Minutes
CVCC Professional Staff Association
January 18, 2001
East Campus 1001

Members Present: Doug Allen, Sue Asp, Marian Baer, Judy Barkley, LaDonna Goodson, Sarah Loudermelk, Sandie Loyer, Debbie Saine, and Donna Trado

President Sue Asp called the meeting to order at 2:30 P.M.

Secretary-Treasurer's Report: The minutes from the October 19, 2000, PSA meeting stand approved as submitted.  There are 23 dues paying members, and the treasury stands at $115.00.

President Sue Asp reminded the association that there are approximately 60 potential members for this association and that all these individuals do receive invitations to join and attend the meetings.

Local Bond Referendum:   Mary Miller, CVCC Community Relations Director, addressed the association on the local bond referendum for public schools and the community college to be voted upon on March 20, 2001.  She explained to the group what the role of CVCC employees should be in support of the referendum as well as explaining why it is needed and how the monies for CVCC will be used.  She reminded us as state employees that we cannot ask for the public's vote on state time. However, we are encouraged to support and explain this referendum when the public queries. CVCC is requesting 8 million dollars. 5.5 million dollars will be used to build a new library/Learning Resource Technology Center , and 2.5 million dollars will be used for renovations, equipment and land purchase.

It is likely, she noted, that this referendum may meet some opposition by the public since local taxes will be eventually increased to cover the monies, and it follows on the heels of the just passed statewide bond referendum for community colleges and universities which she informed us was the largest state bond ever passed in the United States.  Likewise, the public may be somewhat confused by the need for this referendum, and generally, voter turnout is lower in March.  Therefore, her department is trying to educate personnel how to clarify this need to the public.  Also, she explained how the college is planning to advertise this to the public.  Dr. Dunbar and CVCC's trustees have hired a professional political fund raising agency to assist the college in conducting a fund-raising breakfast with community leaders. Sue Asp asked how this agency is going to be paid.  Ms. Miller replied out of the funds raised from the event.  When Doug Allen asked if the monies for public schools and the community college will be voted on as one or separate issues and if separate, the voters could vote for monies to the public schools and not the community college, her response was that they are separate items and yes the voters could pass monies for the public schools and not the community college or vice versa.

Our president encouraged us to be involved now and support the referendum.

Donna Trado asked how much money did the college hope to raise at the fund raiser, Mary replied $40,000.00.

Mary said newspaper ads will appear and that her group will be doing everything possible to publicize.

Review of 2001 Goals/Strategies:   Sue Asp prefaced this review with the assurance that the PSA Executive Committee would annually meet with Dr. Dunbar to keep him aware of these goals and our plans. Members will be encouraged to attend the February CVCC Board of Trustees meeting again to be represented and visible.  Dr. Dunbar will be informed that it is the intent of PSA to have membership representatives present at the county open budget meeting.

Sue noted that a spokesperson for the PSA would be needed.  These are two of the strategies recommended by the PSA Strategic Planning Task Force that have been ongoing and will continue to be implemented by the PSA.

Members had been asked to again rank previous goals and to suggest any new ones. Two new ones were suggested to the president, and they were simply added to the end of the list. Voting results are as follows:

1. Seek pay equity with faculty.
2. Improve campus communications by internal announcements of available positions prior to public announcements of the same and provide opportunities for advancement of current employees.
3. Encourage the college to develop and implement a five years strategic plan for CVCC in cooperation with the community and the entire college.
4. Continue to network with other N.C. community college staff associations.
5. Explore means to recognize outstanding service by professional staff.
6. Make the salary grade and range information in the Policy & Procedure Manual accurate.
7. Seek cooperative project(s) with CVCC Faculty Senate and Support Staff Association.
8. Encourage the college to develop a more liberal educational leave policy.

Sue Asp noted that Anne Williams had suggested that in order to meet strategy six which was to contact the Southern Regional Education Board to suggest that they collect data on professional staff in the same manner they currently collect information on faculty, that Joe Marks, editor of the SREB Fact Book be contacted.

Update Statewide Organization Meeting: LaDonna Goodson reported that she attended November 17, 2000, a meeting of the Student Services Personnel Association which was held to discuss how to develop joint efforts to push new budget before the legislature addressing in particular staff salaries. Participants were encouraged to take a leave day and meet with legislators in Raleigh. However, this effort has been postponed as its scheduled date was apparently scheduled prior to when the state legislature was to actually reconvene. LaDonna stated that response to her letters contacting other associations to join statewide have been disappointing. She only received three responses. She reminded us again that without the interest, this statewide organization cannot be formed and without the numbers, we will not be able as staff to influence the state legislature.

Sue Asp commented that it is promising that there is some interest out there based on the three responses that were received and that a major organization , such as the SSPA, is willing to allow other associations to join with them.

Update PSA Letterhead:   As there are not enough funds currently in the treasury to cover professional printing of letterhead and envelopes for this association, it has been decided by the PSA Executive Committee that linen look paper and envelopes will be purchased from the treasury and printed by the president as needed or requested.  Sue will proceed to make this purchase and make these available to members who wish to soon write letters addressing our issues to state representatives.

Request for volunteer to chair task force-Recognition of Outstanding Professional Staff Person:   The president called for volunteers from the members present to chair this task force or to suggest names of members to contact for this.  Donna Trado has volunteered to chair this task force and will be calling members to serve on it.

Next meeting date: The next PSA meeting will be held April 19, 2001, at 2:30 P.M. on the Main Campus.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Barkley

Secretary-Treasurer