Meeting Info

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

1. 1. 1. Call to Order, Eric Kurt, CAP Chair
      2. Speaker: Nicholas Burbules,Former Chair of the General University Policy Committee
         • Update on ST-83; Please see the recording for a detailed explanation of ST-83 updates and final product. Nick outlined where we stand today and what next steps the three campuses are embarking on.
      3. Chair’s Remarks-
         • Speaker scheduling and topics for the year; a poll will go out to CAP members at UIUC to request meaningful topics that the populous would like to hear about. Look for the poll and please provide feedback.
         • Executive Committee is still working to incorporate and follow up on the three initiatives that the 2023-2024 Exec Team started on – benefit discrepancies, grievance process and documenting/updating the SOP’s and by-laws to preserve institutional knowledge as officers and representatives move in and out of their roles.
      4. Review and Approval of Minutes
         • June 2024;
      5. Illinois Human Resources Report:Brian Farber, Chief of Staff & Special Projects, IHR Administration
      1. • Staff Professional Development Fund (SPDF).  As you know, the APDF was officially retired on July 1 and is now replaced by the SPDF.  Primary changes are eligibility for all staff (not just APs) with more than 1 year of service and a 50%+ appointment (excluding temporary, visiting, or postdoc appointments).  The application may be found at https://humanresources.illinois.edu/employee-experience/current-employee/connect-engage/
         • We have clarified that this is an IHR Program with input from SAC and CAP. As such, IHR ran an e-week announcement on 7/12/24 to announce the expansion.
         • Numbers for the year so far:
           1. QU 1 July/August/September; Amount awarded:  $3,000.00; 6 recipients (4 CS, 2 AP)
         • All-Employee Expo/Employee Appreciation.  As you know, the Expo will now occur on a biennial basis.  IHR has notified all participants from last year’s Expo that the next one will occur in 2025.  IHR still plans to host an employee appreciation event in FY25, but we are still in the design phase guided by constraints of human and financial resources.  We will engage the councils when we have something for them to react to and help us to shape.
         • IHR Website.   https://humanresources.illinois.edu/ – As you notice errors or omissions, please email ihr-marketing@illinois.edu.
         • Social Media and Podcasts.  Please remember to follow IHR on FB, Instagram, and X for the latest updates, features and information.  We continue to post podcasts and videos of our CSEA recipients and highlight Illinois Professionals, both APs and CS.
         • AP Vacation Proposal.  AS you know, CAP made a formal proposal to IHR in December regarding inconsistencies in vacation benefits for CS and AP staff.  We are aware of this difference among others in benefits for our many employee groups.  Some of these differences are due to leave benefit requirements by the State Universities Civil Service System.  The proposed change in vacation benefits has significant financial implications at a time of budget constraints and recissions.  In discussing this issue with the HR leaders at the System and the three universities, there is a consensus that now is not the right time to consider increasing AP vacation benefits.  System HR will be launching a peer benefit review to identify any opportunities where we lag behind our peers in our voluntary benefits.  I will provide updates to the Council on that System review.
         • Grievance Procedures.  Eric, Todd, and Brian met with Julie Dillard and I this morning on our draft.  As you know, we’ve agreed to model the grievance process for APs on the Civil Service process.  The draft procedures still include CAP as a resource to APs in their grievances, allows for the AP to bring a representative to the process (Which could be a CAP rep if they choose), and allows the AP and their supervisor (by mutual agreement) to resolve the dispute informally with the help of other university employees before a formal grievance is filed (which could also be a CAP rep).  CAP agreed to provide a track changes response to the draft and we hope to move forward quickly depending on how substantive those changes are.
         • Chancellor’s visit:  As you know, the Chancellor had a conflict for June 6 and could not attend.  We have been working on scheduling that for November, but learned yesterday that CAP may need to amend that date.  We will work with CAP leadership on a new timeline for this visit.  At CAP’s request, we are also working to arrange meeting times with the Provost and President for your regular meetings.  IHR will urge CAP to invite SAC to these visits.
         • Service Awards.  IHR (specifically, Culture, Learning and Engagement) continues to work on a restructure to service awards that includes revisions to the historic certificates and gifts as well as a campus-wide event.  As you know, IHR is working with Special Events on a combined event for CS, AP, and Faculty for FY25.  For a variety of reasons, the event will be delayed to the winter of 2025 and open to employees from the 10+ year milestone (5-year increments).  In addition, we are working to standardize recognition gifts and certificates that will be more timely and offer the employee some choices in their preferred gift.  These changes are contingent upon funding.
      6. Staff Advisory Council Report: Dale Billam, SAC Representative
      1. • No report this month
      7. Academic Senator and Senate Committee Reports
      8. CAP Committee Reports
         • University Professional Personnel Advisory Committee                ( UPPAC): Lisa Merrifield, Beth Meschewski, Patrick Gavin, Lisa Goodpaster Lahners
      9. Grievance Updates, Todd Sweet, CAP Grievance Officer
      10. New Business
          • Public Comment Modification
          • Extension of question submission to Chancellor
          • Nov CAP meeting cancelled-UPPAC conflict
      11. Closed Session: We did not have a closed session
      12. Adjourn