December 2017 Minutes

Council of Academic Professionals

Thursday, December 7, 2017, Illini Union 314A

Meeting Minutes submitted by Jenny Ehrnthaller, Secretary

 

Attendees: Richard Gegg (1), Jenny Ehrnthaller (2), Amy Hovious (2), Maggie Jarvis (3), Leslie Vermillion (3), Andrew Reynolds (4), Judy Van Cleeff (4), Mindy Spencer (5), Carl Baker (6), Betoel Escobar (7), Tanisha King-Taylor (7), Brian Brauer (8), Chantelle Thompson (8), Becky Ferrell (9), Richard Stokes (9), Elizabeth Rockman (10), Nancy Walsh (10), Jeff Stein (11), Elyne Cole (Ex Officio)

 

Excused Absences: Kristina Miller (1), Rick Atterberry (5), Elizabeth Wahle (6), Beth Hall (11)

 

  1. Call to Order – Chair Jeff Stein called the meeting order at 1:17 p.m.

 

  1. Guest Speaker – Gayle Spencer (AP Representative on Provost Search Committee)
    1. Gayle began by thanking the committee (and public) for allowing her the opportunity to represent APs on the search committee. It was a great experience and important for APs to have a voice.  The process lasted 7 months with many meetings.  Gayle felt her perspective was heard by the committee members, but also suggested perhaps that additional AP members on the committee might be beneficial.  The following questions were proposed to Gayle to answer during the meeting (with a caveat that this process is confidential and some detailed information might not be able to be shared):
      1. How much did the candidates know about the AP environment and how APs make a difference to the campus? Gayle felt the candidates had a good sense for this.
      2. What was Gayle’s perspective for mechanisms for gathering feedback about the candidates? All the feedback provided was communicated, shared, and carefully considered by all members of the committee.
  • Did the search committee have a specific focus on candidates? Forums were given in the spring to look for this particular information and this information was given and compiled into the document for the committee.  Visionary yet, process-oriented individual.
  1. Where there any issues that were presented on the AP side. Person represented needs to feel comfortable representing APs and not being afraid to be a voice for issues when needed.
  1. Ending comments – Gayle wanted to stress and very much felt that all voices were heard.

 

  1. Public Comment – Topic on sexual harassment and request for CAP to get involved. CAP responded with a motion to incorporate a committee to address this serious need and make a difference in this capacity – Committee: Mindy (chair), Rich, Chantelle, Maggie, Tanisha, Rebecca, and Amy.  There was also a comment to including bullying in these discussions.  It was also suggested that CAP look into what resources are already available on campus to aid in this process, which would be through ODEA.
    1. Elyne mentioned that Chancellor Jones has a strong initiative on diversity and earlier created a task force to review Diversity initiatives on campus, which also included Title 9, and this task force has completed this review and made recommendations. Chancellor Jones is in the process of hiring a Vice Chancellor of Diversity to address many of these issues including both sexual harassment and bullying.
      1. More specifically, how do we, CAP, at an intimate level deal with these kinds of problems immediately as they occur. Chancellor Jones has started this process by implementing programs at the campus level to assist, and we as APs need to understand these resources and implement change at the ground level (by becoming “well informed” in this regard).  Nancy Barcelo (Visiting Special Assistant to the Chancellor, nbarcelo@illinois.edu) – great resource to ask how this request might fit in with what she is doing.
    2. It was also suggested for CAP to invite a guest speaker from ODEA with experience in this area to attend a CAP meeting and continue these discussions and provide guidance on the topic, as the first step to fostering a more in depth conversation on this issue. CAP is considering the dates of January or February or a second special meeting for this event.

 

  1. Review and Approval Previous Month’s Minutes – Approved as amended by consensus.

 

  1. Chair’s Remarks (Jeff Stein) – Welcome to Leslie Vermillion, our newest council member representing District 3. Jeff motioned to change public comment to after the Chair’s remarks. Rick Atterberry’s father passed away, so we share our condolences.
    1. President’s Office will be releasing a document called the “University System Guiding Principles” very soon, to which Jeff will be sharing with CAP for review.
    2. Provost Communication 22 – specifically to deal with grievance process and others (committee was formed about 3 years ago).
    3. Bring recently elected Provost Andreas Cangellaris to CAP to address the committee.
    4. Discussion on when would be the best time to have Chancellor visit. It was suggested that we move the Chancellor to a new time given the double schedule with the CAPE awards ceremony already scheduled for April.  The May meeting was suggested for this purpose in conjunction with New CAP Member Orientation.
      1. Jeff will work with Chancellor’s office to get this worked out.

 

  1. Announcements – none.

 

  1. Committee Reports:
    1. CAPE Awards Committee (Jenny Ehrnthaller on behalf of Kristina Miller)
      1. 12 semi-finalists were selected.  The nominators have been notified to gather 3 letters of support for their nominee.  Support letters are not due until Jan 9th.  Committee has until Jan 30th to review and score the letters.  Finalist selection is February 5th.
    2. University Professional Personnel Advisory Committee (UPPAC; Jenny Ehrnthaller on behalf of Jeff Stein)
      1. Continued discussion on Statewide Council of Councils, along with updates and the process for additional AP representation on the Senate Executive Committee. HR updates included the announcement of a new Academic Professional Leadership Program on campus as well as selected additional topics of 1.) Election in April to fulfill an expiring SURS trustee position for U of I, 2.) Discussion on New Hybrid retirement plan, which creates a new default option under Tier II, and 3.) Overview of State Claim Payment delays as of October 31, 2017.
    3. AP Senators
      1. Senators – discussions around the committee on equal inclusion and opportunity, suburban express – bus service on campus update, and also discussion on the recent naming of the Giess College of Business and how the proper procedure for approving the naming was not followed which caused a debate between administration and faculty senate about what naming and re-naming means. Campus needs to develop and revise a process to which donor confidentially is respected.
    4. Senate, Campus, and University Committees
      1. University Senate Statutes and Procedures Committee – (Wendy Harris)
        1. Proposal SP17.10 on senate processes is being reviewed, and Proposal SP17.12 revision to the statutes on academic freedom is also currently under discussion and a compromise is needed.  Jeff to forward report to CAP.
      2. Procedures and Elections (Rebecca Ferrell)
        1. Special Election – Welcome Leslie, District 2 new rep on Ac Senate (Amy), still vacancy on District 6 and District 9.
      3. Communications (Richard Stokes) – No updates, but work is smooth due to great members of the committee.
      4. Grievance (Tanisha King-Taylor) – No report.
      5. Ad Hoc Committee on Senate Representation (Jeff Stein)
        1. 2 activities – advance the proposal to the senate to add 3 seats for APs, revaluation of our districting of the proposal.
        2. Redistricting – what is the process once it is completed? Check past minutes to see what the process was to implement (2006).
          1. Action Item 1) Review the proposal and send comments be transmitted to Amy so that next meeting we can have a vote to advance as the redistricting plan. Deadline by December 31st..
          2. Action Item 2) Determine procedure for changing district alignments

 

  1. AHR Report (Elyne Cole):
    1. Budget – nothing new to report.
    2. HR – Still addressing the exemption issue within the Civil Service system. Looking for ways to better obligate the campus to follow rules to decide whether a position should be CS or AP.  Seems now we will spend more time on procedures instead of a rule change – better process.  Nothing is resolved yet.  No changes underway to make changes to our staff at this time, but this is still under review.  Elyne also mentioned that we are due for an audit and will keep us informed.
    3. Status of AP Professional Development fund – looking into the process of reimbursements that go to the department upon receiving the award, which is problematic/cumbersome (due to the security of flow of funds from the Provost office).
    4. New Hybrid Plan retirement proposal (through SURS) – new option for Tier II, new employees in this plan will have to contribute a higher amount than current employees. Tier II employees will have the option to a one time move into this plan (Jan 1st 2011, Tier I, everyone hired before this date, Tier II is everyone after this date).

 

  1. Unfinished Business – None.

 

  1. New Business
    1. Proposed language changes to AP Relocation Program in CAM

 

  1. Closed Session (called if required) –

 

  1. Adjourned – 4:05 p.m.