The Oct. 18 Employee Council meeting in the Emory Hospital auditorium opened with a presentation from Michelle Smith and Jason Chandler, who discussed the University’s United Way campaign and challenged council members to donate.

Smith challenged the council, saying that at Emory, “the most affluent institution in Atlanta,” only about 9 percent of employees donate to United Way. “It frankly looks like we don’t care,” Smith said. “We are challenged and hope that you would consider doing something.”

Smith added that President Bill Chace has asked her to examine the possibility of expanding the University giving program beyond United Way. Smith commended the Employee Council as the campus organization that first approached Chace about widening its charitable scope.

The next guest presenter was Jennifer Gossett, chair of the President’s Commission on LGBT Concerns. Gossett asked the council to be on the lookout for the Campus Climate Diversity Survey, which will be randomly distributed to 3,000 faculty, staff and students in early November. The national survey will be available on paper and the web, and it will measure the campus climate toward several minority groups.

Following the guest presentations, Laquanda Jackson, co-chair of the membership committee, sketched out the schedule for the election of council officers for 2002–03. In November, nomination sheets will be sent out, and those nominations will be accepted through December. In January, bio sketches on nominees will be sent out, and the election will take place in February.

The idea of adding an officer position for technology was reinvestigated. President Susan Cook-Prince said the issue—which had quite a bit of support—needed to be discussed by the executive committee and would be reintroduced to the full council at a future meeting. She added the bylaws would need to be changed in order to add the position.

The council also needs to choose a new secretary-elect for the 2000–01 year. Cheryl Bowie, who previously held the position, is now serving as secretary. An election to fill the position will be held at the November meeting.

President-elect Bill McBride discussed a meeting between council representatives and representatives from Human Resources concerning the new Time & Attendance System (TAS) for biweekly employees. McBride distributed copies of a fact sheet provided by HR that contained 29 questions related to TAS.

The sheet addressed many of the complaints by employees, and McBride and Cook-Prince both commended HR for addressing employee concerns quickly and thoroughly. McBride said the system’s positive points (making sure all biweekly employees are paid on time) should be emphasized.

Cook-Prince then reviewed the council Anniversary Week celebration of Sept. 25-29. Response for the council’s 25th anniversary week celebrations was so positive, Cook-Prince said, that another information fair is planned for February. Cook-Prince also asked council members to come up with topics for brown-bag lunches. She hopes to hold a round of brown bags in December and February.

Susie Lackey gave the meeting’s final presentation, which covered sick leave policy. It centered on three issues: whether employees could contribute unused sick hours to other employees, using accumulated sick leave to achieve earlier retirement, and an awards program for good attendance. She met with HR Vice President Alice Miller to discuss these issues.

Lackey said a sick leave pool is impossible because Emory receives grant money from multiple sources to pay for sick leave, and the funds are not transferable.

Concerning the second issue, sick leave accrual does not alter the retirement plan. And the idea of gaining a year of early retirement (in effect, not calling in sick for 18 consecutive years) is impractical.Incentive programs for good attendance are perfectly acceptable. They would be administered on a program or departmental basis.

The next Employee Council meeting will be held in the Openheimer Room of Grady Hospital, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2–4 p.m. For council members interested in taking the Grady Shuttle, it will leave at 1:30 p.m. from the Clifton Road entrance of Emory Hospital.

If you have a question or concern for Employee Council, countact your council representative or send e-mail to Chair Susan Cook-Prince at scook01@emory.edu.