Inside Iowa State
Sept. 12, 1997
P&S Council
More constituent contact leads list of goals
by Anne Dolan
Communication -- more of it and in both directions between Professional and Scientific Council members and the employees they represent -- again is a top goal of the P&S council this year.
"With 2,000 P&S employees spread around the state, we need a good system in place to share information with them and to receive guidance and direction from them," said 1997-98 P&S Council President Rob Bowers. Bowers manages the patrol division in the department of public safety.
The council's communications committee is wrapping up a year- long effort to create an e-mail network system. Each of the 31 council members will pass along information to about 75 P&S employees. Employees, in turn, may share their ideas with that council representative or any council member. Bowers said the system should be operational by November.
Another technical accomplishment that will encourage P&S employees to share their opinions with council members is an online council roster, accessible from the P&S Council Web site, that lists all council members and includes direct e- mail links to them.
Bowers said council members will get involved in a review of the P&S classification system initiated by the Office of Human Resource Services. It's been five years since the current system was put in place.
"We want to be an active player. We think we can have a positive impact on that study," Bowers said.
Carla Espinoza, director of human resource services, will have a regular spot on the council's monthly agenda this year, similar to the update/question-and-answer slot the Provost's Office has had for years.
The joint faculty-P&S committee proposed last spring by the Faculty Senate Committee on Governance Structure and Documents has been put on hold, for now, Bowers said. The proposed group would look at issues of mutual interest, such as the teaching roles of P&S staff and faculty, and the practice of giving P&S staff academic rank.
Another goal of council members this year is to continue to promote an endowment fund set up last spring to supplement P&S staff professional development. The fund, currently $5,000 provided annually by the Provost's Office, provides matching money to P&S employees whose departments require that professional activity costs be shared by the unit and the individual. About $8,000 has been pledged so far to the new fund.
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