CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES PERSONNEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(CEPAC)

at the

Board of Regents’ Planning Retreat

Meeting: 7:00 am, July 15, 2005

Representatives from five of the six CEPAC/Staff Senates/Staff Associations across the Montana University System met in Great Falls on July 14, prior to a breakfast meeting with the Regents on the 15^th. Present were: Liane Forrester, UMWestern; Kathy Frantzreb and Michelle Crowe, UM-Missoula; Janna Myers, MSU-Billings; Christine Mueller and Julie Strobel, MSU-Northern; Genevieve Burmeister, Michelle Larsen, Sara France, MSU-Bozeman.

Over the last few months, CEPAC and the Staff Senates/Associations had been gathering material and exchanging ideas for presentation in a planning context, in keeping with Regents’ current retreat. Discussion, on the evening of the 14^th , was a culmination of this work, and further consideration of classified issues across the MUS.

Present at the breakfast meeting, on July 15^th, were the CEPAC/Staff Senate/Staff Association representatives (listed above) plus Regent Hamilton, Regent Semmens, Regent Barrett, Regent Mercer, Regent Taylor, Regent Foster, Commissioner Stearns, President Dennison and President Gamble.

Christine Mueller opened the meeting with introductions, and thanks to the Regents for including classified staff on the retreat agenda. Sara France introduced CEPAC’s presentation materials, and Kathy Frantzreb circulated handouts from UM-Missoula. Informal conversation and discussion ensued, with a very worthwhile exchange (with everyone present contributing ideas and suggestions) regarding the university system as an employer, classified recruitment and retention, market influences across the State and the extraordinary circumstances occurring in the Bozeman area, the role of the university system in the economy, outsourcing, and the State contribution to pay plan financing. The FY05-06 salary increases were mentioned, coupled with the influence of CEPAC/Staff Senate/Association presentations on salary/cost of living issues. The significance of the current raises was duly and appropriately acknowledged.

Conversation turned to retention issues other than salary: pooling resources from across the MUS to provide low-cost initiatives in the areas of professional development, and training; staff recognition; electronic communications and information sharing. Supervisor training and evaluation was discussed, along with the various campuses’ existing and potential programs.

The Regents expressed an interest in receiving more information about classified professional development and training, and the impact of cuts in travel budgets on staff attendance and conferences and trainings, at our next meeting in November, 2005.

CEPAC and the Staff Senates/Associations’ continued collaboration and sharing of best practices was discussed and commended, and plans for expansion of our work together were mentioned.

Christine Mueller closed the meeting by thanking the Commissioner and Regents for hosting CEPAC and the Staff Senates/Associations in Great Falls, and looking forward to our meeting again in November.