2005-2006 Annual Report

August 28, 2006

President Erskine Bowles

The University of North Carolina

General Administration

PO Box 2688

Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688

RE: 2005-2006 Staff Councils’ Annual Report

Dear President Bowles:

On behalf of the University Staff, I want to begin by thanking you for acknowledging our

value as an integral part of The University of North Carolina. The sense of belonging to

UNC, verses grouped with all state employees, is a new concept that we all enjoy experiencing.

Also, thank you for meeting with the Staff representatives on June 27th, and for providing

your knowledgeable team to assist us in designing the Charter and Bylaws of the UNC Staff Assembly. I look forward to joining the other delegates at our inaugural meeting on

October 16th.

The 2005-2006 year has been tumultuous for UNC Asheville staff. The climate of the campus had become unbearable for many SPA/EPA-NT employees suffering under intimidating

supervision, while the rest of us anguished over their demoralization. It didn’t take long before

faculty got wind of the situation, and quickly took up arms, resulting in an email campaign, "You Can’t Treat People Like That". Along with the email campaign to Administration, the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee designed a Sense of the Senate Resolution*, requesting an establishment of a staff ombudsperson/conciliator; Faulty Senate approved it, and forwarded it to the Chancellor for consideration.

At the same time, the Faculty Senate Chair contacted Chancellor Ponder, requesting a meeting with her and me, as Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Committee (CSAC) Chair, to discuss the tenor of the campus. This resulted in the formation of the University Community Council (UCC), a cross-section of faculty, SPA staff, EPA-NT staff, and administration, of which the Chancellor chairs. The Committee provided open meetings for the campus community to listen to concerns, to elicit the things that work and those things that need attention, to build a work environment where every employee feels empowered and is encouraged "to do great things". Only about 40% of the employees felt secure enough to attend the meetings.

Several campus-wide assemblies were held during the year to keep people informed on the UCC’s progress. However, feedback I received was "we’ve heard this before", and are still waiting to see any positive changes implemented.

Another side effect of a demoralized staff was our inability to seat a full CSAC body during the election month of July, resulting in approximately 5 empty seats. Since July 31, two more have resigned. With the low morale of the staff, plus the Chancellor’s charge to CSAC to "reinvent themselves, so that they may serve the University more broadly by being more inclusive and open to all staff members," folks believe that CSAC, as it was intended, has become ineffective; thus, the shortage of the faithful.

The Distinguished Staff Member (DSM) Committee, a standing committee of CSAC, accepted an inordinate number of nominations for the 2005-2006 award from the campus community with several outstanding candidates. After conducting numerous interviews, as well as spending time balancing the pros and cons, the Committee unanimously awarded the Distinguished Staff Member of the Year to Mike Honeycutt, ITS Information Manager. Mike’s dedication to

UNC Asheville is unsurpassed; his loyalty to friends and colleagues, faculty and staff alike, is insurmountable. Mike has been known for his relentless hours spent on campus, working and volunteering for everything from student move-in to serving exam breakfasts. Congratulations, Mike!*

Another successful initiative of CSAC’s has been the Community College Program, which enables UNCA Staff to further establish themselves in their technical positions by taking skilled training courses, as well as certification classes at a local community college, and have their tuition reimbursed after completing the course with a passing grade. After reviewing the applications, we were able to provide tuition reimbursement to eight staff in their endeavors to further their education.

After the design, pilots, and implementation of the Distinguished Staff Member of the Year and the Community College initiatives, the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Committee was disappointed to have them moved from under our direction to the Human Resources Department.

I am very proud to announce that the CSAC Scholarship is now endowed!* CSAC has worked diligently over the years to get to this point through fundraisers, donations, and payroll deductions. This last year, one of the better fundraisers was the "UNCA Cooks" cookbook filled with wonderful recipes from UNCA’s staff and faculty.

CSAC awarded two scholarships, this past year. Now with the endowment in place, the Committee has decided to choose just one recipient each year, contributing a larger sum of money ($1000) to better fill the need. It’s exciting to realize our goal, enabling staff to reach out to the needs of the students. After all, that’s why we’re here!

UNC Asheville staff continues to have pride in our community, and take every opportunity to prove it. Everywhere you look, you see staff volunteering, whether it be Science Olympiad, where young scientists from 16 middle schools and seven high schools in Western North Carolina test their talents; or, Bulldog Day, where Freshman are introduced to community service in a massive work day in the Asheville community; or, Greenfest, where students, staff & faculty work together on beautification projects on campus; student move-ins; exam breakfasts; or wherever/whenever the cry for help is sounded.

As in years past, the UNCA Staff adopted senior citizens and group home residents during the holiday season. We were able to fill the wish lists of 35 seniors in December, which warmed our hearts. The Facilities Management Housekeepers adopted another needy family, this year, one with some very special needs. It never ceases to amaze me, each year, how the least-paid employees on our campus can always come together to help a family worse off than themselves!

Needless to say, our SPA staff is disheartened by the hold on Career Banding. Realizing that it was an un-funded mandate doesn’t tend to the mood after the overabundance of hyping and information sessions provided that suddenly came to a fast halt. Studies into formulas for

in-range SPA salary increases were abandoned due to the "OSP-mandated program" that was to reveal, and compensate us for, our true market value. Now, this is perceived as two dead-ends.

There was a bright ray of light as SPA staff received the 5.5% raise, and we thank you for your door-to-door visits to the legislators on our behalf! As well, the new PPO options, especially for

families, have the promise of making lives better financially.

Even though a living wage eludes many of our UNCA staff, I believe that morale could be brought to a higher level, if we weren’t so understaffed. It’s truly difficult for our housekeepers,

grounds workers, tradesmen, etc., to keep our university looking like a premier, liberal arts university, when the bodies/square foot is so uneven. People want to take pride in the work they do, but the understaffing erodes that commitment.

The UNCA Staff want to feel respected and valued; they want ownership in our university, the opportunity to belong to UNC Asheville, in much the same fashion you’ve recognized staff at

the UNC level. They continue to await the outcome of the University Community Council.

It has clearly been an interesting two years that I served as chair of the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Committee. We’ve graduated two senior classes, witnessed the growth of the campus’ FTE’s and square footage. Staff has experienced the changing-of-the-guard in our chancellor, and has witnessed too many colleagues changing on-campus venues, seeking off-campus careers, or taking early retirements. Though many of the UNC Asheville staff have grown weary, dismayed, or disillusioned, we remain steadfast in giving UNCA the best we have, with unwavering self-respect in the job we do, and resolute in commending each other for providing the best liberal arts experience for the students who choose UNC Asheville as their higher education venue.

I want to thank the hard-working people who have served next to me on the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Committee; their efforts weren’t for naught, as they have succeeded in bringing their colleagues’ concerns to the forefront. CSAC has represented the UNCA staff body in many forms & locales, realizing that this small-by-choice university in Western North Carolina is no longer the lost or forgotten college in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

As my last, formal act as the Chair of the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Committee, I respectfully sign this document,

Connie Schaller

2005-2006 Chair, Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Committee

/cls

*Attachments

cc: Leslie Winner (w/attachments)

Anne Ponder (w/attachments)

JoAnne McKnight (w/attachments)

UNCA Chancellor Staff Advisory Committee (w/attachments)

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