Iowa State University

Inside Iowa State
June 30, 2000

Kenne:

Survey tops council year

by Anne Krapfl
 When she presented survey results at the last council meeting of the year earlier this month, Danette Kenne was beating two clocks: the end of a three-year term on the Professional and Scientific Council and the end of her one-year term as council president.

And while she's the first to acknowledge implementation and policy work resulting from the survey of all P&S employees this winter is just beginning, it also felt good to get the data collected.

"Seeing that process through brought a great sense of accomplishment -- for me personally and for the council," said Kenne, who volunteered to head the survey committee 18 months ago, well before she sought the council presidency. "It should provide the ground work for what next year's council puts on its agenda.

"There's a lot of information there, and part of the need is getting new eyes to look at it and question what it means, but I think it's really helpful information,' she said.

The council's second noteworthy achievement this year, Kenne said, was establishing the P&S Outstanding New Professional Award. Early last fall, it was a concept a few council members tossed around. The idea got assigned to a committee and by mid-January, Provost Rollin Richmond had approved the concept and funding for cash awards. The President's Office confirmed the award winner(s) would be honored during the university's spring awards convocation, lending additional legitimacy to the award.

"That was just a big, warm fuzzy all-around for us," Kenne said. "We appreciate the support from the provost and the president to see that happen."

"Until this one, awards were pretty much for people with fairly significant terms at Iowa State. We know people can contribute a great deal in a short time, and we also know now from our survey that 46 percent of our P&S staff have been in their positions five years or less. It's important to honor people at different stages in their careers."

The council also worked harder at staying in touch with P&S employees, Kenne said. The council's Web site was redesigned and is more user-friendly, she said; the e-mail tree received some refinement in its third year of use (replacing a mailed newsletter); and the council's communications committee invited P&S employees to monthly brown bag forums prior to most of its regular meetings. Kenne also singled out a three-part series presented last fall on specific P&S classification and compensation issues. Each drew 35 to 50 participants.

"We were pleased with (assistant vice president for human resource services) Carla Espinoza's willingness to present that information -- it really was a great service to provide," Kenne said. "Even if people don't particularly like the answers they hear, they have a better understanding of the system."

Some other highlights included:

"Extension does this every year and they're pretty good at pulling together these kinds of events," Kenne said. "The council offered a partner and an opportunity to link on- campus and off-campus people as a reminder that we're all ISU employees.

"I think both groups would be interested in partnering on something like this again."

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