From: "Lucal, Mary Elizabeth" Date: Monday, July 19, 2021 at 8:15 AM To: "Gross, Louis J" Subject: Re: New Parental Leave policy and timing Thank you Lou. I hope to hear more this week and will send you any info I receive. Mary Mary Lucal, Ph.D. | Associate Vice Chancellor Human Resources – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville 105 Student Services Building | Knoxville, TN 37996-0213 Phone: (865) 974-1909 | mlucal@utk.edu | hr.utk.edu From: "Gross, Louis J" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 4:56 PM To: Mary Lucal Cc: "Madison, Stephanie Lin" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" , "Gross, Louis J" Subject: Re: New Parental Leave policy and timing Mary, I appreciate the response and clarification that it was never the intention to have this policy apply to births prior to July 1. It is really a shame that the policy didn’t say this if that was the intent and all of System HR agreed to this. It would have avoided confusion and missed hopes if it had been clear. This doesn’t diminish my appreciation for the actions it took to bring about a long-needed policy to support new parents in the way this policy does. Stay well, Lou -- Louis J. Gross (he, him, his) Chancellor’s Professor and Alvin and Sally Beaman Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics Director Emeritus, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS.org) Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling University of Tennessee - Knoxville President, 2006-2007, 2021-2022, UTK Faculty Senate Past-President, 2003-2005, Society for Mathematical Biology http://lgross.utk.edu/ From: "Lucal, Mary Elizabeth" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 3:35 PM To: "Gross, Louis J" Cc: "Madison, Stephanie Lin" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" Subject: Re: New Parental Leave policy and timing Lou, I was not in the UFC meeting where this policy was discussed, but I have only ever heard it discussed as being effective, and applying to births, July 1 and after. The HROs discussed this with the VP of HR some time ago and unanimously agreed to this, so I really do not believe UTK is diverging from its system-wide application. As I mentioned, I passed on to system yesterday the need to clarify the language around July 1. I have not heard back on that request as of yet. I will confirm with Brian Dickens next week that all entities are approaching this in a uniform way and will get back to you. Mary Mary Lucal, Ph.D. | Associate Vice Chancellor Human Resources – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville 105 Student Services Building | Knoxville, TN 37996-0213 Phone: (865) 974-1909 | mlucal@utk.edu | hr.utk.edu From: "Gross, Louis J" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 2:50 PM To: Mary Lucal Cc: "Madison, Stephanie Lin" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" , "Gross, Louis J" Subject: Re: New Parental Leave policy and timing Mary, I have been in conversation with the Chair of the University Faculty Council. The policy was discussed with them (verbally – they did not receive a written version) and the Council specifically brought up the issue of births before the start date. The UFC was told “it is intended to begin July 1 but there may be wiggle room based on supervisors”. So evidently, according to what the UFC was told, System intended to allow supervisors to be flexible. This implies that the policy of not allowing for births prior to July 1 to be covered is a UTK one, not a System one and that the System policy was written explicitly to allow flexibility. Therefore, I am formally asking if I (and other supervisors on campus in a similar situation) can indeed, as a supervisor of a staff member who gave birth in June, apply the policy so that she may use the paid leave within the 12 month time period noted in the policy. Stay well, Lou -- Louis J. Gross (he, him, his) Chancellor’s Professor and Alvin and Sally Beaman Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics Director Emeritus, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS.org) Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling University of Tennessee - Knoxville President, 2006-2007, 2021-2022, UTK Faculty Senate Past-President, 2003-2005, Society for Mathematical Biology http://lgross.utk.edu/ From: "Gross, Louis J" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 12:41 PM To: "Lucal, Mary Elizabeth" Cc: "Madison, Stephanie Lin" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" , "Gross, Louis J" Subject: Re: New Parental Leave policy and timing Mary, Though it may be that the intent was to not have this apply to births before July 1 that is NOT what the policy states. I understand that this is now going to lead to a new version of it that is more limiting than the original, but this is simply indicative of inadequate System leadership and lack of care in developing policies. If this policy had been brought before any faculty group for vetting (e.g. that is what transparent shared governance at System level should be doing so this should have at least been shown to the University Faculty Council), this situation of miscommunication and misleading our faculty and staff would have been avoided. Please express my concerns to the “system partners” who developed this. It is really a shame to have this new enlightened policy start off in completely the wrong manner as it has been. Stay well, Lou -- Louis J. Gross (he, him, his) Chancellor’s Professor and Alvin and Sally Beaman Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics Director Emeritus, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS.org) Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling University of Tennessee - Knoxville President, 2006-2007, 2021-2022, UTK Faculty Senate Past-President, 2003-2005, Society for Mathematical Biology http://lgross.utk.edu/ From: "Lucal, Mary Elizabeth" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 8:55 AM To: "Gross, Louis J" Cc: "Madison, Stephanie Lin" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" Subject: Re: New Parental Leave policy and timing Hi Lou, Hope you are doing well and thanks for your message. I have shared this feedback with our system partners and have asked that the language be clarified to indicate that it only applies for births that occur July 1 and forward since that is the intended guideline. I will let you know as soon as I hear more. Mary Mary Lucal, Ph.D. | Associate Vice Chancellor Human Resources – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville 105 Student Services Building | Knoxville, TN 37996-0213 Phone: (865) 974-1909 | mlucal@utk.edu | hr.utk.edu From: "Gross, Louis J" Date: Thursday, July 15, 2021 at 4:36 PM To: Mary Lucal Cc: "Madison, Stephanie Lin" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" Subject: New Parental Leave policy and timing Mary, I am writing in my role as both a supervisor of a staff member who would benefit from the new HR0339 policy and as President of the Faculty Senate. I am ccing Stephanie Madison in her role as Chair of the Faculty Senate Benefits and Professional Development Committee. I had called HR and was referred to you to resolve the issue. The new policy (attached) is quite specific that the new parental leave must be used within 12 months after a birth. It says absolutely nothing about the birth (or adoption) having to have been after July 1, 2021 when the policy was initiated. Therefore I informed a staff member that it seemed the policy applied to them (they had given birth a month ago). Your office informed me that the policy is only for births after July 1 – however it does not state this at all. Clearly this is of concern to many individuals around the System. If indeed the policy only applied to births after July 1 it should have stated so. Since it did not, I have no idea how the University can defend it not being applied to those who had given birth prior to July 1. I hope you can resolve this matter. Thanks for your assistance, Lou -- Louis J. Gross (he, him, his) Chancellor’s Professor and Alvin and Sally Beaman Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics Director Emeritus, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS.org) Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling University of Tennessee - Knoxville President, 2006-2007, 2021-2022, UTK Faculty Senate Past-President, 2003-2005, Society for Mathematical Biology http://lgross.utk.edu/