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January 30, 2006
Johns, Lewis brief EC on strategic plan

BY Katherine Baust Lukens

Michael Johns and Earl Lewis, executive vice presidents for health affairs and academic affairs, respectively, presented an overview of Emory’s strategic plan at the Employee Council’s Jan. 18 meeting, held in the Jones Room of Woodruff Library.

Johns and Lewis co-chair the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. With a PowerPoint presentation to support them, the pair talked about where implementation of the plan currently stands and also about the tangible, concrete goals that have grown out of it.

“A thousand people were engaged in the development of the strategic plan. We put it up on the Web and asked for feedback—which we got a lot of, both positive feedback and some criticism,” said Johns. “The [strategic] themes ties us together but also make us distinctive.”

Another guest speaker was Peggy Barlett, professor of anthropology, who presented a draft report developed by the committee on sustainability which she co-chairs with Mike Mandl, executive vice president for finance and administration. Sustainability is one of the cross-cutting initiatives identified under the strategic plan’s “Creating Community—Engaging Society” theme.

Last spring, President Jim Wagner charged the committee with developing a sustainability vision for Emory as part of the planning process. The committee’s report includes specific goals and recommendations for public discussion and revision throughout the 2005–06 year.

“We were charged to come up with a document that is visionary and stimulating, and we want your feedback. Did we do it?” Barlett asked. “Did we leave anything out? Do you like it? We have an economic and an environmental bottom line; both directly connect to our quality of life.”

In other business, membership chair Laurie Asherman said the council is soliciting officer nominations for the 2006–07 academic year. Elections will be held in April.

Council historian Woody Woodworth presented two versions of Emory’s leadership organization chart, one from December 2002 and the other from November 2005, to show all the changes that have been made.

Special issues chair Ron Gatlin said his committee is working on two issues affecting hourly employees.
Currently, if such an employee logs fewer than 40 hours in a week, vacation credits are used to make up the difference. The second issue is that, when an hourly employee is on long-term sick leave, all of his or her sick leave and vacation credits must be exhausted before disability kicks in. Hence, employees with high balances for both sick leave and vacation are at a disadvantage; for long-term absences, they may not get to use their disability benefits at all. Gatlin said the committee is discussing these issues with Human Resources and will report back at a future meeting.

Communications chair Katherine Hinson announced the Employee Council Town Hall scheduled for Jan. 31 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the School of Law’s Tull Auditorium. Panel members will include Wagner, Lewis and Mandl, along with Vice President for Equal Opportunity Programs Robert Ethridge and University Secretary Rosemary Magee, and they will discuss leadership behaviors that are valued at the University.

The next Employee Council meeting, scheduled for Feb. 15 at noon in the Jones Room, will feature two guests: Mandl and Paula Gomes, director of the Faculty-Staff Assistance Program.

If you have a question or comment for Employee Council, send e-mail to President Louis Burton at louis.burton@emoryhealthcare.org.

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