May 21, 2004 UNT Inhouse publication: Staff Council hears reports about Enterprise Information System, Star Performer award

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Staff Council hears reports about Enterprise Information System, Star Performer award

Several guest speakers were on hand for the Staff Council meeting May 5 to answer questions and provide information about two UNT issues — the new Star Performer award and the Enterprise Information System transition.

Nelda Evarts, associate director of compensation in human resources, spoke about the Star Performer award, designed to honor outstanding employees with a day of paid leave. Evarts explained that a pool of administrative leave hours has been set aside by UNT President Norval Pohl to be administered to award winners, and each vice president has an allotted number of hours every year, based on the number of employees in his or her area, that may be given to Star Performers. The award will only be presented to employees who are retirement-eligible regular staff not on probation; have at least a 3.5 "excellent" overall score on their current performance review; have had no formal disciplinary action on file within 12 months of the date of the award; and who have not received the award in the previous 24 months.

Evarts said the nomination process is open to the entire university, but the selection process will be conducted by the head of the department that employs the nominee. She said more information about the award process is available in the UNT Policy Manual, classification number 1.4.4.2.

To read the policy online, visit www.unt.edu/policy/index.html and click on the Volume I Human Resources link. Click on the leave administration link, and scroll down to policy number 1.4.4.2. Forms to nominate an employee for the Star Performer award are also available online. Visit www.unt.edu/hr and click on the online forms/requests link, then the HR downloadable forms link. Then scroll down the alphabetical list to the Star Performer Nomination Form link.

Evarts said that although the award has been promoted, it has not received widespread use. She said she hopes the Staff Council will help promote the program.

Three guests involved with the EIS transition — Joneel Harris, associate vice president for enrollment management; Coy Hoggard, executive director of administrative information systems; and Donna Asher, associate director of human resources systems and records — addressed questions about EIS posed by council members. Harris reported that self-service portals are now available for UNT staff to view and change some biographical information about themselves. To begin using your portal, visit www.my.unt.edu. You will need your EUID and accompanying password. If you don't know your EUID, visit https://ams.unt.edu/whatsmyeuid.php.

Harris, Hoggard and Asher suggested that the UNT community become familiar with the EIS web site, which includes helpful information such as the current EIS project timeline, a list with contact names for various elements of the project, training information and frequently asked questions. The EIS web address is www.unt.edu/eis.

"UNT has been recognized by other institutions for the fact that we have been able to bring this project online on time and within our budget," Harris said. "We've maintained our $20 million budget and are where we said we would be within 24 months. When you are dealing with a project of this magnitude, that is unheard of."

In other business the council:

• heard a report from Steve Miller, associate vice president for human resources, about proposed changes made to the UNT smoking policy, which include prohibiting smoking in all UNT buildings and vehicles, preventing smoking within 20 feet of any public entrance of a building and designating smoking areas throughout campus. The proposed policy changes will be considered for approval by the UNT System Board of Regents in August.

• heard a report from Miller about the proposed holiday schedule. The UNT System Board of Regents considered the proposed schedule during its meeting this week. Details about that meeting will be published in the June 4 issue of InHouse.

• heard a report from Brian Bethea, director of promotions in athletics and chair of the Staff Council Constitution and Bylaws Committee, regarding a proposal to move the standard council meeting time from 2 p.m. to 1 p.m.

• discussed a suggestion to assemble a Staff Council information packet for new and existing council members.

• heard a report from Mary Finley, University Union assistant director and Staff Council vice president, regarding the May 3 University Planning Council meeting on the proposed UNT budget.