Macalester/SAC Meeting Minutes, November 20 2002
from the Macalester Public Knowledge Base
SAC Meeting Minutes
11/20/02
PRESENT - Jenae Schmidt, Sarah Cledwyn, Toni Schrantz, Ron Joslin, Terry Gorman, Winnie Farley, Paula Leonhart, David Sisk, Terry Bailey
1. COMMITTEE REPORT - Resource & Planning Committee attended to give an update on their committee's activities. Reported that it is "crunch" time for budget discussion and this is the focus of most of their meetings. Projected budget shortfall will lead to cuts. Possible courses of action could be increasing enrollment, cutting number of international students admitted, increasing the number of no-need students (i.e. students who can pay full tuition), working to increase alumni and annual fund giving, and reducing the number of students who study away. Need blind admission is not on the table at this time because it keeps us in an elite group of colleges and helps to attract high quality students. The role of RPC is to provide a strategic framework for these decisions with the TFOB and College administration putting it in terms of real dollars and the Trustees making the final decision. Trustees to make final budget decision at their January meeting. Standfus from HR reportedly has been strong advocate for staff in these discussions pointing out that while the staff is "lean", not necessarily "well-compensated". Macalester ranks 41st out of 41 comparable colleges. Original staff salary pool of 3% will probably be cut to 2.5% as a result of shortfall.
2. SNAC Attack for Intl Center and WPI planned was a success. So was monthly cookie break for November with 53 staff people attending. Terry Mulally (CIT) selected as Minerva award winner for November.
3. BROWN BAGS - Next brown bag on ergonomics issues in the workplace is scheduled for today (11/20) at noon in the JBD Lecture Hall. The next brown bag is scheduled for Dec 18 in Weyerhaeuser Board Room and will be on the topic of "hidden" staff benefits at Macalester. The January "Thaw" sessions were also finalized with the Mail Room and Grievance Officers giving presentations. Publicity for these will be in Bulletin, SAC email, and possible flyer.
4. PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE - The Board of Trustees has asked SAC to identify possible staff representatives to the Presidential Search Committee. Paula drafted and distributed a flyer sent to all staff to identify interested staff people. After brief discussion, decision was made to meet at a special time on Friday 8:30am to review responses and select possible staff reps. The trustees have asked for up to three names of which they will select one (depending on the makeup of other search committee members).
5. PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL - Paula reported that she attended her first President's Council meeting. It will be a good opportunity to hear overview of campus issues as presented in these meetings and will provide another opportunity for SAC to advocate for staff concerns. Paula will give regular reports at SAC meetings.
5. SAC Budget update postponed until next meeting.
