In March 1967, Council decided:

• to establish a Staff Amenities Fund to pay to that Fund money received by the University as commissions for payroll deductions for such purposes as hospital and medical fund subscriptions and private insurance policy premiums or as rent for vending machine installations
• that the money accumulating in the Fund should be used for 'staff amenities and welfare'; and
• that expenditure from the Fund should be approved by the Finance Committee.

At its December 1980 meeting, Finance Committee agreed the Vice-Chancellor should establish a small committee with membership from Finance Committee and the Staff Amenities Fund Committee to consider terms of reference for the Fund and related issues. The recommendations of this Committee were:

• The existing Staff Amenities Fund should be retained and the University should continue to allocate payroll deduction commissions and vending machine rentals as income to the Fund, subject to a percentage or calculated deduction to cover the cost of services provided by the University in achieving those commissions and rentals
• Initially the annual deduction for services provided by the University should be $1,000; this amount should be reviewed annually to ensure that it reflects current costs
• the Fund may be used, subject to normal University policies and procedures
• to finance capital projects on and off campus
• to assist existing University-supported staff amenities
• to provide assistance for facilities which are joint University/Staff Amenities Fund ventures; and
• to provide for staff amenities of a general nature, for example, sporting and recreational equipment.

Membership

Membership is set out as follows (originally dating from 11 March 1982).

Up to four nominees of the Vice-Chancellor:

Mr Ron Watts, Director, Human Resources

One nominee of the (then) Bursar:

Ms Melanie Vicary, Finance and Business Services

Up to five representatives made up of General Staff:

Ms Karen Edwards

Ms Pam Cohen

Dr Paul Cooper

General Staff member of Council appointed by Council (added at the Council meeting 26 May 2008):

Mr Bill Speed

Up to two members coopted by the Committee:

The Secretary to the Committee is appointed by the Vice-Chancellor:

Ms Dale Brosnahan, Residential and Campus Communties

The terms of office of members and the Secretary shall be determined by the nominating/electing body and shall be for at least one year.

The Chairman of the Committee holds a delegation to approve, on the advice of the Committee, expenditure from the Fund to a maximum of $20,000 per project, subject, in the case of an off-campus project, to the concurrence of the Vice-Chancellor. Capital projects on campus will be subject to normal University procedures. Expenditure from the Fund other than under the Chairman's delegation, shall require the approval of the Vice-Chancellor.

The duties of the Committee, within normal University administrative practice, will be:

• to promote expenditure from the Fund
• to seek, receive and consider proposals for financial assistance from the Fund to establish, continue or further directly or indirectly, a staff amenity; and
• to recommend expenditure from the Fund.

General Notes on the Operation of the Committee

The SAF Committee normally meets quarterly and notice of each meeting is publicised across campus. Staff groups/social clubs are eligible to apply for funds to provide 'staff amenities and welfare' under guidelines established by the Committee. The proposed expenditure must be one that would benefit the maximum number of staff, not the few – for example, a barbeque, (portable) shade protection for outdoor furniture, outdoor furniture in the form of tables with attached benches, many of which are in evidence around the campus, sporting strips, tee shirts etc for inter-departmental lunchtime and other sporting competitions, etc.

The Committee does not believe the Fund should be seen by areas as a substitute source of money for items which should be provided for, say, tea and common  rooms (microwave ovens, refrigerators and other electrical goods, or furniture). However, because of increasing requests for items which fall into this category, the Committee has determined that it will consider such applications, (although the policy does state that the Fund will not be expected to provide money for items considered the responsibility of area management and which are expected to be available under the conditions of service award).

The Committee will not provide money for building amenities – for example,  blinds, curtains, flyscreens, heaters/coolers, and the like.  The campus tennis courts upgrade of recent years, which included Mt Stromlo, Old Canberra House and the Law precinct tennis courts, was funded by the SAF, which also contributes annually to the University's Art Collection and more recently to the ANU Arts Centre. Works of art purchased in full, or part, by the SAF are not for  individual offices but are intended for areas where they will receive the greatest exposure to staff. The SAF also underwrites the Staff Emergency Fund, an 'avenue of last resort' fund administered by the University’s Adviser to Staff.

Other visible evidence of SAF funding across campus appears in the form of the electric barbeques and associated outdoor equipment behind the Law Tennis Courts (adjacent to Sullivan's Creek) and in the Arts Quadrangle; the steel goalposts on the Willows Sports Oval and the upgraded Parcourse fitness trail which traverses the campus.  Maintenance costs for the stations on the Parcourse are borne by the Fund, and Facilities & Services provide ground maintenance.

The SAF has long supported the four child care centres by providing funds for indoor and outdoor play equipment and 'portable' sun protection.  While some play equipment, such as tricycles, for example, remain the exclusive property of the requesting group, more expensive purchases, such as large, modular plastic shapes, are jointly owned and shared between all.

In past years the SAF has made grants or loans to the former Staff Centre, Sailing Club, Boat Club, Wellness Program, Arts Centre and a Departmental Social Club.  The Fund also partially sponsored the Lunch & Listen Concert Series held in the Music Room in the Arts Centre and featuring School of Music students and occasionally, staff.  In addition the SAF provided hall hire costs for a fund raising concert for the Campus Big Jazz Band to swell funds for their participation in the Monterey Jazz Festival and contributed towards the cost of uniforms for the staff members of the Band.

Every year the SAF provides generous funding for the ANU Kids’ Christmas Party held at University House and attended by up to 150 kids and many adults.

The SAF commissioned a display cabinet from the Woodwork Department of the  School of Art, now in the Chancelry Building ground floor reception area. This cabinet is in itself an art work and is used to display some of the University's Art Collection pieces.

In 1995 the Committee debated whether it would continue to allocate funds for several single projects or whether the accumulated funds should be reserved for a major project. It decided to continue the current practice, largely because the expenditures would potentially benefit a larger number of staff. However, it was agreed to keep this issue under review.

As a result of this examination, it was also decided to adopt a notional annual budget in terms of the following:

Outdoor furniture	$3000
White Goods	$3000
Sporting equipment	$2000
Sundry items	$500
Staff emergency fund	$500
Works of Art	$4000
Performing Art	$4000
Child Care Centres (four)	$5000
ANU Kids Christmas Party	$2000
Accumulated funds/buffer	$1000
Total	$25000

This budget assumes that interest will continue to provide in the order of $10,000-$12,000 per annum.

Ron Watts
Chair, Staff Amenities Fund Committee
September 2009
(200601299)