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Staff & Administrative Council Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, April 6, 2021

11 a.m. via Zoom

Present: Beyrer, Brian; Brechtel, Emily; Connolly, Jennifer; Cooke, Shannon; DelliCarpini, Casey; Derenzis, Lewis; Ferrick, Courtney; Ford, Jason; Grant, Mary; Katz, Andrew; Pace, Marie; Rosenberg, Jessica; Sannella, Marissa; Tascio, Peter; Wenchell, Laurie

Excused: Alvia, Manuel; Barghout, Jennifer; Carruth, Martise; Derosa, Sam; Girardi, Angela; Jaccino, Helena; Johnson, Gary; Procario-Foley, Carl; Stanko, Jonathan

1. Call to Order

February 24, 2021 minutes unanimously approved (Wenchell/Tascio)

2. College Council Standing Committee Updates

  1. College Council.  Discussion on plans for gatherings on campus; announcement coming soon regarding transformation of campus – specifics not revealed but believe it to be something with campus green. Shared successful events of black history month. Discussed enrollment, applications are down due to significant factors related to pandemic, notably not as many students taking SAT/ACTs, which is where we typically get names. Actual deposit numbers up over 20% over previous years. Reminder to have excellent “customer service hat.” Provost update includes thanks for making it to week five; honors convocation will be virtual; fall planning still being finalized, hopeful for in-person semester for fall based on vaccine, etc. Awards from last year will be presented this year. Reminder that faculty and staff can be tested at Arrigoni Center on Fridays, (download Navica app). Discussion of P/U grading system and its impact on financial aid issues; index-free grading as an option rather than P/U. Thank you to Laurie Wenchell and Dan Arndt with Concordia process – over 160 apps received from Concordia. We are on course with Middle States. President of St. Peter’s College, Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., will visit campus; a virtual town hall will happen this month.
  2. Committee on Academic Affairs.  Language on double major policy being edited; P/U discussed, it was always an option, just in limited capacity, blowback has been as expected.
  3. Committee on Athletics.  No report.
  4. Committee on Budget.  Kevin O’Sullivan discussed recruiting, COVID, money the College received as well as loss from Conference Services, dorming etc.; made up with the CARES Act, being cautious to see what enrollment looks like.
  5. Committee on Diversity. No report.
  6. Committee on Enrollment Management. Discussed advising, enrolling, coming classes; low pool but with nursing program as an example, strong applicant bump. Excitement about in-person events, concerns about students seeing how good it is to be in person; challenges to exist with returning to “normal.”
  7. Committee on Environmental Sustainability.  Discussed recycling initiatives and how to increase campus recycling; problem with students and staff not using right receptacles. Potential new bins, or new initiative altogether.
  8. Committee on Human Resources & Compensation. Update on LaPenta School of Business and dean search. Down to four potential candidates. COVID update, classes will be in person in the fall which brings a number of questions such as will students still be remote if necessary? Everyone is now eligible for the vaccine, up to four hours provided for time off to get the vaccine. Human Resources will need to see the vaccination card to approve time off. Small retirement plan update. Performance reviews will be 100% automated this year and an email will go out soon with instructions and deadlines. New holiday schedule will come out usually closer to end of academic year (late April); medical and dental will renew on July 1 – will update in mid-May (renewal will be through Christian Brothers).
  9. Committee on Institutional Advancement.  NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade “postponed” (not canceled!) again, Iona did their own St. Patrick’s Day social media outreach. Did Gael Madness social media campaign, alumni voted to “pick their affinity” and it was well-received. Gala on June 4 will be virtual with a small, on-campus gathering. The Loftus dinner will be virtual on April 14. Discussed mentoring initiative coming in the fall. It will not replace current networking efforts. A gift was made to the College to make the initiative come to realization.
  10. Committee on Libraries.  The Five-Year Review Final Report of the Libraries was accepted and approved at the last meeting and can be viewed at this link. A new interface for Worldcat should be made available at the end of June. The update should be more user-friendly, enhance accessibility guidelines, allow for virtual browsing of bookshelves, and provide more support for off-campus learners. The IT department is considering removing the desktop computers from up to three of the computer labs in order to make more room for students to plug in their own laptops. Joanne Steele will be discussing the implications of this with potentially effected groups and College leadership.
  11. Committee on Student Life. Update from Kevin O’Sullivan: three upcoming Accepted Student days (3/28, 4/24 & 4/25); reaching out to prospective students with NYC schools back in session; staff, faculty and students looking forward to fully in-person fall semester; many events planned and upcoming, including recent tailgate party, Easter egg hunt and more. Update from Joel Quintong: Residential Life will be holding room selection process in a couple weeks; 40 students have already auditioned for Performing Arts programs; increase in campus activities/clubs; Mission & Ministry holding regular Mass schedule during Lent; CCRT is looking for student representation; working with commencement committee with hopes of an in-person component. SGA update from Maeve Wydan regarding civic engagements, plans to update by-laws, spring elections. 85 students will become members of Greek Life this week.

3. Old Business

  1. Br. Bray AwardsInitially thought we would take over a Faculty Friday but will instead honor the recipients at the Honors Convocation in person. Can acknowledge them either with their picture on the screen or hopefully in person. Can wait until the fall convocation to honor those who would have received the award this May and then will be back on track for next year.
  2. Elections Nomination period is closed, now is period to accept or decline. List is going out early next week to give people a week to vote. Should have process completed by next SAC meeting. Gratitude to those who have completed this process before because it is just that – a process. Should look at improving it.

4. New Business

  1. COVID/vaccine questions. If there is a way to get students vaccinated through or facilitated by Iona, that would be helpful. Would likely be difficult to coordinate but what are we able to do for our students? Discussion of being in person but it doesn’t feel like the safety of that has been addressed. Questions arose if being virtual will still be an option, will we require vaccinations (?) and if not, how will we protect each other? No response from the task force yet. Question also of who is driving the conversation about virtual vs in-person learning? Departments? Faculty? What are potential scenarios?
  2. Paycom vacation/sick time during holiday questions . Human Resources provided clarity regarding the policy but also made sure to make clear it is a case-by-case basis, in response to sick/vacation time being taken around College holidays. Carryover time is again discussed, with question of how employees in particular departments can both take their carryover time before it expires as well as not have time to get all their work done due to being short-staffed.

Meeting adjourned.