February 2024 Meeting Minutes | Council of Academic Professionals

Meeting Info

Date: Thursday, February 1, 2024
Time: 1:15 PM
Location: Online via Zoom

Call to Order (1:15 pm) Lisa Merrifield, Chair
Chair’s Remarks
- - Three Priorities:
    - Remediation of PTO discrepancy between Civil Service Professional and Academic Professional.
    - CAP Grievance process review
    - CAP equal representation on Academic Senate in areas that involve AP. See forthcoming email regarding openings for Senate committees.
Guest Speaker: Moni Marcelo, Director, Office of Threat Assessment
- Three goals for today’s presentation:
  - Recognize threat assessment as prevention work.
  - Identify behaviors or signs to report.
  - Understand process to contact threat assessment program.
Public Comment – None
Review and Approval of Minutes – December 2023
- - Motion-Kurt:, Second-Baer, and Approved, all in favor.
Illinois Human Resources Vacation Leave Benefits: Deb Stone, Assistant Chancellor, HR Center of Expertise
- - Provided an update as to the considerations involved when comparing AP benefits to those of CS Professionals.
Human Resources Report: Brain Farber, Chief of Staff & Special Projects, IHR Administration
- - AP Development Fund
    - - QU 1 July/August/September
        
        Amount awarded: $9,213.00
        
        19 recipients
      - QU 2 October/November (so far)
        
        Amount awarded: $3,261.00
        
        7 recipients
      - QU3 January/February/March( to date)
        
        Amount awarded: $1,000
        
        7 applications
        
        2 recipients
        
        5 currently under review
      - Fiscal Year to Date
        
        Amount awarded: $24,134 to 49 AP’s.
    - Reminded that a request was made by a college to consider adding CS Exempt positions to the fund to be able to seek professional development support. This is something we have sent to SAC for consideration and recommendation.
    - CSEA Applications closed January 8 with a total of 93 nominations; a 2% increase over last year. Thank you to our Illinois community members for taking time to recognize our outstanding staff members. The CSEA selection committee is hard at work reviewing nominations and will make their final selections in March when recipients will then be notified and invited to the April reception.
    - FLSA changes. DOL proposed salary threshold to $60,209 from the current $35,568 for OT exempt employees. This is currently only proposed with March 1, 2024 as the expected release although we are starting to get some information it may not be released until April 1. This potential mandatory increase would have significant financial implications for the University due to either raising salaries or increased OT cost. IHR’s compensation team is working with colleges and major administrative units to provide data and guidance as our University prepares for this potential legislative change.
    - Matrix Team Design – IHR is progressing with our matrix team. By organizing campus units in smaller communities and assigning them to a matrix team of specific IHR professionals, our staff will deepen relationships with campus customers, provide end to end oversight and coordination of the hiring process, dramatically reducing cycle time and delivering better outcomes. We will have 5 teams in total, including Team Community, Team Discovery, Team Empowerment, Team Innovation, and Team Momentum.
    - Paid Leave for All Workers Act – Effective 1/1/24, allows a 90 day implementation date, University will implement on 3/31/24.IHR is working with the system office and colleges and major administrative units to refine implementation.
    - Only for those who don’t already receive vacation, faculty, APs on 9-10 moth contracts, Post docs, Extra Help employees, and Academic Hourlies
    - 40 hours of leave over 12 months recorded in 2-hour increments.
    - CAP proposal regarding leave benefits: The CHRO discussed this proposal with the Chancellor in December. The proposal is also being discussed and considered by the University of Illinois System office and sister schools as changes to AP benefits would require a Statutes change. Data has been gathered from Big Ten schools to benchmark Illinois leave benefits with peers. Given the financial, operational, and political implications, the Illinois system must move deliberately. I will work to keep the council informed of any developments.
    - IHR has been implementing a pilot program to create an electronic performance appraisal program using the Cornerstone platform. Cornerstone is the same system-wide program that candidates use to apply for positions at the University. Twelve units (large and small) and over 300 employees are participating in the pilot. A steering committee of HR professionals and supervisors from participating units has worked collaboratively to refine a process that will provide valuable employee feedback and promote developmental conversations with their supervisor.
    - IHR will launch new social media channels, creating vibrant online spaces where our community can connect and stay updated on the latest in professional development, career opportunities, and well-being. Stay tuned for a digital experience that reflects our commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive community.
    - IHR is also working with a vendor on a revamped and user-friendly website redesign. WE have an aggressive timeline to provide a visually stunning and informative website that better serves current and future employees. More to come this spring.
    - An HR industry term is EVP or Employee Value Proposition; the unique value an employer offers to its employees. IHR is working with campus partners on developing our Illinois Value Proposition or IVP. You should have received an invitation for a series of focus groups which we have titled conversation café’s. We would like to engage both the Staff Advisory Council and the Council of Academic Professionals in helping us to refine and develop this important concept key to recruiting and retaining top talent. Your participation remains welcomed! Registration Link: In Person and Virtual Registration Link (includes room numbers)
    - Speaking of EVP/IVP, the All Employee Expo committee for 2023 met this morning to review feedback and survey results and brainstorm about when and how this important traditional event should reoccur and on what cadence and venue. The committee is made up of IHR, CAP, and SAC representatives, and we had a fruitful discussion about how the event plays an important role in the employee experience. IHR will take this feedback and brainstorm for further consideration. We’d like to undergo an exercise to lay out a strategic vision for the event to ensure the event is well connected to the overall IVP. It has been said before, but can’t be repeated enough, the gratitude the campus has for the 2023 return of this event and to our CAP, SAC, and IHR team members who delivered a marquee event to the campus. Kudos!

8. Grievance Update, Eric Kurt, Grievance Chair

9. Academic Senator and Senate Committee Reports– Beth Meschewski, Senate Representative, Megan Pearce, Faculty-Staff Benefits Committee

10. Staff Advisory Council Report, Dale Billam, SAC Representative

11. CAP Committee Reports

- Chancellor’s Staff Excellence Award (CSEA): Chaya Sandler
- IHR Strategic Initiatives – Training and Employee Development Advisory (TEDAC) Committee – Amy Dillard
- Procedures and By Laws Committee: Rich Gegg
- Public Safety Advisory Committee: Will Schlaack
- University Professional Personnel Advisory Committee (UPPAC): Lisa Merrifield, Beth Meschewski, Patrick Gavin, Lisa Goodpaster.

12. New Business

- March Meeting- Discussion of the CAP grievance process and recommendations for improvements

13. Closed Session– We will have a closed session.

14. Adjourn

Submitted: P. Gavin