CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES
December 8, 2004

Roll Call

• Matt Blazicevich
• Bob O'Driscoll
• Eileen Baker
• Ray Byerly
• Genevieve Burmeister
• Dan McGuire
• Sara France
• Sue Martin
• Sheron McIlhattan
• Jeanne Wagner
• Clara Sprague
• Apologies for absence received from: Bonnie White

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

OLD BUSINESS

• Board of Regents meeting, November 2004. Bob O'Driscoll, Genevieve Burmeister and Sara France had attended the Board of Regents meeting in Missoula, November 18th. Sara described the day, referring to the report already circulated. Follow-up items are the Regents' two questions (about turnover, and the dependent fee waiver pilot).
• CEPAC Announcement and Open House Sara France reported that classified staff bulk mailing had been utilized to invite staff to the December 9th open house (noon - 3pm in the CEPAC office, Hannon Hall). A similar notification, and information about CEPAC and what it does, had been hand delivered to the President, Vice Presidents, Deans, and other members of the President's Executive Council, and others associated with CEPAC. Sara will follow-up with the recipients in the new year. Campus employees, generally, had been invited via a Staff Bulletin announcement. Preparations for the event were discussed and arranged.
• November CEPAC meeting follow-up:
  1. Admin and Finance Strategic Plan, and Payroll Frequency Report. Subsequent to publication of the November Minutes, describing these issues, CEPAC had received no constituent input on either topic.
  2. CEPAC Budget Amendment. CEPAC officers have requested a meeting with Craig Roloff (VP for Admin and Finance) to discuss CEPAC's reporting obligations generally - CEPAC now being a part of the Division of Admin and Finance - and had also followed A and F suggestions regarding "logging" CEPAC's request that such an amendment be forwarded to UPBAC.
  3. Invitations to Commissioner and Regents. Bob O'Driscoll, at the November 18th Regents' meeting, had offered an informal invitation to visit CEPAC. Genevieve Burmeister and Sara France had raised the possibility of CEPAC spearheading a more formal event, with the University Governance Council Steering Committee (12/2), at which other organizations had expressed interest in obtaining meeting time during the visit. CEPAC agreed that advice on how to proceed with such an event should be solicited from the President's Office, and the suggestion was made that it take place prior to the end of the spring legislative session.
  4. CEPAC Contact with Off Campus Employees. Sara France reported the possibility of some off campus employees being in Bozeman in January. She will pursue a meeting.
  5. Electronic Elections. It is CEPAC's intent to operate the spring 2005 elections process electronically, and efforts are being made to pursue this.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee-related discussion:
UPBAC. CEPAC welcomed Jeanne Wagner, the CEPAC-nominated representative on UPBAC. Various issues of concern to the classified staff, relevant to UPBAC, were discussed including: a CEPAC budget amendment, the erosion of classified base salary increases imposed by mid-fiscal year effective dates, salary increase funding issues for part- or non-State funded classified positions, and the need for informative communication within the community regarding MUS salary issues. Sara France was asked to work with Jeanne in any area of concern requiring research or inquiry.

Communications with CEPAC-nominated Committee Representatives. Sheron McIlhattan voiced concern that important campus projects and issues, under discussion in committee, don't always reach CEPAC's attention in time for CEPAC to offer constituent input into their development. CEPAC acknowedged classified employees' enthusiastic commitment of time and effort to shared governance and committee work. CEPAC also recognised its responsibility to convey its expectations (particularly with respect to communications and reporting) to its nominated committee representatives. It was agreed that such dialogue, with both prospective and encumbent reps, should be improved. In relation to the last 3-6 months' efforts across campus to update committee membership and records, and to ensure comprehensive participation, Sara France undertook to enhance her recently initiated contact with each CEPAC-nominated representative to clarify CEPAC expectations.

GENERAL BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS

Goals for 2004-05. The meeting having run out of time, goals were deferred until January.