Emplyee Council meets
2000-01 goals

By Eric Rangus erangus@emory.edu

The latest meeting of the Employee Council, held May 17 in the Jones Room of Woodruff Library, featured three guest speakers as well as the first meetings of the new committee caucuses.

Former council president Susan Cook-Prince presented the 2000–01 annual report. In it, she called Emory’s new automated Time and Attendance System (TAS) for hourly employees the “biggest issue” of the past year. But the report stated that employees appeared satisfied with the new system once its intent—to ensure employees are paid on time—was explained.

Cook-Prince said the council’s goals for the year—to begin a new-member orientation program, create a council web page-administrator position, facilitate communication throughout the University, cultivate working relationships among the various committees, increase member involvement and attendance, raise the council’s visibility on campus, and address constituent concerns—were all met.

She particularly lauded the efforts of the anniversary committee, which planned the council’s 30th anniversary celebration in September.

Bob Ethridge, vice president of Equal Opportunity Programs, the office that sponsors the council, told members they belong to a very viable organization on campus.

“If you stop doing what you do as well as you do it, the University [itself] would stop,” Ethridge said. “Never underestimate the role you play, individually and collectively, because you are very important.”

The final guest speaker was Chance Hunter, coordinator of communications and events for the ethics center. He discussed “One on Ones,” which he described as relational meetings that build community. According to Hunter, these informal face-to-face meetings can serve as opportunities for employees, supervisors or managers—anyone who participates—to discuss whatever is on their minds regarding the working environment.

Hunter asked if the meetings could benefit the wider Emory community. Council members said some departments are small enough that they are able to hold these types of meetings already. The council did see some application to larger departments. Hunter and the council agreed to remain in contact.

In addition to the three scheduled speakers, Del King from Human Resources discussed employment-related issues. One of them, that of internal transfers of University employees, he acknowledged, could stand some improvement. He said 33 percent of the people hired to fill Emory’s 1,400 open positions in 2000 were internal hires. “Ideally, 50 percent would be a good number,” he said. He added that minority hires (44 percent) and women hires (74 percent) were satisfactory.

One key to addressing internal promotion is through communication, King said, adding that HR is thinking about highlighting open positions in quarterly reports. Improving the HR website also is on the agenda.

In committee meetings, the membership committee pledged to continue focusing on better attendance. It also intends to push for more membership from Health Sciences. The communications committee proposed scheduling an information fair (one of the most successful parts of council’s 30th anniversary week) at an off-campus location such as Crawford Long, Grady Hospital or the VA hospital. The special issues committee will continue to address the issue of donating unused sick leave to other employees in need.

President-elect Cheryl Bowie, who led the meeting in the absence of President Bill McBride, introduced two items of new business. The council has been contacted about participating in a combined employee/student art show to be displayed in the Dobbs Center art gallery. Council members agreed to ask their constituents about their participation.

Bowie also suggested a council picnic be held. It would serve as an informal way for members to get together off campus. Some members suggested such an event would be better held in the fall rather than in the peak of the summer heat. The subject will continue to be discussed.

The next Employee Council meeting will be held June 20 in the Jones Room of Woodruff Library.

If you have a question or concern for PCSM, contact McBride at wjmcbri@fmd.emory.edu.