Meeting Minutes, News

April 2025 CAP Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes
Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025  Time: 1:15 PM
Recording: HERE

  1. Call to Order, Eric Kurt, CAP Chair
  2. Chair Remarks, Eric Kurt, CAP Chair
    • CAP Updates;
        • Please consider serving as a CAP Representative, Senate Rep, or on a Senate Committee. Serving and filling all the seats helps us justify our appeals for greater equity on Senate committees where AP work is being influenced.
      • Agenda for next years – General items:
          • Civil Service Professional equity in benefits and representation of that group on CAP.
          • ST-83 and Academic Freedoms
          • As CS/AP/CS Pro are moved into a single classification, we want a seat at the table to shape that future.
          • What do we want to achieve in these meetings? What do CAP meetings look like in the future?
      • Nominations
          • CAP – please re-nominate yourself if you intend to serve another term! If your term is ending or you want to renew or step down, please reach out to Eric Kurt.
          • Senate Rep – very real involvement, very hands-on experience in decision-making for the university.
          • Senate Committees – do not need to be a Senate rep, meetings are virtual and accessible via Zoom. Committee Role and Responsibilities HERE
              • Academic Freedom and Tenure
              • Admissions
              • Campus Operations
              • Faculty and Academic Staff Benefits
              • General University Policy
              • Public Engagement and Outreach
    • Meeting Format

3. Review and Approval of Meeting Minutes, Eric Kurt, CAP Chair February and March 2025

  • Motion to Approve: Neil Baer; Second Lisa Goodpaster Lahners

4. Human Resources Report, Brian Farber ,Chief of Staff & Special Projects, IHR Administration

      • SPDF – Professional Development Fund Update:
                • $44,330 spent to date; 90 recipients total of $75,000 made available annually.
      • Retirement planning conference; April 28, 9a-3p; TIAA, Fidelity, all represented. 55+ and 15 years of service. Open to anyone within 5 years of retirement.
                  • Anniversary Awards – digital certificates and digital gift codes for gifts are now going live. 60% of recipients have redeemed their gift. Webpage on IHR site with more details
                  • CLE Advisory – CLE Advisory Board – We are excited to announce the formation of the Culture, Learning, and Engagement (CLE) Advisory Committee. This committee will provide a platform to explore and address the needs and challenges faced by users of the CLE functional areas, collaborate on strategies to enhance our services, and set priorities for the upcoming year. CLE Advisory will meet twice each year to discuss progress on CLE-led initiatives, user needs, and set priorities.  CAP will be represented by Chaya Sandler and Lisa Goodpaster.
                    • Thanks to Chaya and Lisa for serving!
                  • Illinois Value Proposition launch event. Our IVP Launch Event on March 13 at the Siebel Center for Design was a big success.  The event was a styled “Gallery Tour” experience where participants were invited to learn more about the IVP model by engaging with staff about the final components and consider what some of the most important things about working at Illinois are for them.  The IVP website has launched at https://humanresources.illinois.edu/ivp/ and will soon include a variety of resources as well as a request form that community members can use to get help from IHR in leveraging IVP resources in their departments, colleges and units.  We will also host more roll out activities I will announce throughout the year ahead.
          • Performance Management: As previously announced, many colleges and units are participating in IHR’s Performance Management Program including: IHR, Gies, Tech Services, Law, SPMO, Strat Comm/Marketing, Social Work, Grainger, and LAS.  Know that not all employees in those units will be participating.
                  • We will be hosting a demo for other colleges/MAUs who might be interested in adopting the service later this month. If you are interested in your unit adopting the program, contact your HR Caucus member.
                  • Faculty/Staff Emergency Fund: We are doing our annual drive to raise money for the Faculty/Staff Emergency Fund.  For over 30 years, the fund has been financially assisting other faculty and staff in times of crisis.  Consider making a donation today, either one time or by payroll deduction.  FSAWS Director, Chris Ochs, is visiting CAP in May and I am certain he would be happy to visit SAC as well.
                  • Guidance on the Go – ELOE has now published the four-part mini-series called Guidance on the Go: What Is the PPP and How Does It Work? The four parts include:
                    • Introduction to the PPP and Informal Positive Steps
                    • Addressing Performance Issues Informally Under the PPP
                    • Addressing Performance Issues Formally Under the PPP
                    • PPP Documentation
                      • https://humanresources.illinois.edu/about/culture-learning-engagement/employee-learning-organizational-effectiveness/supervisor-development/
                      • If you want to self-enroll: Login to Guidance on the Go in Canvas with your NetID and password to self-enroll in the series and access the modules. Guidance on the Go Self-Enrollment Link – https://canvas.illinois.edu/enroll/Y3A6G9
    • All Employee Expo – Please be reminded that the All-Employee Expo will return on October 23, 2025 and will again be held at the State Farm Center. Please save the date and look for invitations to both councils to assist in the planning process.

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

        • Elections upcoming; CS Pro employees are welcome to apply and serve.
        • Shari Mickey Boggs will reschedule discussion scheduled for April re: future of CS.

6. Academic Senator and Senate Committee Reports, Eric Kurt,CAP Chair- SEC Updates

    • Update from Sarah Pfannkuche for Senate Research Policy Committee:
        • The university is taking all legal action to protect research
        • IRB audit will be done within the year.
        • Slight updates to RP-06; and RP-07; will cover who can be Principal Investigators on research grants. Only for tenured faculty.
        • New office of Research Security – to deal with collaborations in Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. DoD published a list of institutions we cannot collaborate with but little communication since. Resulting in conflicting enforcement.
      • Senate Executive Committee, Eric Kurt
        • Public Comment letter from
        • Chancellor’s Remarks – honorary degrees on hold; Immigration questions – will only enforce lawful warrants executed by a judge;7.  CAP Committee Reports8. Grievance Updates, Todd Sweet, CAP Grievance Officer
          • New process updated on website.
          • Will have an April/May Grievance in the new process with IHR.
          • Office of LER is the Chancellor’s designated rep
          • Process should be started within 21 days of an “event” that caused or prompted the grievance.9. New Business
            10. Closed Session– We will not have a closed session
            11. Adjourn

Submitted: P. Gavin