TABLE OF CONTENTS  |  FRONT PAGE  |  NEXT ARTICLE |  PREVIOUS ARTICLE  |  UNC HOMEPAGE

Kucharski to chair Employee Forum in 2000

Joanne Kucharski has been elected chair of the Employee Forum for 2000. The vote came at the forum's Feb. 2 meeting.

A 26-year Carolina veteran, Kucharski now serves as assistant registrar in the Registrar's Office. She was chosen over one other nominee for the chair's post, Jill Mayer, outreach librarian in the Health Science Library.

"I take this role very seriously, and when I get into something I get into it 100 percent," she told forum members after being elected.

In an interview following the meeting, Kucharski said she doesn't yet have specific goals for her one-year tenure as chair -- "I'm just sitting back right now and trying to sort it all out" -- but plans to meet with forum committee chairs and division representatives to identify top issues for the forum to pursue in 2000.

Once those issues are named, Kucharski said the forum will turn to educating employees about them. She said she wants to bring "balance" to how issues are seen around campus, with more attention paid to the concerns of current staff.

Kucharski said staff often hear about faculty issues such as compensation. They also hear about efforts to recruit new employees, leaving a sense of "What about us who are here?" she said.

Kucharski said her experience on a committee that reviews student appeals on in- and out-of-state residence status and her work as a support person for employees going through the campus grievance procedure have trained her to look at issues objectively, a skill she said will serve her well as forum chair.

The election of Kucharski came after no one was nominated for chair on the traditional date, the forum's first meeting of the new year, which for 2000 was Jan. 5.

Kucharski said encouragement from other forum members was the main reason she decided to run. Her staff, supervisor and family also supported her decision, she said.

Interim Chancellor William O. McCoy said he's glad the forum has a new chair.

"The chair plays an extremely important leadership role by guiding the direction of the forum, motivating its members and serving as the main conduit between our employees and the campus administration," he said.

TABLE OF CONTENTS  |  FRONT PAGE  |  NEXT ARTICLE |  PREVIOUS ARTICLE  |  UNC HOMEPAGE