Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

INSIDE IOWA STATE
April 19, 2002

Council backs family leave policy despite some concerns

by Anne Krapfl
At its April 3 meeting, the P&S Council approved a motion supporting a revised draft of a family leave policy for faculty and P&S employees. ( See related story.)

The council's motion notes some lingering concern that all P&S employees will not be treated the same (for example, P&S employees on one-year appointments aren't eligible until their contracts are renewed), but endorses the flexibility it provides to employees to balance work and family responsibilities at the time of a birth or adoption.

Open forum
During the council's noon forum, Ellen Rasmussen, assistant provost, and Mark Chidister, assistant to the president for budget planning and analysis, provided an update on budget planning for FY03. (Their talk is available in a streaming media file from the council's http://www.iastate. edu/~ps_info/streamingforums.html Web site.) Points they made include:

The current number of P&S employees who will lose their jobs due to cuts in state appropriations to Iowa State is 19; 17 under the provost's umbrella and 2 in student affairs. However, that number changes frequently as additional information about grant funding or contracts becomes available.
There is not a hiring freeze at Iowa State and President Gregory Geoffroy repeatedly has said he's not interested in imposing one.
The 90-day notice to P&S employees who lose their jobs will be honored, even if it means some laid-off employees still are on the job after July 1 when the next fiscal year begins.
Outplacement counseling services will be provided to those who want them and until they land jobs, with costs covered centrally at the provost/vice president level.
Human resources staff are working on identifying one or two locations to provide laid-off employees access to computers, printers, fax and phone to help with their job searches. HR staff also are helping laid-off P&S staff identify other positions on campus for which they're qualified.

The council's next meeting begins at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 2, in the Memorial Union Gallery. Council officers for the 2002-03 year will be elected. During the noon forum preceding the meeting, representatives of four groups that received student recruitment and retention grants this year will summarize their efforts and results.

Election results
P&S Council elections were held in March. New members will take office at the June 6 meeting. Elected were:

Academic and Research:

Business and Finance:

Extension:

External Affairs:

Student Affairs: