SWC Annual Report for FY 2006 - 2007

TO: Saint Michael's College Staff
FROM: The Staff Welfare Committee
RE: FY07 ANNUAL REPORT
DATE: June 5, 2007

This year, the Staff Welfare Committee did the following:

• SWC Summer elections 2006 & 2007 completed.

• In a series of meetings in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007, the SWC studied the issue of livable wage and its implications for Saint Michael's College. SWC members gathered aggregate employee wage and benefit data, reviewed documents from State of Vermont Joint Fiscal Office and Vermont Livable Wage campaign, participated in a session with Emma Mulvaney-Stanak of the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign, and invited Mike New, Tina Tenney, and Neal Robinson for a discussion meeting.

• Sent a memo to the SMC Cabinet c/o Mike New recommending an increase in the wage floor and consideration of basic living needs in budgetary and wage discussions. A copy of this memo is available on the SWC Web. (NOTE: In Spring 2007, SMC administrators and the Board of Trustees supported an increase in the base wage. Effective July 1, 2007, SMC’s wage floor will be increased from $10 per hour to $11.25.)

• Responded to 8 suggestions/inquiries which were posted to the SWC Web Suggestion Box.

• Recommended Joann Trottier and Jim Farrington as staff representatives to the Retirement Plan committee.

• Recommended SWC members Ingrid Peterson, Stephanie Noakes, Rick Battistoni to Healthcare Task Force.

• Changed name of committee to Staff Welfare Committee.

• Revised SWC mission and charter to establish the role of the committee, goals, activities and our relationship with other departments and committees on campus. Finalized SWC Decision-making, Meeting Culture, & Ground Rules (added to the charter). The updated charter can be found at the SWC Web site.

• Studied the issue of creating Staff Awards. The SWC concluded that we could not identify any one or handful of people more worthy of being recognized than any other. Rather, it is the staff as a whole who collectively contribute to make Saint Michael's a wonderful place to learn and grow. The SWC will celebrate our achievements through newsletter profiles, SWC Web site snapshots and through our continued support of each other and our work here.

• Published Spring 2007 SWC newsletter.

Objectives for the 2007-2008 Academic Year include:

• Introductory meeting with President Jack Neuhauser.

• Establish more consistent and formalized advisory role to SMC administration.

• Continue to advise Healthcare Task Force representatives re: staff concerns.

• Re-visit staff development survey and proposal to HR from FY06.

• Establish “Greener Commuting” subcommittee.

Members of the Staff Welfare Committee wish to express their gratitude to Tina Tenney, Mike New and Neal Robinson for their support of the work of the SWC and their responsive follow-through on requests for additional information and attendance at designated SWC meetings.

Submitted by: Laura Crain and Tara Arcury, co-chairs; Caroline Crawford, Judy Delage, Harry Hoppe, Jacki Murphy, Stephanie Noakes, Ingrid Peterson, Edward Poland, Garry Smith, Alan Sutton.