SAC Meeting Minutes, September 15, 2022

Staff & Administrative Council Committee
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 15, 2022, Noon

Present: Aiello-Gray, Mary, Alvia, Manuel; Arndt, Daniel; Barone, Regina; Barrios, Rodrigo; Connolly, Jennifer; DelliCarpini, Casey; Demorin, Danielle; Derenzis, Lewis; Dominguez, Leandra; Franco, Jorge; Grant, Mary; Kelly, David; LoPresti, Anthony; Pace, Marie; Palladino, Rick; Rosenberg, Jessica; Saccoman, Ana; Thomas, Darelle.

Excused: Davis, Bryan; Scaccia, Antonio; Stewart, Mark; White, Verick; Zuckerman, Harvey.

• Call to Order
  • 12:05 September 15, 2022 (Attendance- R. Barone)
• Review Committee Assignments- printed handouts were provided with representatives from each committee noted.  Lewis asked everyone to review and let him know a.s.a.p. if you have not yet been contacted by your committee with meeting information etc. 
• University Council Standing Committee Updates
  Lewis asked everyone to kindly provide bullet points during our meeting when giving the committee updates, and provide the full committee report to Regina so it can be sent out with our meeting minutes.
  • University Council (L. Derenzis)/ A. Saccoman
    • Not yet meet.  The next meeting will focus on Academic Programs.
  • Academic Affairs
    • 1st meeting scheduled 9/27/22.
  • Athletics
    • SAC representatives on this committee have not yet been notified. (Reported by D. Kelly /J. Franco)
  • Budget
    • Committee meet last week. Overall enrolment is down, including OT and Nursing. Summer melt occurred. Our tuition is above that of Marist currently, and will be reviewed.  The cost for room and board is high, in comparison and will be reviewed. The University is currently operating at a deficit.  (Reported by L. Derenzis)
  • Diversity
    • The Committee will meet this week. (Reported by M. Alvia/ A. LoPresti)
  • Enrollment Management
    • Committee meet and elected their new chair. Will meet again next week. (Reported by R. Palladino)
  • Environmental Sustainability
    • SAC representatives on this committee have not yet been notified. (Reported by D. Demorin/ R. Barrios) 
  • Human Resources and Compensation
    • A 2% across the board raise for staff and faculty was approved and announced.  The raises will be effective September 1, 2022 for Faculty and retro to 7/1/22 for Staff. Employees hired after January 1, 2022, are not eligible for the increase.  Employees that have received promotions or salary adjustments after January 1, 2022, are not eligible for the increase.  Graduate adjunct rates will increase by 2% and the undergraduate adjunct rate will increase to a flat rate of $1200 per credit for all ranks. Question was raised for clarification on new faculty and adjuncts salary increase as relates to hire date and eligibility. The University will hold a wellness fair in November. (Reported by A. Saccoman)
  • Institutional Advancement
    • No report- (B. Davis/ C. DelliCarpini)
  • Libraries and Information Technology
    • Melissa Newell re-elected as the Chair
    • Rick Palladino reminded us we have NY Times & Higher Ed Chronicles available to us if sign up for them
    • Joanne Steele went over the GLBA Act, a privacy compliance:
      • this compliance requires us the notify email recipients within the Iona community of external email senders outside of the Iona community (required by December 2022, implemented in August 2022)
      • there will be increased training provided for cyber and email security
      • there will be a specialist in GLBA auditing, as well as our internal audit and IT audit conducted
      • (reported by J. Connolly)
  • Student Life
    • Meeting tomorrow 9/16/22 (reported by M. Grant)
• Old Business
  • None
• New Business
  • Future Committee Membership (size of committees and the number of members on each committee)- A&S wants to add members, should there be a shift of members with the addition of the SHS?  SAC won’t support adding faculty to committees with out adding staff. Concern with Faculty trying to full committees as it is.  Staff currently serve a 3yr term in accordance with the SAC Constitution, whereas faculty serve a 5yr term on their committees. – It is being suggested that SAC consider increasing the term limit to 5yrs as well. This would help with continuity and membership. Lewis suggested putting together a committee to gather information and do a proposal in early spring to change the process by next term year.  If anyone has any objection please contact Lewis directly.
  • Brother Bray Award - The following have volunteered for the committee to organize and select he winners for this award- C. DelliCarpini, D. Thomas, J. Connolly, D. Arndt, A. Saccoman. Request for nominations should go out in November, so winners can be identified and plaques order and ready for distribution at picnic in May. 
• Pulse of the University-
  • It was requested to have an HR Rep come to a future meeting to explain the different HR leave policies.
• Announcements 
  • Iona Birthday Celebration on Murphy Green Monday 9/19.
  • Congratulations to David Kelly on this recent promotion to Project Manger in Bronxville. 
• Adjourn
  • 12:44 p.m.  (M. Grant/ J. Franco)

Please provide any updates and corrections.  If no updates provided in 3 days, these minutes will be considered approved. 

Next meeting ** Note room location** October 13, Noon. – ** Faculty Reception Room- Spellman.