MEETING MINUTES

LOCAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (LOC)

CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY PLACE IN IDAHO FALLS

Thursday, February 6, 2003

 

Present:  Ann Meikle-Howell, Bob Stiger, Jennifer Fisher, Larry Branen, Susan Morris, Carol Baldwin, Leo Herrman

Guests:   Joy Fisher, Jim Fullerton, Greg Horton, Rob Spears, Trudy Anderson, Dennis Allen, Carol Spain, Connie Gomez

 

ITEM 1:  Approval of MinutesCarol Baldwin moved that the November and December 2002 meeting minutes be approved with noted corrections.  Bob Stiger seconded. 

 

ITEM 2:  Call for Additional Agenda Items – Sunday closure of ISU computer lab in CHE.  Report on facilities impact of commuter bus stopping at University Place.  GIS Lab usage on Sunday.

 

ITEM 3:  Parking – At the request of the Student Union, the Parking Board is moving the parking permit office into the cashier’s office in Student Services.  There have been several students hired to sell the parking permits.  The new employees have been training with the staff from the Student Union.  The work on the reconfiguration for the new parking lot is in place.  The last item to be completed is the electrical engineer’s drawing for the additional lighting needs.  Through DPW’s approval we have contacted the electrical engineer that they have chosen.  Work will not begin until after spring semester is completed, around the 20th of May.  Greg has spoken with Bill Shelton, the head of INEEL maintenance for Willow Creek facility, and they are ready to close the one entrance to the two properties and the opening up of the new entrance to University Place.  As of yesterday, there is $112,600 in the parking fund account and estimates from the engineering contractors are around $110,000.  Ray and Greg have a contingency plan, in the event the bid comes in a little higher than the $112,000, some of the items can be delayed until September when the funds for fall start coming in.  Jennifer Fisher stated that she had spoken to James Martin in Financial Aid regarding work study funding and that has been taken care of.  As of this date there has been no one hired to do the evening ticketing.  Ann mentioned that this semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays there are two classes of 100 each and all the parking spaces have been taken.  The fall semester class schedule is going to be addressed in order to preclude this type of class scheduling from happening again.

 

ITEM 4:  Master Plan – Greg stated that in reading the November meeting minutes, he read where the Presidents had put in place a mechanism in which issues regarding future master plan items could be addressed.  He wanted to review the plan because he has an item that needs to be addressed.  As the CST comes on line and if the new library building is built, we will be in need of 8 to 10 additional custodial and maintenance employees.  There will be a need to have a place to house the facilities organization.  There have been ongoing discussions with Scott Campbell from ISU and JoAnn Reece from UI and others regarding a place to house this organization.  Greg realizes that this will be a multi-year process, but doesn’t want to wait until the buildings are complete.  HE would like some direction in how to proceed.  Ann suggested that the Master Planning subcommittee needs to be convened. 

 

ITEM 5: 2004 Maintenance Budget – Greg wanted to know what the time line was for getting in the 2004 budget.  Mid to end of March will be acceptable.   

 

ITEM 6:  Tiered Classroom Update – Greg had been asked to investigate what the cost would be to take a five tiered room and change it into a three tiered room.  Greg asked the architect who had built the Student Union, Karst, to give us an estimate.  His estimate was $20,000.  He stated the reason for the expense was due to the height of the drop, once the tier was built up and so Karst felt that there would be a need for a railing to keep students from falling off the level.  Additionally, the room will need to be completely re-carpeted.  Jennifer stated that she thought it reasonable to get a drawing and a better estimate of cost.  She asked Greg to talk to ISU’s architect to see if he could provide the drawing and estimate. 

 

ITEM 7:  Student Activities Update – Campus recreation has hired two new student programmers who will be working 10 to 15 hours per week.  There have been approximately 300 Apple Athletic passes.  The new programmers are going to start arranging some tournaments at the Apple.  A new student worker has been hired to work 6 hours per week to handle outdoor programming.  Campus Recreation is organizing a trip to Grand Targee on March 1 for half price lift tickets.  Kelly Canyon has been advertising 2 for 1 ski passes for University Place students, Monday through Thursday nights with student ID.  There will be a Valentines Day Dinner/Dance on Friday, February 14th, $5 per student.  ASISU elections will be held February 19th, with online voting available.  On the February table tents we advertised UI’s Undaunted Gardening to be held on March 1st.  Bob asked Jim if he would be willing to contact his counterpart in Moscow, in an effort to facilitate the involvement of UI students in student government here at University Place, Jim said he would.

 

ITEM 8:  Sunday Closure of ISU Computer Lab – There has been an ongoing discussion regarding security on Sundays.  One of the concerns that Steve Chatterton has is that the CHE is open with no one around to check on the building.  One option is to restrict access to the building by using a card reader, which is in the process of being installed.  The other option is to only have one computer lab open.  The computer lab in the SUB is always open on Sunday.  This option would allow us to completely close the CHE down on Sunday, reducing security risks and utility overhead.  Shawn Sheriff told Greg that he didn’t foresee any problems with shutting down the CHE.  The only services that would not be available to students would be the use of a scanner and the color printer.  Shawn stated that he would be willing to try it for a while to see if any problems arise.  Dennis asked if this closure would affect any of the UI students.  Greg stated that it would not, because UI students would still have card reader access.  In the past, the doors had to be left open, allowing anyone access.  Jennifer asked if a usage evaluation had been made on Sunday usage.  Typically, there are 3 to 7 students in the CHE lab and less in the SUB.  This could increase around mid-terms and finals.  If the need arose, the lab could be reopened during those peak times.  Jennifer asked that a sign-up sheet be posted for students who would need the lab during mid-terms and finals.  Jennifer moved that the CHE be closed on Sundays and also evaluate the need during mid-terms and finals.  Susan seconded.  Motion carried. 

 

ITEM 9:  Report on Facilities Impact by Commuter Bus – In the October meeting Greg was asked to determine how many students were parking in the lot and using the bus once spring semester began.  Last semester there were approximately 15 to 20 cars left in the parking lot.  This semester, there are approximately 25 cars being left in the parking lot.  The initial impact is the 25 parking spaces being taken.  For maintenance and facilities, Greg wants to know what is expected from them.  Especially in the winter, are the sidewalks expected to be cleared off?  Does the parking lot lighting need to be on?  IF the lighting is expected to be on, a new time clock will be needed.  Currently, the time clock now can only beset to one shut off and one turn on time.  If the lighting and snow removal is required, there will e a significant impact.  Joy asked if the students parking in the lot and riding the bus would impact the parking lot snow removal.  Greg said no, the parking lot is plowed between 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. to avoid the liability of cars being parked in the lot.  Ann mentioned that the parking board brought up the idea of having the bus pick up the students on the back of the SBU and asking students who ride the bus to park back behind the SUB.  The Public Safety Officer is going to start directing people to park up behind the SUB and along the road up behind the SUB as well, to see how well this solution would work.  Action Item:  Greg was asked to speak to Darrell Buffaloe to find out exactly what services are expected to be provided early in the morning.  Explore the feasibility of picking commuter bus students up from behind the SUB, with the students parking up behind the SUB and along the ring road.  IF there are going to be additional expenses impacting the maintenance budget, meet with the budget committee.  This committee consists of Joy Fisher, Leo Herrman, Mark Brainard and Jim Fullerton.

 

ITEM 10: GIS Lab – Shuhab Khan, GIS instructor, would like to know if his students can have access to the TAB building on Sundays.  Greg stated that he has spoken with Shuhab and told him that there was no one available to open the building on Sundays.  Shuhab has been issued a key to the building; Greg told him that if he wanted to come open the building to let his students in, he could.  Because Shuhab lives in Pocatello, he did not want to do that.  Presently, students have access to the lab Monday through Friday until 10:00 p.m. and on Saturdays during library hours.  On Saturday, the security officer closes the building at 6:00 p.m. and any students in the lab could remain.  Jim was asked if someone from the SUB could open and close the lab on Sundays.  Joy stated she was uncomfortable in opening the building up.  Dennis reminded everyone that these restrictions had been explained at the time the lab was set up.  Jennifer also reminded everyone that there were no other options available at the time.  Ann stated that she would speak with Shuhab to ensure that he was aware of the Saturday hours and also determine the number of students who need to have access on Sundays.  In light of the amount of time left in the semester, email should be utilized to resolve this issue rather than wait for the next LOC meeting to address the exact needs of the GIS students.

 

ITEM 11:  AdjournBob Stiger moved to adjourn the meeting.  Jennifer Fisher seconded.  Meeting was adjourned.