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Inside Iowa State, a newspaper for faculty and staff, is published by the Office of University Relations.

Aug. 25, 2006

Introducing

Cathy Good, 2006-07 president, Professional and Scientific Council

Position at ISU: administrator for research programs for the Iowa Ag and Home Economics Experiment Station (includes oversight for reporting for USDA grants and federal formula funds), executive director for the ISU Agricultural Endowment (an affiliate, non-profit corporation)

Cathy Good

Cathy Good. Photo by Bob Elbert

Arrived at Iowa State: August 1983, as a clerk/typist; moved into the P&S ranks in May 1996

Previous service on the council: Council member (2000-current), secretary-treasurer 2002-03 and 2003-04, at-large officer 2004-05, president-elect 2005-06

Council's top goals this year: The council discussed 37 priorities at its annual June retreat. The top five on the list are:

  • Pursue recommendations related to more and better learning and development opportunities for P&S employees outlined to former provost Ben Allen in a January report by an ad hoc committee of administrators (ex., e-training, a centralized listing of all available courses).
  • Seek P&S representation on the advisory boards in the proposed budget model, if the model is implemented.
  • Continue review, by council's committees, of compensation issues such as salary compression, salary movement through pay grades, overlap of P&S salaries and merit employee(s) they supervise. This work began last year.
  • Study other models for representation on the council. Under the current system, 16 of 35 elected members work in the "academic and research" umbrella.
  • In light of declining state funds, study new ideas for the council's annual (spring) salary policy recommendation. For example, is it worth carving an alreadysmall increase into components?

Thoughts on the year ahead: "The big elephant in the room is the budget situation and raises. Employees are wondering about next year already. The proposed budget model also will get a lot of attention. In many cases, P&S staff are the ones who will make it work, who will take care of the mechanics of it."

Quote

"The big elephant in the room is the budget situation and raises."

Cathy Good