*Alternative parking fee proposal: The plan, proposed by the Senate Traffic and Parking Committee, calls for a Zone 2 (staff) hang tag fee of $66 and a Zone 1 (faculty, administrator) hang tag fee of $126, has been reviewed by the Program and Budget Committee and forwarded with a favorable recommendation to the Board of Trustees' Finance Committee. Hauk said the trustees probably will consider the matter in May.
*A Senate-approved plan to make hepatitis B immunization policies uniform across the University: Hauk said the administration is looking at the possibility of creating a common pool of funding to make the immunization process uniform for all employees whose work puts them at risk for contracting hepatitis B.
*The Domestic Partnership Benefits proposal: Hauk said the plan, which would give health care and some Courtesy Scholarship benefits to employees' same-sex domestic partners and their dependents, is moving forward. He said that President Bill Chace hopes to implement the policy within the next year. Hauk said the question still remains of whether the trustees must vote on the policy or whether it can be implemented administratively.
*Forest use policy: Hauk said the Program and Budget Committee has reviewed the proposed policy and agrees with the Senate Environmental Policy Committee that Emory should conduct environmental impact estimates for all future construction. The policy has been forwarded with a favorable recommendation to the Trustees' Real Estate, Buildings and Grounds Committee with two comments: a) The Program and Budget Committee hopes the land use plan would not automatically prohibit development in any mature hardwood forest. While forest areas classified as pristine are off limits for development, Hauk said the administration needs the "active engagement" of the trustees in considering development policy for mature hardwood forests; and b) The committee wonders if the policy's call for "no net loss of forest" will be a tenable policy down the road. Hauk said Emory currently follows a practice of allowing no net loss of trees, but that is different from having no net forest loss. He said the administration is also asking the trustees' engagement on this issue.
*Water usage: Hauk said that Vice President for Business Bobby Williams has been asked to review the Senate's recently approved recommendation for campus water usage and to report on what practices Emory is already following that would fall under the water usage plan. He said the administration needs the report in order to know exactly what action to recommend to the trustees.
Prior to Hauk's report, the Senate's committee chairs gave their annual reports. Committees and their chairs include: Athletics and Recreation Policy, Steve Batterson; Campus Development, Helen O'Shea; Campus Life, Judy Raggi Moore; Environmental Policy, Harvey Ragsdale; Fringe Benefits, Sid Stein; Library Policy, Gray Crouse; Safety and Security, Donna Owen; and Traffic and Parking, Jack Millgard.
John Bugge, chair of the Emory Village Committee, said his group is continuing its consideration of redevelopment possibilities in Emory Village. He said the group hopes to contact other universities who have undertaken similar efforts in their adjoining commercial districts. He said the committee should have its recommendations completed by the end of the fall.
--Dan Treadaway