Williams College Office of Human Resources > Staff Advisory Council

Staff Council Meeting Minutes

June 25, 2008, 3-4 p.m., Faculty House

In attendance: Martha Tetrault, ex officio, Erwin Bernhart, Colleen Bethoney, Gail Burda, Dawn Dellea, Gisela Demant, Madeleine Demarsico, Terri-Lynn Hurley, Mark Kimball, Cynthia Haley, Kristan Renish, Lynn Taft

Absent: David J. Boyer, Lisa Briggs, Fran Lapidus, Clare Morrison, Teresa Waryjasz, Danielle Gonzalez

Agenda

1. Finishing terms
2. Staff Council
3. Telecommuting Policy

Business

• Staff Council members finishing terms: Cyndi Haley (A), Terri-Lynn Hurley (A), Clare Morrison (S), Fran Lapidus (A).

• Staff Council: There is a desire for more feedback from the Staff Council. A staff member who mentioned the issue would like more transparency from the Staff Council. There was a discussion as to how that information could be publicized. It was thought that posting information may also generate more discussion through out the college. The council has minutes which can be shared. It was thought that the "Daily Messages" would be a good vehicle to use in order to disseminate that information. It was agreed that the length of the message should be brief. The message would contain a link to a newly created site on the HR wiki used to house the minutes. The site will also list Staff Council members. This process could begin with minutes from the April meeting.

• Carpooling: Conversation about telecommuting is very timely. Discussions involved talks about the price of fuel, and the pros and cons of carpooling. Publicly posting names of staff who are interested in carpooling led to discussions about confidentiality. How can the college help people get connected without breaking confidentiality issues? Partial carpooling was discussed, meeting at a central location and traveling from there. Is there a benefit to the college? There was a discussion concerning sustainability. How might the college encourage staff to think about energy savings for their homes, car pooling, etc.?

• Telecommuting: Some staff are requesting telecommuting arrangements. The staff council has been asked to draft a policy so that these requests can be thoughtfully reviewed and considered based on their full impact to the department and the College.

• Administrative Staff Paid Professional Leave: Questions arose regarding administrative staff professional leave. Martha noted that the incumbent is expected to return rejuvenated and having benefited from a relevant professional growth experience. The college will hold the incumbent's position. The policy can be found online in the employee handbook:

Paid Professional Leave

As part of the College's long-term professional development program, full-time administrative staff with five years of service and in good standing based on performance are eligible for paid professional leave. Leaves may be of varying lengths, up to six months. Applicants are encouraged to seek outside funding for their project. Employees on professional leave will receive three-quarters pay, or the amount necessary to bring any outside remuneration to 100% of their regular salary, whichever is less. Additional unpaid time may be approved. Normal benefits will be continued, adjusted to the leave salary. It is expected that staff will return to the College at the end of the leave.

In requesting a leave staff should submit a written proposal outlining their plan and its relevance both to their professional development and to their work at the College. Leave proposals require the full support and endorsement of the department head and the respective senior staff member. A memo from the staff member's manager must accompany proposal. The endorsement should address the value of the project based on its value to the individual and the department.

Next meeting

Date & Location:

• Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - Paresky, Room 220

Agenda:

• Review telecommuting policy.

Reported by L. Taft