February 9, 2017 Minutes

Staff Advisory Council Meeting Agenda

February 9, 2017 (ZSR Library Auditorium)

9:00 to 10:30 am

SAC meetings are now recorded on YouTube. To watch this meeting, please click here.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Alexander provided an update on Wake Downtown, now that classes have started for the Spring 2017 semester.
- Full Presentation can be seen here.
- Bailey Power Plant is also being renovated with plans to add food, retail, etc to Wake Downtown
- New degree programs that were launched:
  - Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery
  - Biochemistry Molecular Biology
  - Engineering (courses will start Fall 2017)
- Many of the spaces downtown will be added to DeaconSpace for study rooms and meeting spaces.
- Currently have 281 students enrolled in courses at Wake Downtown and 9 fulltime faculty/research positions.

Facebook: /WakeDowntown

Twitter:@WakeDowntown

Instagram: @WakeDowntown

Website: wakedowntown.wfu.edu

Guest Speaker: Dr. David Coates and Dr. Allan Louden spoke about an initiative to ensure that Wake Forest is a poverty-free workspace.
- There are three different categories of people working at Wake: Faculty, Staff, and Contractors.
- Money management is extremely important to those who are below living wage.
- Chaplain’s fund is continually out of money because of how many WFU employees need assistance on a regular basis.
- Click here to read the full report.
- A new task force has been assembled, consisting of faculty and staff, who will work to determine how to increase the pay scale of contract workers on our campus to meet the living wage in Winston Salem. Both Angela Culler and Sarah Wojcik-Gross will serve on this task force. Please feel free to contact Angela or Sarah with any ideas or thoughts you may have about this.

Standing Committee Report-outs:
- Communications: We are live streaming our very first meeting today, you can watch the link @ https://youtu.be/jUO9HNToo1w?t=12m37s
- Events: Working on the Staff Appreciation Picnic. Save the date: June 6!!!
- Fringe Benefits: Met with HR to receive a benefits update and learned that we will exceed our medical plan budget this fiscal year because the number of claims we received were much higher than previous years. We’ve been lucky the previous years and had abnormally low claims. The Fringe Benefits Committee is working to provide cost savings information regarding your benefits. They reported that HR is looking to narrow our provider network, review the medical plan deductible/out of pocket/co-insurance rates, tiers of drugs (name brand vs. generic), well-being and telemedicine options. HR is also considering changing our dental network to one that has more local providers. All of these options that are aimed to minimize costs to plan holders.
- Membership: Elections will be April 5-21. Nominations will go out February 20.
- Pro Humanitate: We are continuing the partnership with Mineral Springs School and will collect donations at Staff Picnic. On May 20 we are collaborating with Habitat for Humanity.

Outside Committee Report-outs: SAC representatives on other committees –
- Capital Planning Advisory: The University experienced a 24% energy savings on the Quad dorm updates. Maya Angelou dorm is now open. Reynolds Gym Phase 2 will open in Fall 2017. Phase 3 is still on track for an April 2018 completion date. Student Health is also moving into Reynolds during Phase 2.
- Faculty Senate: Discussed Wake Forest as a Poverty-Free workspace
- Parking & Transportation: Met with Alex Crist and discussed the following: Gray Line Shuttle concerns, the new city bus stop location on University Parkway (many staff feel it is a traffic hazard, if you agree please voice your concern here: http://www.wstransit.com/contacts/), and Pedestrian Cross Walk Safety.
- Tree Advisory: No meeting.
- DIPC: No meeting.
- Finance Advisory: The Perkins Loan has been discontinued—means that more of the University Operating budget will need to be used to fill that gap.
- Professional Development: No meeting.

Raffle Drawing: David Coates is the winner of a $20 Mellow Mushroom gift certificate!

General Announcements

Don’t forget to like us on social media where you will find all kinds of general announcements! Be sure to update your accounts!
Message from Global Programs and Studies: We are seeking staff to participate in a new program called the Global Laureates Academy, was one of the global initiatives which came out of the QEP last year. We will be launching a Staff program in the fall. We are looking for a staff focus group to help us determine staff needs for growing their global competency. The commitment is for one time/one hour.
Human Resources is not expected to hold a Benefits Fair this year and is investigating other ways of sharing information regarding benefit options.
Save the date – June 6 – Staff Picnic!

Staff Advisory Council