Board of Trustees Staff Representative Message - September
Dear Fellow Employees,
Thank you for your support in electing me as your representative to the Board of Trustees. This is a very challenging time to serve, given the current economic and social climate. Universities, like other organizations across the country,are faced with economic obstacles, such as state revenue shortfalls and loss of real wages.
College degrees are needed to get ahead yet the median family income has not kept pace. During the last 30 years, average tuition for public four year universities has increased 430% while the median family income has increased 10%.
At UK, revisions to the 2008-09 budget included a 2% budget cut. Priorities for budget reduction included absorbing recurring cuts with recurring funds, minimizing tuition increases, protecting scholarships, minimizing reduction in workforce, covering health care premium increases, and preserving staff enhancements.
Andrew Ross, author of Nice Work If You Can Get It: Life and Work in Precarious Times (2009), asserts that all workers seek a balance between freedom and economic security. What can we do at UK to support our employees in their desire for job security and meaningful, flexible work?
Given the economic constraints that are before us, it would behoove us to do the following:
- Advocate to maintain our existing wages and benefits.
- Maximize our use of benefits and resources, encouraging our co-workers to do likewise
- Support work-life efforts such as flexible work arrangement guidelines, mental health services, health and wellness programs, and financial planning.
- Be problem solvers in the workplace, creating opportunities to maximize efficiencies.
- Be mindful of the stresses outside the workplace and do what we can to support our co-workers.
Throughout the year, I think you will hear from the various committees about their efforts in these directions, and I will certainly carry this message to members of the Board of Trustees.
Staff Representative to Board of Trustees Activity Report
- Meeting with Chair, Vice Chair and Holly on July 15; meetings scheduled every other week
- Meeting with chair of STAC committee, Paul Wilson on July 15; meetings scheduled with committee prior to BOT meeting
- Informal Swearing In on July 21, along with Mr. Stuckert and Mr. Gatton.
- Attendance to Staff Senate PR Subcommittee on July 24
- Presentation to New Staff Senators, August 6th
- Meeting with Doug Boyd on August 10th
- Meeting with President Todd on August 19
- New Hospital Tour with Dr. Karpf on Sept. 8
- Governors’ Conference on Postsecondary Education scheduled for September 11
- Board of Trustee Orientation and Meeting September 14 -15
Sincerely,
Robynn Pease
August 31, 2009
