Time: Thursday 15 May at 15:30.
Venue: The Lounge, building 1483, the Nobel Park
Minutes: Annette Agerdal-Hjermind
Agenda:
1. Choice of moderator
Andreas is selected as moderator.
2. The board's report (by chairman Jonas Kretzschmar Fink)
What have we have done?
Increased marketing: Spreading the word about the association to employees across all of BSS
Since the last meeting, the Staff Association has implemented significant marketing initiatives. Andreas presents the various initiatives. The association and its events are frequently disseminated through the internal newsletter + via contact to the heads of department and secretariat managers/middle managers in the administration. Moreover, Morten Rømer Holm from AU Communication has made posters and flyers as well as a sign-up letter that is being distributed via HR to new employees. This has increased the exposure of the association. We have had a strong focus on disseminating information about the association throughout all of BSS, and this has been and continues to be a great challenge.
Like every other unit at AU, the Staff Association has been affected by the budget process, and some events drowned due to bad timing following dismissals, etc. We hope that in the future the association will be used as a means for revitalising and creating cohesion.
Number of members
Currently, there are 359 members of the association, which is a small increase compared to the 345 members last year (1 senior member and 9 student assistant/part-time employees - the majority are still from the former ASB). Calculating the total number of members required extensive work, as we had to compare the member database with the monthly membership fee payment. There turned out to be a great difference in the number of members, and we have done a lot of work to unravel the mess. There are members in the database who are not listed as having paid the membership fee, and there are members who have paid the fee but who are not in the membership database. It looks like the final number 352 is the right number, which is fortunate.
We are also facing the challenges of communicating the fact that the Staff Association belongs to all of BSS – and what is the purpose of the association?
We discussed what the purpose is/should be. The chairman argued that the purpose should not necessarily be to get employees to socialise across departments, since it is an unrealistic goal; rather, members should use the association within their departments, so that it generates value more locally.
Jonas and Andreas are drafting a letter to Svend Hylleberg, asking for increased financial support for the association and offering suggestions on how to make all employees members of the association automatically - through subsidies and with no membership fees.
Language policy
We discussed the association’s approach towards international employees. There is a need for specific guidelines. For instance, a non-Danish speaking individual was present at the general meeting, and then the meeting must be held in English. With the events, the issue is a little more complicated, because some events take place in Danish. The written communication and invitation will be translated to English to the extent possible. One attendee suggested that the association should host a themed event focused especially on international employees (cf. suggestions for future events).
Events and offers since the last general meeting
This year, the Staff Association can once again look back on a very diverse event calendar. A special thanks goes out to the members who have taken the initiative to plan and organise events on their own: Vibeke Vrang (boat trip with the Searangers) and Tina Lindhardt (trip to the racing track).
2013:
2014:
Also, the Friday get-together at Klubben + Klub.ling. (the Nobel Park) on the last Friday of every month throughout the semester.
The ARoS membership continues, and the offer is very popular - the association has invested in three new membership cards and now manage a total of six cards that members of the association may borrow.
Three cards are managed by Svend, can be picked up at the S Building.
Three cards are managed by Jonas, can be picked up at the Nobel Park.
Tivoli Friheden discount tickets. Managed by Svend (S Building) and Andreas (Tåsingegade).
The above information about more ARoS cards and a new place to pick them up must be communicated to the members.
3. Approval of the accounts of the last fiscal year
Good balance and a profit of DKK 21,540.75 - equity increased to DKK 32,710.38. The goal is, however, to ensure a balanced budget - it is not the purpose of the association to build equity or generate a large surplus. So we have a little more money to spend next year.
The accounts have been approved in advance by the Staff Association’s accountants, Anita Birch Trosborg and Peder Harbjerg Nielsen, who did have two decisive questions regarding the accounts:
Great thanks goes out the the association’s treasurer Anja Mortensen and Marianne Rasmussen (from Studenterlauget). Marianne will be resigning as of 1 August, and the association therefore needs to appoint another treasurer, because Anja does not have the time to take on the assignment.
Accounts are approved.
4. Discussion about the association’s tasks and proposals submitted by members
Suggestions for new events
Planned events for the rest of the spring:
Suggestions for events at the meeting:
Other suggestions previously submitted by members:
Members are encouraged to submit suggestions and organise events themselves. If you are responsible for organising an event, you participate in that event for free.
5. The fixing of this year's membership fees.
The board suggests that we maintain the current membership fees:
Membership fees are approved.
6. Election of (at least) 5 members of the board
The following members have been re-elected:
In addition, the following new members have been elected:
Farewell and thank you
The following have chosen not to be renominated:
The composition of the new board has been approved.
7. Election of 2 auditors
Both our auditors Anita Birch Trosborg and Peder Harbjerg Nielsen have requested to be renominated. So unless there are others interested in the post, the board recommends they be re-elected.
Auditors are re-elected.
8. AOB