Notes of the

CAMPUS WELFARE COMMITTEE

Meeting of May 1, 2001

 

The Campus Welfare Committee met on May 1, 2001 at 3:00 pm in room 481 McHenry Library.

 

Present: Leslie Sunell (Chair), Mark Traugott, Julian Fernald (Staff), Jean Marie Scott, Sheila Gotterher, Wes Scott (for Janelle Marines), William Domhoff, Bill Ladusaw, Barbara Brogan, Marty Chemers.

 

Absent: Frank Talamantes, Christina Valentino.

 

Guest: Rita Walker, Willeen McQuitta

 

  1. Announcements and General Discussion.

 

Following a brief discussion of the process for approving meeting notes, the committee decided that notes would be posted as “draft” and approved at the following meeting.

 

  1. Faculty/Staff Housing

 

The committee discussed Scott’s second draft of the recommendation for faculty/staff housing. Suggestions arising from the discussion include:

 

·        Recommend that the University build as much housing as possible as quickly as possible.

 

·        Recommend that data be collected about demand for staff housing and the types of staff housing needed, and that assessment of faculty demand and the role of housing concerns in faculty recruitment and retention continue.

 

·        Articulate questions that should be addressed in developing a campus master plan for housing. Questions identified include:

 

o       What are the realistic and honest expectations for future availability of housing, and how can those expectations be clearly articulated to stakeholders?

o       Given that under the existing priority system staff realistically will not get housing, should there be separate programs for faculty and staff housing?

o       Should the extant priority system be reconsidered/revised, and what are the principles that should govern prioritization? Governing principles must be developed with a clear understanding of the balance between housing as a recruitment/retention tool and housing as a quality of life issue. How should the needs of those already on the waiting list be balanced with those of faculty and staff yet to be hired?

 

Actions:

Scott will incorporate feedback into a penultimate draft and circulate it via e-mail to committee members for final feedback.

 

Fernald will compile a list of questions to be included in the recommendation.

 

  1. Principles of Community Statement.

Gottherer updated the committee on the consultation process for the principles of community statement. Sunell will present the statement and the plan for consultation, adoption and dissemination of the statement to PAC.

 

4.      Members’ Announcements

 

Pending issues that will be addressed during the remainder of the year are graduate student concerns and staff/faculty worklife issues. The committee will also consider the issue of childcare.

 

Traugott asked the committee to consider whether the academic calendar was a welfare issues the CWC might address. Several members agreed that the shortened time between winter and spring quarters creates a workload crunch that may have implications for faculty and possibly staff welfare.