CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES
September 15, 2004

Roll Call

• Sara France
• Robert Lack
• Genevieve Burmeister
• Bonnie White
• Susan Alt
• Kerry Evans
• Sheron McIlhattan
• Bob O'Driscoll
• Jodie DeLay
• Matt Blazicevich
• Guests: Blake Rasmussen and interns from the LEAP exchange program

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

SPECIAL BUSINESS

Conversation with Craig Roloff - unfortunately, Craig was unable to attend at the last minute. CEPAC will reschedule for later in the year.

OLD BUSINESS

1. pursue the outcome of the feasibility studies for twice monthly checks
2. follow up on CEPAC's April 15 letter to UPBAC (Sara reported that Craig Roloff may have had an update in this regard had he been able to attend today's meeting. Dave Dooley had indicated that the subject was to be raised at the next President's Executive Council meeting earlier this week)
3. pursue the Fee Waiver Survey outcomes issue with MUS Labor Management Committee (this is underway, awaiting MUS-LMC's meeting in October)
4. review of classified staff standing within the university - 5 year vision; committee representation
5. follow up with Jim Rimpau on CEPAC's involvement in on-going data collection regarding how classified staff supplement their salaries
6. ensure Bradley Conference room availability for meetings each month
7. follow up on the status of the shared governance web site with Faculty Council
8. review of Bylaws following establishment of paid Administrative Associate position, and in any other respect deemed appropriate

Administrative Support for CEPAC - Bob O'Driscoll reported that the selection committee anticipated making an offer by the end of the week. Sara France reported that Jim Rimpau had indicated office space might have to be allocated temporarily to CEPAC, pending identification of an area large enough to accommodate Faculty Council and CEPAC together. Genevieve will mention this at the Steering Committee meeting on Thursday so that Faculty Council is aware of the situation.

November Board of Regents Meeting - discussion of the University of Montana Staff Senate's idea of mass classified staff representation at the November meeting took place. CEPAC was concerned about the appropriateness of this for MSU-Bozeman (the likely low turn out, cost involved, etc) and also about continuing to present salary concerns in the most persuasive light. Jodie DeLay suggested awaiting the outcome of the September Regents meeting (and the anticipated discussion of the Regents' salary survey) before making any decisions about our involvement in November. Sara France recommended that CEPAC work towards an eventual consolidated presentation by classified, faculty and professional staff from all eight campuses. Sara agreed to ask Jim Rimpau, since CEPAC believed him to have been involved with researching the Regents' salary survey, to report to CEPAC on the pertinent business of the September Regents' meeting.

Consideration of amendment of recommendations regarding the Board of Regents' Fee Waiver Policy - This item was deferred from the August meeting. CEPAC reviewed the suggestion, received via the comments box, that CEPAC pursue amendment to the Regents' Policy to extend eligibility to retirees. After much discussion it was agreed that CEPAC should continue to remain focused on increasing this benefit for currently employed staff at this time. (CEPAC has written to the MUS Labor Management Committee in this regard, and hopes for their feedback after LMC's October meeting).

COMMITTEE REPORTS

TIP Incentive Award Program Committee - Sara France reported that program advertising had been circulated and submissions received. The committee meets next on September 20. A discussion took place regarding the program's policy and procedure www.montana.edu/wwwadmin/tip.htm). Robert Lack had not received the campus mailing. Sara will inform the Committee chair.

MAP Advisory Committee - Susan Alt reported on the August 13 and September 2 meetings. An annual report format is being devised to report MAP-AC activities and goals. It is anticipated that the finished document will be widely circulated including to the VPs, President, Labor Management Committees. The ombudsman program will be available to classified staff once program logistics have been discussed with the unions (to avoid overlap). A subcommittee has made recommendations to Personnel and Payroll Services regarding amendments to its web site aiming at improving the user-friendliness of access to MAP information. The issue of hiring ranges and existing employees' salaries has been reviewed and the need for improved education of applicants and hiring authorities identified. Discussion of this topic will continue. The survey of MAP supervisors has reached the editing stage.

In response to Bob O'Driscoll's question last month, Sara France had brought details of the FY04 centralized lump sum funding payouts. She also reported that MAP-AC is working on including more detailed data in its annual report but that further information about what CEPAC would like to see would be useful to that process. CEPAC concluded that it had no questions regarding the deservedness of any award. Rather, a demonstration of how widely used the flexible pay option programs are would be most useful in determining whether or not to request further centralized funding (of any aspect of MAP) in the future, and in advocating for education/training programs. Sara undertook to convey this information to MAP-AC.

MSU Labor Management Committee - Susan Alt reported the September 14th meeting to have been postponed.

Strategic Planning and Budget Committee - CEPAC nominations have been forwarded for this committee.

Tactical Teams - Goal II, 5 Year Vision - CEPAC nominations were forwarded and team members appointed. An alteration to the prescribed nomination method (described in the August 11th Minutes) was made. Since respondents using email submitted written answers to the questions to be asked respondents using the telephone, it was deemed unnecessary to follow up with the email respondents.

A "briefing" meeting was held in which Craig Roloff gave the teams their charge. There is a team to study the Professional staff perspective, and one for Classified, working on Goal II of the Vision. Each team comprises broad representation with some overlap of focus between teams in their brainstorming and tactical development. The Professional team met again yesterday, and the Classified team reconvenes later today. Sara France reported that CEPAC could expect to be involved in the teams' work, possibly in an advisory or constituent feedback-gathering capacity.

Benefits Committee - Jodie DeLay reported that the MSU-Bozeman Benefits Committee met with President Gamble for an update on the status of the possible change from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Allegiance, 7/1/05. Since then the Commissioner's office has requested a written response and supporting documentation from Allegiance to address the concerns that the MSU-Bozeman Benefits Committee has over preserving the level and standard of coverage in such a switch. These responses are due to the Commissioners Office by the end of September, in time to give the Bozeman Benefits committee and the I.U.B.C. a chance to review before passing a recommendation to the Commissioner's Office by October 29. Jodie reported President Gamble to have expressed confidence that Allegiance is endeavoring to meet MSU-Bozeman's needs.

University Planning, Budget and Analysis Committee - Sara France had announced the classified vacancy on this committee, via the classified listserv. She also circulated flyers for CEPAC members to post for those employees not using email.

Information Technology Advisory Committee - Sara France had announced the classified vacancy on this committee, via the classified listserv. Recruitment was at extreme short notice. Bonnie White had previously contacted CEPAC members and asked them to verbally notify employees of the vacancy.

GENERAL BUSINESS

Goals for 2004-05 - a discussion took place on suggested goals for 2004-05. Susan Alt suggested that some of the issues carried forward from 2003-04 be established as goals for this year. Other ideas included:

1. expand CEPAC's visibility to other campus organizations and groups and tie this into shared governance
2. monitor the progress of ongoing projects (eg the MAP survey outcomes, fee waiver issues, etc)
3. explore the possibility of a role for CEPAC in promoting employee-driven, motivational philosophies on campus, such as FISH
4. explore the possibility of a role for CEPAC in creating a "slogan" for shared governance for use, for instance, on CEPAC, Faculty and Professional Councils and ASMSU letterhead and web sites
5. creation of a CEPAC fact sheet for new staff orientation

Agenda Items - Bob O'Driscoll asked that Sara France send a reminder to CEPAC members, a week before each meeting, asking for additional agenda items.

There being no other business, Clara Sprague's motion that the meeting be closed was approved at 11.00 am.