Thursday, October 11, 2001

Assembly considers establishing staff fund
By Piper Huddleston
Staff Reporter

Ireri Garcia, a residential housekeeping employee, said she was approached by a co-worker last semester who could not afford to have her deceased brother brought to Fort Worth from Canada for burial, but she was unable to help her co-worker.

“I felt embarrassed because the TCU community should help each other when a co-worker is in need,” Garcia said. “I could not ignore this situation and felt that I had to do something to help.”

Tara Pope, a Staff Assembly member and Physical Plant employee said an emergency fund proposed by the Staff Assembly would cover financial needs such as funeral expenses for employees and their immediate families, travel expenses to funerals and accidents like a fire destroying a home.

Pope said Garcia shared her concern with Physical Plant and residential housekeeping employees and an emergency fund proposal for all TCU employees was developed.

“The emergency fund proposal is being created to help those in the TCU family who find themselves in immediate crisis and extraordinary circumstances,” Pope said.

Pope said employees would be asked to donate one hour of their salary each month to start the fund. She said employee donations would be optional.

One person each from University Ministries, Staff Assembly, Faculty Senate, Physical Plant, Residential Services Facility Services and Human Resources would be asked to form a committee that would be in charge of distributing funds, Pope said.

John Butler, university minister, said the committee would look at an employee’s request and evaluate their level of need. He said the committee will determine whether they will fund all or part of the request, depending on the situation.

Pope said the committee will distribute funds directly to the vendors or contractors rather than to the employee to avoid fraud. For example, the committee will pay a funeral home directly instead of giving the money to an employee.

If the emergency fund is approved, after one year in operation it will need an analysis of the reception and distribution of funds. The fund will depend on employee donations for the first year, but if necessary, TCU will be asked to match whatever funds employees donate, she said.

“For example, in one month if employees donate $1,000 to the fund, we would also ask TCU to donate $1,000,” Pope said.

Butler said other possible sources for the fund could come from alumni, TCU contributors and employees’ gifts.

Bob Seal, Staff Assembly chairman, said he commends the group of employees that brought this need to the attention of the Assembly.

Seal said, “I think this shows what a caring and thoughtful community TCU is.”

The Staff Assembly will decide Tuesday Oct. 16 if any final changes need to made before the Assembly votes on the proposal, Seal said.

Piper Huddleston
k.p.huddleston@student.tcu.edu