October 2008 minutes

Minutes of the Pleasantville/Briarcliff
Administrative Staff Council Meeting

Wednesday, October 8, 2008   Butcher Suite, Kessel Campus Center, Pleasantville

Attendance: 

Andrea Cotorani, Francios Crespo, Susan Zankel, Amanda Michel, Fran O’Gara, Kathi Reczek, Barbara Woodworth, Irina Kats, Karen Buckwald, Gail Weldon, Vicky Gannon, Susan Potter, Mtt Bonilla, Chris Elarde, Christine Stephens, Erin McNamara, Jedi Ochuonyo, Pat Milo,  Sara Frankie, Ron Mahum, Laurie Fonseca, Danielle Plass, Elizabeth Komosiniski, Peggy Caraccio, Heather Novak, Ivy Aviles-Rivera, Michelle Camerdella, Aisha Moyla, Dan Botting, Pat Carolyn, Carolyn Lengers, Michelle Russo-Ramirez, Mary Lieto, Sue Deigan, Carol Dockery, Andrea Winters, Karen Desantis, and Betsy Garti.

Announcements:

1         Next month’s meeting will be the first Wednesday of November, 11/5/08.

2         Career Fair (Liberal Arts, Business and Technology) 11/5, 12-3PM Kessel Student Center

3         Flu Shots PLV on 11/5 Goldstein, Grad Center 11/7, Room 208

  11/7 – 11/9 University Fest 

4         Convocation  10/24  Tracey Kidder, Author Mountains Beyond Mountains, All day

5         Community Meeting 10/29

Treasurer’s Report:  No report this week

Committee Report:

·         Benefits Committee – Fran reported there has been no meeting.  Michelle reported there will be a meeting at the end of October.  Please email Michelle Ramirez  at mramirez@pace.edu with any benefits issues.   She cannot do anything about them, unless you tell her in writing that you are experiencing them.

·         Middle States Representative – The self study is now available at www.pace.edu/middlestates The committee has asked for the Pace community to review the document.    Staff interested in knowing more about this group are encouraged to contact Karen at kdesantis@pace.edu

·         Faculty Council Representative – Submitted report included Faculty Council 10/3/08 highlights: 

1         Thinkfinity Initiative Grant deadline is 11/15.  Information about Thinkfinity and the application is available at  /provost/WFO/PDF/Thinkfinity_Initiative_Grant_Competition.pdf  

2         Patrick Love presented on the Academic Socialization Retention Initiative

3         President Friedman announced the search for the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives.  He also announced that the new website will be rolled out soon. Pleasantville is currently at 2080 students after the census and that our current FTE is 9825.

·         Service Committee – Suggestions for The CLOUT Toy Drive were given including: an earlier deadline for drive  and clearly marked drop-off boxes (there were several different drives and boxes around the campus that confused people).  Dan Botting took these suggestions under advisement.   This year we would like to actively recruit students to get them involved in Daffodil Days.  Ivy motions that the CLOUT program be adopted permanently as part of the service committee.  This motion was passed. 

Guest Speaker: Rick Whitfield, Executive Vice President

Staff/Faculty Sub Committee:

1            On 4/2008 Staff Affairs of the Board of Trustees met for the first time with Faculty member Joe Ryan, Lynn Byrne (elected member of the council) and the co-chairs of each council were also invited.  Lack of communication was one of the pressing issues.

2            Next meeting is in November, and will meet twice a year.

3            If you have issues, share those issues with your co-chair.

Administrative Restructuring:

4            Last September there was a restructuring

o  Provost and Rick have been appointed to help to work on the Capital Campaign, 300 alumni have been targeted as successful prospects, position of Sr. Vice President of Administration, reallocation of resources (Bill McGrath interim) Human Resources, DOIT and Buildings and Grounds, Karen Buckwald as Chief of Staff.

5            HR looking at the content of the Performance Appraisal, focus group, search for CIO in progress

Three Year Plan Focus:

6            Greater Financial Stability

o  Fiscal Year 2008 positive cash flow of 7 Million dollar, first time in 13 years

o  Reductions, management of people

o  December of 2006 Pace University borrowed 62 million dollars, 25 million of that was replacing working line of credit

o  We are currently paying our vendors on time

7            Distinguish ourselves from others in the marketplace

o  Raising awareness about Pace

o  Focus groups informing plans being made by deans and schools

8            Enrollment

o  Fall 2008 very strong

o  Largest incoming class in ten years 

Next Council Meeting will be held at 8:30 AM on December 3, 2008 in Butcher Suite