![](3D"http://www.valdosta.edu/cosa/images/image002_004.jpg")
MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL ON STAFF AFFAIRS MEETING
September 10, 2002
COSA Chair Shannon = McGee called=20 the meeting to order at 8:34 a.m. in the President=EF=BF=BDs Dining Room = of the Palms=20 Dining Center. Members present: Sharon Butcher, Melinda = Cutchens,=20 Sammy Dees, Carolyn Gaston, Jeff Grant, Mike Hamm, Rosalyn Hatcher, Lisa = Hayes,=20 Stanley Jones, Rebecca Kimbrough, Sue Lampert, Bob Lee, Shannon McGee, = Mike=20 McKinley, Kae Sinkule, Patrick Smith, Trisha Taylor, and Carolyn = Wilson. =20 Cody Guined represented the Student Government Association. Guests = in=20 attendance were Blenda Link, Ernest Duncan, David Bennett, Debra Holley, = Amanda=20 Williams, Ann Farmer, Scott Doner, Debbie Conrad, James Peterson, and = Jim=20 Black.
SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY:
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MINUTES:
It was requested that = an amendment=20 be made to the minutes of the August meeting. The previous = statement, {As=20 previously mentioned, Dr. Zaccari offered to purchase Staff Appreciation = Day=20 T-shirts for VSU staff.} has been amended to {The approval of the = purchase of=20 Staff Appreciation Day T-shirts for VSU Staff was authorized by Dr.=20 Zaccari. The funds were disbursed from one of the Business and = Finance=20 funds.}
TREASURER=EF=BF=BDS REPORT: =
Sue Lampert presented = a written=20 report of the three COSA accounts.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
- Elections: Mike McKinley reported = that he had=20 contacted Information Technology regarding online voting for the next = COSA=20 election. He will keep everyone informed of the progress of this = committee. =20
- Employee of the Semester Committee:
- Policy: No report.
- Retirement Walkway-Employee Recognition=20 Committee: Rebecca Kimbrough reported on behalf of Tommye = Miller=20 that the 2003 retirement luncheon is scheduled for June 12, = 2003. She=20 mentioned that Tommye requested that COSA appoint a committee to = coordinate=20 this event (to include planning the menu, the program, and all=20 logistics). Rebecca reminded everyone that there is an option to = contribute to the walkway as part of the Faculty/Staff Campaign. = There=20 was some discussion about placing grid markers on the walkway to help=20 individuals locate specific bricks. There are currently 240 = bricks on=20 the walkway. =20
- Staff Appreciation Day: Rebecca = Kimbrough=20 updated everyone regarding the Fourth Annual Staff Appreciation Day = scheduled=20 for Friday, September 27, 2002 from 11:00 a.m. =EF=BF=BD 2:00 p.m. at = the soccer field=20 on North Campus. There are currently six student organizations = that will=20 be assisting with booths at Staff Day. Dr. Louis Levy will = sponsor the=20 dunking booth. There have been several individuals from the = community=20 that have contacted Rebecca and expressed an interest in providing = booths for=20 the event. She reminded everyone that t-shirts are still for = sale for=20 those who are interested. She also asked for volunteers to = assist with=20 setting up the tents early on the morning of Staff Day. Rebecca=20 expressed thanks to COSA and the Staff Appreciation Day Committee for = their=20 diligent efforts in organizing the event.
OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS:
- Academic Scheduling/Procedures: No = report.=20
- Faculty Senate: No report.=20
- Parking Appeals: Mike McKinley = reported that=20 the meetings were running smoothly.
- Welfare Committee: Rebecca = Kimbrough informed=20 everyone that the COSA-ON-THE-MOVE newsletter would be printed next=20 week. Kae Sinkule stated that she is in the process of arranging = a date=20 for the COSA-ON-THE-MOVE meeting at Plant Operations.
REPORT FROM THE CHAIR:
Chair Shannon McGee = informed=20 everyone that she spoke on behalf of COSA at the recent Business and = Finance=20 meeting and encouraged everyone at the meeting to let COSA know of their = concerns. She also stated that she will be speaking on behalf of = COSA at=20 Dr. Zaccari=EF=BF=BDs inauguration. She encouraged everyone to = participate in=20 Staff Appreciation Day and assist Rebecca in finalizing aspects of the = upcoming=20 event.
OLD BUSINESS:
- A motion was made at the August COSA meeting to = donate=20 $50.00 to the Hugh C. Bailey scholarship fund. The motion was = tabled=20 until someone could gather more information about the = scholarship. Jeff=20 Grant provided an update regarding the Hugh C. Bailey = scholarship. There=20 is currently $33,000.00 in the account. The scholarship will not = be=20 endowed until there is $50,000.00 in the account. There was a = motion and=20 a second to not consider donating to the scholarship at this = time. =20
NEW BUSINESS:
- Bob Lee informed COSA that he is the co-chair of = the State=20 Charitable Contributions Program. Dr. Mary Watson, Director of = Grants=20 and Contracts, is the chair of the program. Bob indicated that = they are=20 in need of volunteers to assist with the campaign during the next few=20 weeks. Valdosta State University ranked sixth last year in the = amount of=20 money raised among colleges and universities. The amount raised = last=20 year at Valdosta State University was $31,000.00. The goal for = this year=20 is $40,000.00. There will be fundraisers such as a golf = tournament,=20 softball tournament, tennis tournament, and basketball = tournament. Bob=20 encouraged everyone=EF=BF=BDs participation in the campaign. =
OTHER BUSINESS:
- Patrick Smith inquired as to why staff must be = present to=20 win door prizes at Staff Appreciation Day and was concerned about = staff that=20 work the night shift on campus. Rebecca Kimbrough indicated that = comments from the staff last year at Staff Appreciation Day indicated = that=20 they prefer that employees be present to win door prizes.=20
- Kae Sinkule requested that in future Employee of = the=20 Semester presentations that the department of each nominee be = announced.=20
- Sue Lampert expressed thanks to the student = organizations=20 and to Campus Recreation for allowing staff to purchase memberships at = the=20 Student Recreation Center. Sue indicated that she had joined and = was=20 impressed by the facility and the pleasant employees at the Center.=20
- Bob Lee reminded everyone that COSA was in = session one=20 year ago, September 11, 2001, when the tragedy occurred in the United=20 States. He encouraged everyone to do something on September 11, = 2002, to=20 remember those who perished last year, whether wearing red, white, and = blue,=20 or attending a memorial service. Rebecca Kimbrough informed the = group=20 there would be a memorial service on the front lawn of West Hall at = 8:00 p.m.=20 on Wednesday, September 11, 2002.=20
- Mike Hamm informed the group that there is =
concern=20
regarding the six month probationary period for new employees at =
Valdosta=20
State University. Someone suggested to Mike that the =
probationary period=20
be changed to 90 days. Mike will talk with Inman Grimsley, =
Director of=20
Human Resources, to find out if this is a VSU policy or a University=20
policy. Mike McKinley also stated that University system =
policies are=20
available online at
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned = at 9:15=20 a.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Melinda Cutchens, Secretary, Council on Staff=20 Affairs