Smith College Staff Council
Meeting Minutes
September 12, 2001 (Approved at the October
3, 2001
meeting)
A meeting of the full Staff Council was held on September 12, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. in the Mary Maples Dunn Room at Pierce Hall.
Attending: Stacey Anasazi, Jack Begleiter, Cyndee Button, Sandy Bycenski, Patrick Diggins, Lisa Dwinell, Serena Harris, Patty Hayes, Chris Carr Hill, Patty Kimura, Mimi Lempart, Merrilyn Lewis, Ann Mayo, Sam Rush, Bill Sheehan, and Joe Stoddart.
Excused: Cristen Abrams, Carla Coffey, Alicia Guidotti, Anne-Marie
LaFosse,
Janice McDowell, Steve Monteiro, Michelle Moye, Stephanie
Schoen, and Mike
Washut.
Patty Kimura called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m. Yesterday's tragic events were acknowledged.
1. REVIEW MINUTES
Minutes of the August 2001 meeting
were approved as read.
2. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Activities
Lisa Dwinell reported
on:
Out of 500 Six Flag tickets ordered only 57 tickets needed to be returned unsold mentioning that problems with the Superman ride contributed to fewer tickets sold.
Denim Day is October 5th, to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
A trip to Foxwoods Resort & Casino and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum is planned for October 21st.
A New York City trip is tentatively set for December 1st at $30 a ticket.
Big E tickets are being sold for $10.
No cooking classes will be held because HR is offering two free cooking classes through the Training and Development series.
The Food Bank Drive collected 400 lbs. more than the previous year.
A Book Exchange is scheduled for April 24, 2002.
The budget was also discussed at the meeting. Bill Sheehan informed them that $3000 is allocated to the Activities Committee. To make the budget easier to monitor, the committee should consider setting up a second account to keep ticket purchases and sales separate from the main budget.
Patty Kimura reported that at the last Steering Committee meeting ideas were explored on how to increase diversity in the activities offered. A variety of ideas were offered such as trips to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., Tenement Museum in NYC, Lowell National Historical Museum, and activities such as salsa dance lessons or an informational gathering about an ethnic community in the valley.
B.
Communications
Sam Rush reported that Cristen Abrams was
elected chair of the committee.
At the last meeting Cindy Rucci and Mimi
Lempart were invited guests.
The van tours were discussed including the "Did you know" fact sheet, a one-line bulleted informational pamphlet, which is a work in progress. It was decided that adding stops such as the botanical garden would make the tour too long. Mimi Lempart suggested incorporating the garden and other stops within a walking tour that could be linked with the lunch buddy program. A campus scavenger hunt and utilizing ideas from the Admissions Office walking tour were also suggested.
Human Resources and the Activities Committee will share the cost of a headset to be used on the van tour.
Jo Cannon Carlson and Alicia Guidotti agreed to co-chair the Lunch & Learn series. Mimi Lempart, Chair of Staff Visions, agreed to ask her committee about two Lunch & Learn possibilities: an artists' informational Lunch & Learn in November and a gallery tour Lunch & Learn in March. Jo also is exploring a craft exhibition and a diversity talk for the series.
Patty Hayes reported that the Council Chronicle would be finalized toward the beginning of November.
C. PERSONNEL POLICY
COMMITTEE
Sandy Bycenski reported that there was nothing new to
report. The next
meeting is scheduled for September 21, 2001, 9:30-10:30
a.m. in the conference
room at Human Resources.
4. NEW/OLD BUSINESS
A. Electricity
Patty Kimura
found out that the answer is "no" on Smith staff
receiving a
discount on electricity because we do not all live in the same
town.
B. Ad Hoc Committee on Training
Patty Kimura
apologized for not organizing a meeting with the Ad Hoc
Diversity Focus
Group as she has missed work because of back problems.
Carol Bevan-Bogart, the new Staff Training and Development Specialist, was introduced. The fall semester workshop calendar was designed partially by herself and an Ada Comstock student and is focused on a holistic approach of strengthening the mind and body. She asked that staff feel free to suggest new ideas for training and development to better meet the needs of everyone.
Carol Bevan-Bogart will attend the new diversity series along with all new Staff Council members. She is also exploring a basic campus-wide diversity awareness program for all staff.
C. Supporting our Diverse Community
The
Council discussed how we could respond and offer support to the
Smith
community after yesterday's tragic events citing special concern for
any
racist responses. Fletcher Blanchard's study was mentioned which
supported
the power of the individual to influence others. Several
suggestions offered:
campus blood drive, clothes collection, and
education on Islamic religion.
Stacey Anasazi, Joe Stoddart, Merrilyn
Lewis and Ann Mayo were enlisted
for an Ad Hoc committee to further ideas
on the Staff Council response to
September 11.
The next Staff Council meeting will be Wednesday, October 3, 2001, 2:00 p.m. in the Mary Maples Dunn Room, Pierce Hall. Adrianne Andrews, the new Ombudsperson, will be a guest.
The Staff Council meeting was adjourned at 3:04 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cyndee Button, Co-Secretary
Staff Council