Staff Advisory Council
College of Food, Agricultural,
and Environmental Sciences
EnVision Articles

Task Force Reports 2000

enVision Task Force Accomplishments and Objectives
By Cathy Zirkle

The Staff Advisory Council's (SAC) enVision Task Force was created in May of 1999 to consistently communicate with the entire college via regularly published articles. The task force consists of four council members: Betty Aylsworth, Cindy Crawford, Janice DiCarolis and chair Cathy Zirkle.

These authors follow a bimonthly writing assignment schedule and to date, have published five Staff Advisory Council articles in the college's monthly newspaper. Betty Aylsworth and Cathy Zirkle submitted two articles for the July, 1999, edition of enVision. Betty's editorial, titled, "Staff Advisory Council Links with OSU Mansfield," summarized the council's June, 1999 teambuilding workshop in Mansfield, "Working Effectively in a Group Setting," facilitated by Paul Axtell. Cathy's piece included a synopsis of the council's organizational accomplishments during its inaugural year and shared the following goals: (1.) Establishing employee rewards and recognition; (2) Implementing orientation and development issues for new and current employees; (3) Unifying extension, teaching and research; (4) Encouraging a "team concept" between faculty, staff, students, stakeholders; (5) Increasing staff involvement in College activities and processes; (6) Drafting a list of staff issues and concerns; (7) Writing regular enVision articles; (8) Creating a council web page, membership brochure and College staff list serve; (9) Developing a "wish list" survey for distribution to FAES staff and (10) Establishing Staff Development and Employee Rewards task forces. 

In September, 1999, enVision published "Staff Advisory Council Announces Dean Newcomb as Sponsor," written by Cathy Zirkle and Becky Hooper (S.A.C. Secretary/Treasurer). This third article noted Dean Newcomb as the council's official link to the college's administration and reviewed the Sponsor Task Force's expectations regarding the Senior Associate Dean's relationship to the council: serving as a direct communication link between the council and administration; meeting quarterly with the council's executive team; being involved with council meetings; and approving and providing council financial support. enVision Task Force member, Janice DiCarolis, wrote the next council commentary for the February, 2000, publication. Tagged, "Staff Advisory Council Prepares for New Challenges in 2000," Janice reminded FAES faculty and staff of the council's advisory responsibility to Vice President and Executive Dean Moser and reviewed the council's first year accomplishments, including the SAC web site, college staff listserv and Membership Directory publication. A college staff survey and council promotional display were promised as future SAC endeavors.

The most recent SAC article submitted to enVision editors, "http://sac.ag.ohio-state.edu", was published in April, 2000. Co-authors Betty Aylsworth and Cathy Zirkle encouraged staff members to peruse the council's web site and proposed protocol for the FAES staff listserv. The focused feature of the article, however, was Dean Moser's February, 2000 council charge to create "a set of guidelines that will contribute to the improvement of the staff reward system in our college."  As the SAC continues to flourish, the enVision Task Force envisions future information exchange with the College to continue via the newspaper on a bimonthly basis.

Listserv Task Force Report 
By Ann Lighthiser

The Listserv Task Force was created by the Communications Director of the College of FAES Staff Advisory Council in May, 1999, to develop an email means of communication between the SAC and college staff. The task force consists of two council members: chair Ann Lighthiser and Regina Vann.

Names of all college staff were manually entered by Ann Lighthiser for placement in an email listserv that is updated by the task force every few months. There are presently 1314 names on the list. A small percentage of staff, mostly extension employees, is not reached by this medium due to inactive email accounts.  Guidelines for regulating the use of the email are presently being developed, both looking at ways to eliminate unnecessary messages and ways to most effectively use this tool. Time involved with maintenance of the email list is an issue still to be addressed, along with the effectiveness of this communication avenue.

Future objectives of the Listserv Task Force include continued maintenance of the listserv and managing messages sent to the listserv.

Membership Directory Task Force Accomplishments and Objectives 
By Barbara LaMoreaux

In May, 1999, the FAES Staff Advisory Council decided to organize a Membership Directory Task Force to design, promote and distribute council members' autobiographies and photographs to the college. The directory is the vehicle used to educate the college staff about the purpose, membership, and sponsorship of the Council. Task force members include: Barbara LaMoreaux (chair), Janice DiCarolis and Cathy Zirkle.

After several months of accumulating and editing material, Barbara and Janice drafted the directory text in November, 1999. This first version cited the council's Statement of Purpose, 1999-2000 officers, sponsor, web site address and member names, titles, departments, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, email addresses and brief job descriptions. In December, Janice met with Mary Hoffelt, Graphic Designer, in Communications and Technology to discuss potential design ideas for the directory. After several additional meetings with Cathy, Mary (assisted by intern Tim Bowman), produced the final directory design that included images such as the SAC logo (also created by Mary in September, 1999) and individual member photographs.

The 1999-2000 Staff Advisory Council Directory was then published and distributed to all FAES staff, department chairs and the administrative cabinet in January, 2000. Future objectives of the Membership Directory Task Force include updating and distributing the directory each year.

Web Site Task Force Report April 2000 
By Susan Sommer

At the May, 1999 meeting, members of the College of FAES Staff Advisory Council identified creating a web site as one communication goal to relay information and the Web Site Task Force was formed. Task force members include Susan Sommer (chair), Deb Gallagher, Shelley Whitworth and Anne Groves.

Through email, the task force brainstormed regarding the purpose of the site, information to make available via the site and the kind of image the site should project. At the council's LINC retreat (facilitated by Paul Axtell in June, 1999), the Web Site Task Force began a rough draft of the site and perused web sites of other institutions. In August, SAC members agreed to work with Communications and Technology to have a professional design a group logo to be displayed on the site. At the SAC annual meeting in September, several logos drafted by Mary Hoffelt (Graphic Designer in Communications and Technology), were reviewed and one was chosen as the council logo. Later that month, the SAC web site was created and launched. Recently, Communications and Technology tweaked the site to make it more user friendly.

Future objectives of the Web Site Task Force include updating the site, monitoring email received via the site, making the site available to college staff through the FAES home page and using the site to communicate with staff on upcoming events, awards and opportunities.

Promotional Display Task Force Accomplishments and Objectives 
By Cathy Zirkle

The Staff Advisory Council's (SAC) Promotional Display Task Force was formed in August of 1999 as a public relations charge to create awareness of the council at various staff functions on the Columbus campus, at OARDC, ATI and OSUE activities. The task force consists of three council members: Betty Aylsworth, Becky Hooper (co-chair) and Cathy Zirkle (co-chair).

In September, 1999, these three council members met with Millie Scheid, Exhibit Designer, in Communications and Technology to discuss potential display content and format. In speaking with Millie, the task force concluded the ideal design should include Staff Advisory Council photographs, logo, web address, and mission statement, while noting the college name and ATI, OARDC and OSUE logos. Later the same month, the SAC logo was designed by Mary Hoffelt and group photos were snapped at the council's first annual meeting. Likely display costs were estimated at $650 (including a new display case) and approved by Senior Associate Dean L.H. Newcomb. One month later, a "ShowStyle Briefcase Presentation System" was purchased from Eagle Exhibit Services of Columbus and SAC business cards were designed by Becky Hooper to accessorize the display and offer a council memento to various viewers. In January, 2000, the Promo Task Force met via conference call with Millie Scheid and Tim Bowman of Communications and Technology to discuss additional display ideas. Two display drafts were presented to the task force approximately two months later. Betty, Becky and Cathy offered a few display edits to Millie and Tim and approved a final product in late March. Communication and Technology delivered the completed promotional display to Cathy Zirkle on April 24, 2000.

As the briefcase system and display artwork is expected to be somewhat timeless, future objectives of the Promotional Display Task Force include updating the display photos annually due to council membership and officer changes.

Staff Development Task Force Accomplishments and Objectives 
By Shelley Whitworth and Jim Karcher

At the June, 1999 teambuilding workshop in Mansfield with Paul Axtell, members of the SAC determined that a Staff Development Task Force should be appointed. Later that summer, during the August council meeting, the Staff Development Task Force was formed. Task force members include co-chairs Shelley Whitworth and Jim Karcher, Rita Bowers, Cindy Crawford, Janice DiCarolis and Susan Sommer.

In December, 1999, council members met with Marilyn Trefz to begin developing content and format for a college staff survey. As a result of the meeting, several sub-categories of the survey were identified under staff development: lifting barriers and roadblocks; workplace satisfaction; staff involvement and empowerment; and staff development opportunities. Before proceeding, the Staff Development Task Force elected to wait for input based on the survey results. Recently, however (at the April, 2000 meeting), the task force decided to start collecting data from other universities, industry and outside organizations regarding the structure of their staff development programs. Possible topics to be addressed by this task force include: staff events/conferences, professional development, shadowing/mentoring and orientation programs.

Survey Task Force Accomplishments and Objectives 
By Marjorie Dellinger and Mark Erbaugh

The Survey Task Force, with assistance from Marilyn Trefz and Dale Safrit, has nearly completed the design and compilation of a survey instrument to be sent to Civil Service and Administrative and Professional employees of the College of FAES during the last week of April. The draft instrument was presented to and approved by the College Staff Advisory Council at its April meeting. The purpose of the survey is reflected in its title: "Strengthening the Quality of Work Life for Staff in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences."

Objectives of this task force include using the survey results to set and prioritize council and council task force goals. The SAC, and the Staff Development and Employee Rewards Task Forces particularly, anxiously await the results of this survey which should be compiled and analyzed by July, 2000. Survey Task Force members include: Marjorie Dellinger and Mark Erbaugh (co-chairs), Rita Bowers, Carol Bunn, Sherri DeCant, Ted Gastier, Kathy Mohler and Carol Sowers.

Employee Rewards Task Force Accomplishments and Objectives 
By Regina Vann and Christine Nielsen

The Staff Advisory Council Employee Rewards Task Force's (SAC ERTF) first official meeting was March 13, 2000. The impetus to immediately begin working on this topic was the charge put forth by Dr. Moser to modify the college's reward system in ways that are within university parameters, align with the college vision and align with work devoted to the faculty reward system. Furthermore, Dr. Moser's charge requested a Staff Rewards draft be completed by September 1, 2000.

At this initial meeting, the task force determined the inclusion of several members from outside of the SAC could be very beneficial. Toward this end, the following organizations were identified to contact for consultation: USAC, OARDC Staff Council, ATI Staff Council, Wooster and Columbus Human Resources and Extension staff from a non-Columbus/Wooster location. Therefore, the task force is comprised of SAC members: Marjorie Dellinger, Mabel Kirchner, Barbara Lamoreaux, Christine Nielsen (co-chair), Pat Patterson, Regina Vann (co-chair), Anne Groves; and outside members: Michelle Milligan [USAC], Ann Ottobre [OARDC Council], Dan Sammons [SNR Human Resources], Eileen Kieffaber [Wooster HR], and an extension and ATI Staff Council representative yet to be named.

While the task force awaits the SAC survey results expected in July, a "fact-finding" mission has already started. This includes collecting information and ideas from as many useful sources as possible, reviewing the current CCS and A&P reward parameters and the changes in the faculty reward system, and discussing problems associated with current reward system.