1. Support staff potluck will be 3/22 at 11:30 a.m. in Fine Arts. You can email the committee with what you want to bring.
2. New staff introduced—Pat Hanson—Security and Chapel
3. Green Dot training—3/17 at 10 a.m. in Hicks Banquet Room
   1. All are welcome
   2. No registration required
4. Non-Medical benefits (vacation, bereavement, sick time, hourly wage, and disability/maternity/paternity leave)—the committee’s role is to represent you and your voice. The goal is to document how individuals think and feel today. You can give your opinion by campus mail or email and it will be kept anonymous.
   1. BRG is making two recommendations.
      1. Bereavement policy will be same for all. Three paid days, up to five in special circumstances, not from sick time.
      2. ii.Vacation time accrual should be looked at with the idea of increasing the rate for hourly staff.
   2. Letter is short and open ended. It is a good start.
   3. Discussion of what we are comparing ourselves to—other GLCA schools, Kalamazoo community, people to people, leaders in social justice (historical inequity—lower income and mostly female population who need this time the most). Most on campus don’t know what others benefits are.
   4. Support staff doesn’t have a mechanism to have our voice heard by president’s staff. We don’t have a representative on President’s staff.
   5. Are there additional disability policies that individuals can purchase?
   6. Many new developments between Arcus/social justice focus and new president coming. Good timing to review policies.
   7. The committee’s request is that we have information in writing to adequately represent you in your own words.
   8. Would a review of the employee survey from a couple of years ago be helpful? Feedback was that many didn’t complete because of concerns about confidentiality.
   9. Would a signed letter from all support staff be an option—the committee doesn’t want to put people on the spot. A letter will come from support staff committee that will include your story.
   10. Involvement of students at some point in the future–perhaps.
   11. Some of our voice is being represented at BRG recommendation which is further than the information has been disseminated before.
5. Timeframe of action
   1. BRG is submitted their recommendation this month, probably.
   2. We would like to submit your comments around the same time, please submit stories by next Friday.
   3. With the incoming president we should submit soon.

We are all in this together.