Meeting Minutes/Notes

June 2024 Labor Management Meeting Notes

June 4^th, 2024

Notes/ Minutes

Present for Administration: W. Soboyejo (President), A. Russell (Provost), M. Kilburn (VP for HR)

Present for UUP: K. Rourke (Chapter President), S. Perta (VP for Professionals), A. Bulson (VP for Academics)

Thanks for:        a. the BBQ before the May Faculty Assembly meeting-

1. Research presentations (President Soboyejo hopes that these forum’s inspire faculty to join the various research teams and become part of one of the exciting research endeavors)
2. Quick work-FT Provost-Congratulations were given to the new permanent senior administrative team. The SUNY Poly community has waited a very long time for permanent administrative leaders.
3. Permanent Dean’s (CHS/ENG?)-The permanent Dean for the College of Health Sciences has accepted the position and will be joining the administrative team in July. A permanent Engineering Dean has not been secured from the last pool of candidates. Additional recruitment will begin soon.

• Current Issues:
  1. Timing of feedback on issues-KR opened w/ a request for a description for what types of actions are taken during “an investigation” is undertaken. Several members have indicated that they have gone to HR and been told that an “investigation” was done, yet no outcome has been given.  Thus, an inquiry was attempted regarding what occurred during an investigation.  While the question was not directly answered a detailed and through discussion ensued regarding a current issue within one unit at the university, that required an investigation and actions on behalf of HR.  To respect the confidentiality of the members in that unit, the details of this discussion will not be reported here but what will be reported is that what did occur is a constructive discussion between Labor and Management on the issues from both sides of the table and problem-solving sharing on how some of the issues (labor issues) might be better solved.  Following this discussion, a question on how issues were “memorialized” was asked.   Such problems coming to HR are documented and filed.

Michele Kilburn (VP for HR) mentioned several times that she was developing workshops for various units on campus.  KR inquired if the workshops were based on any type of assessment to guide the details of the workshop.  Also inquired were the details of evaluation to guide the need for further workshops.  Both questions by KR were affirmative answered.

2. Process for working together-smoothly-One of the goals that labor wanted to emphasize knowing of a few units on campus are having significant issues (i.e. UUP has received concerns from members about the interactions among department members). KR noted that we are here to work at SUNY Poly and provide services to students.  It is important to be civil to each other and respectful, whether we like one another or no.  We are professionals and have a job to do.  Both Labor and Management agreed that there is continued work to do.  Incivility and microaggressions should not be tolerated in the workplace.

1.    Steve Perta thanked the President for the wonderful graduation and awards ceremony.  He indicated that both were well done.  SP discussed the Professional staff that are raising concerns that they are increasingly being tasked to perform duties outside the Normal Work Week Business Hours, such as supporting External Events/Conferencing and Summer Evening Spotlight Program. The issues surround agreement between Supervisors and Employees on Compensatory Time and how/when to use it.  Some professionals are predicting  9-12 additional hours during a each week this June, as well as Saturday/Sunday hours.  In some cases, they are being told it may be part of their regular duties and also when to take Comp time.  These professional staff are the forward facing representatives of SUNY Poly to the community and external participants who come to campus for their programs and strive to make (external customers) the Poly experience a success. In some cases, when Professional Staff are asked to volunteer to work Commencement or a evening/night program, when they ask for compensatory time in return, they are told that it part of their “Service” requirement and they do not warrant Comp time.  Professional Staff work time has value and is not an equal hour for hour equation.  Management is to work w/ and discuss the need for supervisors to better recognize and adjust Comp time demands and allow employee’s/UUP members to choose when they use their Comp time more appropriately.  Comp time does not expire.

• SP noted that 13 Academics, 4 Professionals and 1 Librarian was funded through the Individual Development Award program (IDA) that UUP supports. These are then sent to GOER for further review and final approval and support.

1. One UUP member’s discussion w/ several of the VP’s and President was questioned as to its nature (disciplinary or discussion). President Soboyejo indicated it was an important conversation that has made several positive strides for the member and the entire unit.
2. Management also emphasized the rate of hiring (74 new hires in 2024, 60 in 2023) and the importance for the growth to the university. KR mentioned that the Community Mailers that announced new employees had not been noted as of late.   What is the reason for this?  Michele K. was not aware of the activity and indicated she would look into the activity.
3. Finally, SP indicated that he would be offering a seminar for Professional Staff on Tuesday June 11^th, 2024 titled the Seven P’s for Professional Employee’s. Kathy Briggs Renadette(KBR), the Poly campus LRS will also be working w/ Mr. Perta.

 

• Old issues
  2024. Clinical faculty positions: KR requested an update on reassigning clinical faculty who do not retain a clinical contract.  Both KR and KBR emphasized the policy that Clinical Faculty lines are generally stipulated for the Health Science Center campuses by the Board of Trustee’s (BoT) and when used on a Comprehensive campus, the faculty is to have a “clinical contract” to support that clinical line.  This is because the clinical faculty line supports student learning via the clinical facility and faculty are evaluated on that work therein.  Clinical faculty receive one day release to work in a clinical setting and given two of these faculty that are designated as “clinical faculty”, they are technically getting credit for one day release a week.   Faculty/staff morale survey-Fall 2024:  UUP will be running a faculty/staff morale survey this fall 2024.  KR is planning on adding some questions specific to Poly to the General UUP survey, rather than write a specific and special survey, as previously planned.

Thank to all for their time in participating in the June 4^th, 2024 Labor Management Meeting.  President Soboyejo indicated that he enjoyed the meeting, which we collectively as a UUP Board work hard to make the meeting a transparent and collaborative effort.

Respectively and in Solidarity:  Kathleen M. Rourke