Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

August 30, 2002

Community building tops Heer's goals for P&S Council

Rex Heer was elected to a second year as president of the P&S Council. Photo by Bob Elbert.

by Anne Krapfl
Rex Heer will lead the Professional and Scientific Council for a second term this year, after serving as council president last year and seeking re-election as a council representative in last spring's election. He said he will continue to focus on improving communication among P&S staff and building community on campus.

"The participatory process that President (Gregory) Geoffroy promotes is the right way for a university to go," Heer said.

The council has benefited greatly, for example, from a monthly breakfast series Geoffroy launched last year, bringing together the provost, vice presidents, and faculty and P&S representatives to ask questions and discuss timely issues, he said. The breakfasts will continue this year.

"It provides a great opportunity for us to express concerns and hear straight from the source about a university policy or decision or fact," Heer said. "Having some of those other perspectives also leads to us (council) proposing better solutions."

The P&S system e-mail tree used by council members has helped send information in both directions -- to and from P&S constituents, Heer said. Discussion has started on how to build on that success; for example, a periodic (perhaps bi-weekly) e-mail update.

Representation
Heer said he's in the process of assembling two ad hoc committees which, for a couple months, would review the current P&S representation ratio (1 council member for every 75 employees) and how council officers are elected. The goal is to build continuity into the leadership structure. For example, he cited the ISU Faculty Senate, which several years ago added a president-elect to its cast of officers.

"I think we need to look at other models. I'm very open-minded about what the options might be," Heer said. Changing representation rules would require a vote of all P&S staff. If that's what's needed, Heer said he hopes such a vote could happen during this academic year.

Other issues Heer thinks inevitably will make the council's agenda include health care benefits and how they're paid, changes to the university operating budget as the year progresses and the use and effectiveness of a small ($5,000) annual fund that helps P&S employees pay for professional development experiences.

"The problem is that $5,000 funds so few people. Are there better ways to use a fund of that size, for example, to help pay for a speaker that lots more people could use?" Heer said.

He said he had been concerned the council might have to make a decision regarding full funding of requests in the P&S tuition reimbursement grant program. This fall's 18.5 percent tuition increase will strain that fund, he said. However, the offices of the president and vice president for business and finance have agreed to find any additional funds needed to fully reimburse up to three credits per applicant, per semester, he said.

Mentoring
The council also is working with leaders at the women's center to launch a mentoring program this fall for women in the P&S ranks. Volunteer mentors and mentees with similar goals would be paired for an academic year. The intent of the program is to enhance the career track of P&S women, especially those in the lower P&S classifications, and improve retention of female employees at the university. Details of the program will be announced early in the semester.

Joining Heer on the council's executive committee are vice president Kevin Kane, secretary-treasurer Cathy Good and at-large members Lynne Mumm and Kurt Roberts.

The council's next meeting begins at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, in the Memorial Union Pioneer Room. Committee chairs will present their committees' "short list" of to-do items this year.