Meeting Minutes:

Meeting Time and Place:
October 12, 2005
10:00 a.m. at the Greenblatt Library

Voting Members Present:

Cameron Andrews
Michael Budd
Danny Finn
Karen Yonce
Roxie Bush
Jo Johnson
Rita Lovering
Vickie Wang
Anita Herrington
James Murray

Non-voting Members Present:

Ale Kennedy – Human Resources

Excused absence:

Lee Little – Non-voting Member – Legal Office
Libby Poteet – Voting Member

Guest:

Ralph Sapp – Human Resources

I. Review of ground rules - Rita Lovering

• Start and end meetings on time
• Come prepared to all meetings
• Do not interrupt
• Respect one another
• Stick to the agenda
• Arrive on time
• Complete tasks
• Cell phones and pagers on vibrate only
• Respect meeting roles
• Reserve time for this meeting
• No side conversations or passing notes
• No put downs
• No egos or pulling rank
• Opinions and concerns are to be expressed during the meeting
  

II. Assign meeting roles – Rita Lovering

• Meeting leader- Rita Lovering
• Judge- Vicki Wang
• Scribe- Ale Kennedy
• Timekeeper- Cameron Andrews
• Gatekeeper- Karen Yonce
• Recorder- Michael Budd

Decisions made:

The council voted that the Human Resources representative would be the scribe for all Employee Council meetings.

III. Identify solutions for addressing and communicating agenda items – Round Robin - All

• Karen- Placed memos on time clocks
• Jo- Sent e-mails to employees in her area (only received one response)
• Roxie- Suggested the use of flyers and the Beeper
• James- Sent e-mails to employees in his area (no response)
• Danny- Suggested a bulletin board for GCHC sites
• Michael- Developed a group list and sent e-mails
• Anita- Sent e-mails to her area
• Cameron- Sent e-mails to the department heads. Suggested putting a reminder of the EAC on pay stubs, adding a suggestion box, and creating a webpage.
• Vicki- Suggested utilizing the beeper and web to let employees know how the EAC operates.
• Rita- Sent e-mails

Council members discussed the concern of making certain all MCG employees know about the EAC and how to contact council members.

Council members discussed the concern of how employees will know if their issues have been discussed in the EAC meetings.

Decisions made:

• EAC wants to improve the methods of communication.
• EAC accepts all concerns and issues.
• If an employee contacts a council member with an issue (regardless of the content), with the intent for the issue to be taken to the EAC, then the issue must be brought forward to the EAC.
• An employee council member will personally contact or send a memo to the employee with a response to their concern.
• EAC agreed to explore methods to create more exposure for the EAC (Beeper, pay stubs, and webpage).

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action items have been assigned:

• Vickie is going to contact the Beeper on having an EAC article and special section devoted to the EAC.
• Roxie is going to inquire about the logistics of having an EAC blurb printed on pay stubs.

IV. List and review reasons for the EAC to meet more than once this quarter. Determine if a meeting needs to take place prior to 2006. - All

Cameron commented that additional meetings are necessary depending on the volume of issues.

Vicki suggested the EAC meet once in November and December for 1 hour.

James expressed that additional meetings may be necessary if the council receives pressing agenda items in between scheduled meetings.

Rita felt that a few meetings before 2006 would help the council get procedures in order.

Decisions made:

• EAC will meet on Wednesday, November 2 and December 7 (location TBD) at 10:00am.
• EAC members will keep a copy of the original e-mail in order to respond appropriately to the employee.

After discussion of this agenda item, the following actions items have been assigned:

• Rita will reserve and communicate the location for the November and December
  meetings.
• Ale will create an Employee Advisory Council shared folder that will include
  agenda items

V. Brainstorm ideas for an EAC website. Determine if there is a need and desire to develop this website. - All

During the brainstorming session the following questions were asked:

• Is the University of Texas (UT) webpage effective? How is it organized?
• How will the MCG EAC webpage be organized?
• Where will the webpage be located?
• What will be included on the webpage?
• Can we have a form on the webpage?
• Can we have a feedback form?

Decisions made:

• EAC agreed that the webpage would be a viable tool for employees to submit issues and suggestions.

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action item have been assigned:

• Cameron will explore what steps need to be taken to implement the webpage on the MCG portal.
• Cameron will explore the specials links that will be used in the webpage (feedback form, meeting dates, minutes…. etc).
• Rita will contact UT to find out how effective their staff council webpage has been.

 

VI. Review the MCG smoking policy and discuss improvements to outside regulations.

The concern was shared that MCG and supervisors are not enforcing the smoking policy. The smoking policy was reviewed, and the EAC agreed that the smoking policy is clear; however, the policy may need to be enforced to a greater degree.

James Murray suggested an awareness campaign to identify roles for enforcing this policy, education on the policy, and conduct a survey.

Decisions made:

The EAC agreed that there are benefits to providing additional awareness regarding the MCG smoking policy.

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action items have been assigned:

• Rita is going to contact Jim Davis directly about a smoking policy awareness campaign.
• James Murray is going to look into addressing the campus safety committee about increasing awareness on the smoking policy.

VII. Determine a method to investigate the process for developing costs for health insurance for MCG and MCGHI employees and learn the reason for the disparities in the costs. Determine if an outside source needs to come in to further discuss this topic. - All

The council decided that this concern was an MCGHI issue.

Decisions made:

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action item has been assigned:

• Cameron will contact the employee who submitted this agenda item, and communicate that this issue is not a matter that the EAC can address.

VIII. Review MCG TAP policy. Determine if further communication needs to take place to address questions on distance learning.

Ralph Sapp, TAP Coordinator, shared with the EAC changes to the TAP policy. This policy went into effect November 2004 by the Board of Regents. The policy clearly states:

“The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is designed to promote the professional growth and development of full time employees of the Medical College of Georgia. The Tuition Assistance Program is the waiver of tuition and fees for employees enrolled in courses on the Medical College of Georgia campus and at other USG institutions. Employees who are simultaneously taking courses that are not covered under the Tuition Assistance Program policy will be responsible for paying fees that are normally assessed for those courses.”

Decisions made:

The employee will receive a memo from the EAC clearly stating the TAP policy requirements. The memo will positively answer all of the employee’s concerns.

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action items have been assigned:

• Ralph will prepare a memo on the TAP policy for Rita.
• Rita will send out the memo to the individual.

IX. To propose an amendment to the bylaws under “Vacancies” if a runner –up does not exist. - All

Lynn Bill, GCHC employee, has resigned from the EAC due to work commitments. There is nothing written in the bylaws on what to do if a council member does not have a runner up. Therefore, the council decided to recommend an amendment to the by-laws.

Danny mentioned that he knows of a candidate for the GCHC (outside of Augusta) council seat.

A decision has not been made on who will fill this seat.

After approval from the president’s cabinet, the council will determine if an election is necessary.

Decisions made:

All present voting council members agreed to recommend an amendment to the bylaws. The proposed amendment will be listed under Article III, E. VACANCIES: In the event that there was no runner-up in the general election, Human Resources will open a nomination process in the departing member’s area and then conduct an election to fill the vacant position.

The Council reviewed the proposed amendment and, the majority of the council members present (10 of 11) endorsed it.

More than the recommended 20% of staff members signed the proposed amendment.

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action item has been assigned:

• Ale will present the proposed amendment to the President’s Cabinet for approval.

X. Determine a method to investigate how employees can be educated on pending legislation that affects employees’ retirement process and what employees can do to support such legislation. Determine if an outside source needs to come in to further discuss this topic. - All

Decisions made:

The legal office and Bryan Ginn will be able to provide the council with more information on this topic.

This agenda item will be placed on the November agenda.

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action items have been assigned:

• Rita is going to contact Bryan Ginn and the legal office to see if they can speak at the next meeting.
• Libby will contact the employee who submitted this agenda item, and communicate that this issue will be placed on the November agenda.

XI. Review MCG’s time and attendance policy. Brainstorm ideas to clearly communicate this policy on campus. - All

Issues are the location and installation of the time clocks.

Decisions made:

• This is an operational issue.
• Have someone from either payroll or IT come in to clarify this issue.

After discussion of this agenda item the following action items have been assigned:

• Rita is going to contact David Cartledge to clarify the location and installation of the time clocks.
• Rita is going to see if payroll or IT are available to speak at the next meeting.

XII. Review employee’s concern why GroupWise is not accurate when employees move from one position to another. Determine suggestions to address this issue. - All

Rita stated that her department moved over a year ago, and that their GroupWise information had not been updated.

Anita stated that when an employee’s information changes, both HR and IT have to be contacted.

After discussion of this agenda item, the following action item has been assigned:

• Rita will contact the employee who submitted this agenda item, and communicate to them that the issue was addressed at the EAC meeting. Rita will share the appropriate information with the employee.

XIII. Review causes for the time difference between time clock and system control panel next to the time clock in the Administration Building. Determine specific improvements and who will be responsible for implementation. - All

Rita shared with the council that the time on the time clock at the administration building differs from the fire alarm panel.

James informed the council that the fire alarm panel is not updated on a routine basis; therefore, it may differ from the time clock.

After discussion of this agenda item the following action item has been assigned:

• James is going to look into having the fire alarm panel updated at the Administration building.
• Rita will communicate this information to employees in the Administration building.

XIV. Review of Action Items- Ale Kennedy

Action items are to be completed by the designated date. At the time of completion share the outcome of the action item with the HR representative and EAC chairman.

Some action items will be reviewed at the beginning of the next meeting others will be reviewed as agenda items.

Rita: All actions items to be completed by the next meeting November 2

• Rita will contact Libby with the dates for the November and December meetings.
• Rita will communicate this information to employees in the Administration building.
• Rita will reserve and communicate the location for the November and December meetings.
• Rita will contact UT to find out how effective their staff council webpage has been.
• Rita is going to contact Jim Davis directly about a smoking policy awareness campaign.
• Rita will send out the memo to the individual in Jo’s area.
• Rita is going to contact Brian Ginn and the legal office to see if they can speak at the next meeting.
• Rita is going to contact David Cartledge to clarify the location and installation of the time clocks.
• Rita is going to see if payroll or IT are available to speak at the next meeting.
• Rita will contact the employee who submitted this agenda item, and communicate to them that the issue was addressed at the EAC meeting. Rita will share the appropriate information with the employee.
• Rita will communicate this information to employees in the Administration building.

James:

• James is going to look into having the fire alarm panel updated at the Administration building. (October 27)
• James Murray is going to look into addressing the campus safety committee about increasing awareness on the smoking policy. (October 27)
• James is going to look into having the fire alarm panel updated at the Administration building. (October 27)

Ale:

• Ale will create an Employee Advisory Council shared folder. (October 27)
• Ale will present the proposed amendment to the President’s Cabinet for approval. (November 5)

Vicki:

• Vickie is going to contact the Beeper on having an EAC article and special section devoted to the EAC. (November 2)

Roxie:

• Roxie is going to inquire about the logistics of having an EAC blurb printed on pay stubs. (October 27)

Cameron:

• Cameron will explore what steps need to be taken to implement the webpage on the MCG portal. (October 27)
• Cameron will explore the specials links that will be used in the webpage (feedback form, meeting dates, minutes….etc). (October 27)
• Cameron will contact the employee who submitted this agenda item, and communicate that this issue will be placed on the November agenda. (October 27)

Libby:

• Libby will contact the employee who submitted this agenda item, and communicate that this issue will be placed on the November agenda. (October 27)

Ralph:

• Ralph will prepare a memo on the TAP policy for Rita. (October 17)