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CEPAC MINUTES: 6/9/04

CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES
June 9, 2004

Roll Call

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Sharon Pielaet moved that the minutes of the May 5 (continued on May 12), 2004 meeting be approved. Eileen Baker seconded and the motion passed.

OLD BUSINESS

Review of agenda items for Fall:
  1. Pursue the outcome of the feasibility studies - twice monthly checks
  2. Follow up on CEPAC's April 15 memo to UPBAC
  3. Forward Fee Waiver Survey outcomes to MUS Labor Management Committee in time for their September meeting
  4. Discuss taking up Quint Nyman's offer to meet with CEPAC
  5. Review of classified staff standing within the university
    • Vision plan
    • Committee representation
  6. Follow up with Jim Rimpau on CEPAC's involvement in on-going "2 jobs" data collection
  7. Ensure Bradley Conference Room is reserved
  8. Follow up on the status of the shared governance web site (with Faculty Council)
It was agreed that items 3 and 4 be pursued now, as well as inviting Craig Roloff to a CEPAC meeting. Sara France will set these matters in motion.

Update regarding upper administration's communication with campus regarding CEPAC's MAP Survey project: Susan Alt reported that she had met with Jim Rimpau and President Gamble and that an announcement is in the offing.

CEPAC membership and terms: a discussion took place regarding the suitability of CEPAC adopting a policy similar to Faculty Council to increase the term of Chair to two consecutive years. It was agreed that CEPAC's officers' terms would be left unaltered.

Electronic elections: Sara France reported that Allen Porter at ITC encourages CEPAC to pursue medium for elections to CEPAC, and reported the existence of a viable program that's working well elsewhere on campus. Eileen Baker moved that CEPAC adopt an electronic system for elections and Ray Byerly seconded. The motion was unanimously approved. Sara will pursue this with Allen, involving Kerry Evans, in good time for the next elections, next spring. Careful consideration will be given to advertising the new system and procedures and assisting staff unfamiliar with electronic communications.

CEPAC nominations/goals committee update: Sharon Pielaet reported on the nominating committee's work. Genevieve Burmeister was nominated for vice chair and Sara France for secretary. A paper ballot will be conducted at the July meeting. Nominations for committee manager were deferred pending the outcome of the paid administrative support position (see below).

COMMITTEE REPORTS

MUS Systemwide Labor Management Committee - Sara France reported the May 26 meeting to have been highly interactive and productive. Many issues of interest to CEPAC were discussed including: Supervisor Training MUS LMC has created a subcommittee to review existing resources within MUS, to study how these might be shared, and to recommend future offerings; Evaluation of Supervisors Bozeman's MAP Advisory Committee is obtaining a copy of the draft form being created by the University of Montana. MUS LMC discussed the principles of using such a tool and will follow the development of the form on various campuses; Dependent Fee Waiver summer enrollment is happening on all campuses and numbers are expected to increase for fall. MUS LMC will gather information for presentation to the Regents in the Fall. The possibility of obtaining specific data about how the waiver might be keeping students in Montana schools. CEPAC is welcome to present fee waiver survey (10/03) outcomes to MUS LMC for consideration for inclusion in its Fall Board of Regents presentation; Peer Mediation MSU-Bozeman is investigating including calssified staff in the ombudsman program; Performance Evaluation Form review the next MUS LMC meeting will review feedback (following campus consultations with appropriate groups) on the form following the end of the current performance cycle. The meeting was generally inclined to leave this form in use for another cycle, to establish some consistency. Confusion over the role of the JSFs and the supervisor's discretion to deny achievement pay based on them, rather than soley the goals, is apparent on some campuses.

Benefits Committee - Carol Shannon and Jodie Delay were chosen by the President to serve on this committee.

TIP Incentive Award Program Committee - Sara France reported that the committee met on May 17. Committee members had researched various aspects of the program's policy and presented their findings. Further clarification of funding issues will be researched before the next meeting, and options for advertising the program will be considered.

MAP Advisory Committee - Sara France reported on the May 21 meeting. Firstly, one of CEPAC's nominees to MAP-AC is taking a year's leave of absence next year with the intention of returning to his classified position thereafter. MAP-AC leaves the decision of his continuing to fulfill his committee membership in the interrim to CEPAC. Ray Byerly moved that Dan continue his representation on the MAP Advisory Committee until he resumes his classified employment next year. Sharon Pielaet seconded and the motion was unanimously approved. The meeting also asked that Dan and Paul Burns (CEPAC's other rep on MAP-AC) attend CEPAC meetings to give periodic reports.

Sara continued her report of the last MAP-AC meeting. Once again, comprised lively and valuable discussion. The gist was that clarification of the goal setting process and purpose would be beneficial and creation of supplements to the MAP Guide will be investigated. The components of MAP would benefit from being redefined, and program participants encouraged to refer to each specifically, not to MAP as a whole. With respect to supervisor training, MAP-AC's first priority will be to that associated with MAP. However, the committee supports training opportunities for supervisors as supervisors and will communicate this support appropriately. Opportunity for employees to evaluate supervisors was considered. MAP-AC will review a draft document being proposed for use by the University of Montana in this regard. Discussions ensued regarding mediation between employees and their supervisors, and the policies of ombudsman program will be reseached. It was agreed that overall accountability is essential to MAP; Professional Council's survey of supervisors MAP-AC is not waiting on the results of this survey in order to progress its agenda. However it will gather more information about the proposed survey for the next meeting; Centralized Funding of Bonuses FY04 MAP-AC acknowledged some confusion in the implementation of the policy from division to division. MAP-AC could be involved in the development of any future plan to clarify how such a program functions within the MAP criteria. The committee was unable to cover the whole agenda in the time allocated, and will continue at its June 18 meeting.

GENERAL BUSINESS

Comments Box - communications had been received regarding experiences of the end of another MAP cycle; and discussing sprinkler usage on campus in a drought year. It was agreed that the first item was being adequately addressed via MAP Advisory Committee. The second message will be forwarded to John Ford, Facilities Services. It was noted that many comments are submitted anonymously. Were staff to identify themselves, CEPAC would be able to respond individually to contributors. Sara France will add a note of encouragement to this effect on the Comments Box.

Review of Personnel policies and procedures - Kerry Evans had previously circulated draft policy amendments to departmental time reporting (as back up to monthly time sheets), and other form and policy changes. All relevant documentation will be displayed on the legal council web site for a comment period before adoption.

NEW BUSINESS

Administrative Support for CEPAC - Sara France reported having approached President Gamble about the possibility of funded administrative support for CEPAC, similar to that already in place for Faculty Council. President Gamble and the MSU-Bozeman administration have voiced support for the idea, and President Gamble has spoken of the creation of a "seat" of shared governance with these organizations at its base. He is interested in CEPAC's ideas for how a CEPAC administrative position might dovetail with that of Faculty Council. He has asked for a proposal in this regard, by early July. CEPAC discussed the concept and agreed that, with each organization maintaining autonomy, a mutual cooperation could be advantageous in many respects and pursuant to the principles of shared governance. The meeting was unanimous in its support for the creation of such a position. Sheron McIlhattan moved that a subcommittee be appointed to provide the information requested by President Gamble and to later work with Personnel and Payroll Services on the production of a job description. Ray Byerly seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The subcommittee will comprise Bonnie White, Bob O'Driscoll, Kerry Evans, Genevieve Burmeister and Sara France. Sara reported that Craig Roloff had offered to call a meeting of the relevant parties and, subsequent to CEPAC's approval to proceed, she would ask him to do so.

A brief discussion took place about the options for setting up such a new position, recruitment, supervision, etc., and more details will be made available as the project is advanced. It was noted that various amendments to the Bylaws would be required, and the means to do so was addressed.

July Board of Regents meeting classified staff senates/CEPAC once again has agenda time in July. Senate/CEPAC reps present at the MUS Labor Management Committee meeting in May discussed stategy for another collaborative presentation. It was agreed that each would submit a summary of their committee's achievements demonstrating a conclusion common to each campus - that the classified staff's first priority is a pay raise. These summaries will be collected by Sara France and sent, together, to the Regents on June 14. Sara will circulate CEPAC's draft document without delay.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 11.05 am.

NEXT MEETING: JULY 14, 2004 IN THE BRADLEY CONFERENCE ROOM, WILSON HALL AT 9:00AM

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