The Faculty Senate considered a report on the Berlin Declaration on Open Access Publishing which is a non-binding statement draft in 2003 to promote the Internet as a functional instrument in distributing scholarly activity and should be considered a viable option for faculty and institutions to consider when publishing.  After much discussion, the Senators voted to sign on and endorse Open Access.

o    The Faculty Senate reviewed a report from the Knight Committee to support the recommendation of financial transparency in Athletics.  After discussion, the Senators voted to get feedback from Athletics on how the recommendation would impact Wake Forest and report back to the Faculty Senate their findings at a future meeting.

o    After being asked to make a resolution regarding graffiti found on fraternity doors, the group decided that President Hatch’s public response was adequate and no resolution was needed.

• Elections (Tomma Guastaferro, Chair):

o    Changes will happen

o    Regarding elections:

1)   when ballot is sent, they will get the person’s areas of interest

2)   some people may recognize the name but not know the person on the ballot

3)   with electronic votes for the 2011 elections, they received over 500 votes; however, Graylyn and Facilities Management had paper ballots and the response was low; the committee discussed how to increase voting electronically

4)   posters to be posted (to help with those who do not get the mass emails)

5)   have nominee statement regarding why the individual wants to serve as well as interests

Outside Committees:

• Tree Advisory Committee:

o    Essentially a get-to-know meeting

o    The committee does not have the authority to recommend trees cut down, moved, etc.

o    This group will be privy to construction plans on campus

o    there are “legacy trees” (the University campus maintains “canopy” and part of the University plan

o    there are certain trees that are considered undesirable because of the likelihood of disease or structure of the tree

• Diversity (Mary Cranfill):

o    previously discussed ideas were presented:

1)   start focus groups with under-represented populations on campus

2)   have a diversity and inclusion recognition award (have a student group to help with this)

3)   investigate creating a student gatekeeper’s series

4)   develop a communication and marketing plan for the diversity and inclusion strategic plan

Staff Event:

• funding has been secured for basketball event
• Deb Alty will coordinate with the SAC
• “worker bees” needed to help Deb Alty
• this group will need to meet before the holidays to make final plans
• Hof Milam and Mark Whelker have provided equal funding for the event

General Announcements:

• Upcoming Speakers:

o    Dave Pitts, Director of Mail Services (January 2012)

o    Beth Fay, Associate Director of Benefits to discuss healthcare regulations (February 2012)

• Upcoming Events:

o    Lighting of the Quad ~ December 1st at 7:00 pm

o    Annual Lovefeast ~ December 4th at 8:00 pm

o    University Holiday Party ~ December 15th from 3-5 pm at the Barn

o    Living Our Values Forum ~ Harold Holmes to update SAC

(a committee has been formed; events planned for MLK Day)

• United Way

o    Campaign is underway

An end-of-campaign auction will be held on December 7th from 3-5 pm in Benson 401

Additional Issues/Suggestions/Announcements from Representatives:

• no items were discussed

Coffee With Carmen:

• Carmen Canales, Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, has scheduled the first event at 9 am on December 5th in the PDC classroom
• Carmen was looking for names of participants for a couple of spots
• The topics of conversation will be the climate survey

Active Listening/Full SAC Participation:

• How to Get Staff More Involved in Campus Events was tabled for a future meeting