Staff Advisory Committee

 

November 2, 2006

President’s Conference Room

 

 

Present:  Dedmon, McNeal, McKenzie, Parker (presiding)

 

Others present:  President Bell, Evelyn Chambers and Terri Watson

 

President’s Comments

 

President Bell welcomed members to the meeting.

 

The recipients of the 2006 Outstanding Staff Awards have been announced and the following winners are to be commended:

 

Technical Support:     Mr. Gary Bradford, Electric Equipment Technician, Media Center – Volpe Library

Clerical:                     Ms. Wanda Maxwell, Secretary – Chemistry Department              

                                 Ms. Lydia Kendall, Secretary – Academic Development Program

Support:                    Ms. Joyce Sims, Custodial Services – Facilities & Business Services

 

Employees recently named Tech Ambassadors include:

 

October 2006:       Vivian Smith, Custodial Services, Facilities & Business Services

November 2006:    Barry Allison, Engineering Lab Technician, Manufacturing & Industrial Technology

 

The spring 2006 NSSE survey results are in and Tech seniors rated their overall educational experience significantly higher than seniors at our peer schools.  The survey provides a useful picture of TTU’s strengths and weaknesses, and overall, TTU did quite well.

 

According to the results, nine out of ten seniors would choose to attend TTU if they had to start over again.  This is an 86 percent scoring compared to an 80 percent making a similar decision at peer institutions.  Also a notable area of strength identified by freshman and seniors was the use of computing and information technology.  Areas that indicated room for improvement included writing clearly and effectively and understanding and interacting with people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

 

Tech’s College of Business is featured in the 2007 edition of The Princeton Review as one of the “Best 282 Business Schools.”  In the profile on our business program, Princeton Review editors describe us as a “small school environment within a larger university” and that “life at Tech is thoroughly enjoyable.”

 

Tech’s Health Services is now available to provide acute health care for faculty and staff.  An office visit fee of $20 will apply.  Some lab procedures and pharmaceuticals will be available at minimal cost.  Payment must be by cash or check.  Health Services is unable to file insurance claims or accept credit cards.  No appointments are necessary.

 

November 15 is the deadline for transfer of health insurance plans or to sign up for additional coverage.  Information packets have been mailed to all individuals with insurance coverage.

 

Upon completion of the new facility for the School of Nursing and Health Services, the University’s Health Services unit plans to expand the services offered.

 

Homecoming weekend is November 10 and 11.  This year’s theme is “Tech Loves the 80s,” and several events are planned that are open to the entire TTU community and we encourage everyone to join in these university festivities.

 

Suggestions/Comments

 

1. Thank You from Jonathan Blevins

 

“Thank you so much for the scholarship.  It was greatly needed and is very much appreciated.  This scholarship will help me tremendously this year.”

 

2.  Suggestions:

 

“Let’s bring back some traditions or start some new ones.”

Rhetorical.

 

“On the back of the bathroom stalls, we need places for advertising or announcements.”

I spoke with Monica Greppin who said it was a possible revenue source.

 

“Hot dog vendor on campus!”

Sam Holm, TTU Food Service Director: “We briefly spoke of the possibility of hotdog option on campus.  I do not totally understand what type of facility this may involve.  However, Chartwells is open to looking at all food opportunities on campus.  We would need to involve Jimmy Crabtree in the process as he is our campus client.”

 

“Bring back the old yearbook. You know, a hard copy, a year book.”

Dr. Russell Witcher, English Professor:  “I would be glad to bring back the yearbook.  It wasn’t my idea to do away with the hard copy in the first place.  Meetings were held among President Bell, Provost Barker and the journalism faculty three years ago to cut the university radio station to save money.   The journalism faculty didn’t want to do this, so we agreed to go from a hard copy of the yearbook to a CD version.  This met with approval from Bell and Barker and has resulted in a savings of approximately $30,000 to the university.  To re-instate the hard copy of the yearbook requires going to where the buck stops, which is much higher than my pay grade.”

 

“State employees should be allowed to take online courses free of charge, without the Regents online fee.  Those classes better accommodate the employees’ schedules.  We are allowed to take 9 hours/semester.  Try fitting that into your day when you work 8-4:30 plus a family.  Respectfully submitted!”

I spoke with Ms. Sharon King, Human Resources, who explained that it is a TBR rule that no extra fees are ever covered.

3.  Question:

 

“If Clerical Personnel receive and take a one-hour break, are they still entitled to 2 15-minute breaks during the day as well?”

Dorothy Nash, Interim Director of Human Resources:  “Breaks are a privilege and NOT a right.  According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, Tennessee does not require any paid rest periods.  So to answer your question, employees are not ENTITLED to two 15-minute breaks during the day.”

 

The meeting adjourned at 1:55 p.m.

 

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