CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

2003 Fee Waiver Survey

Updates:

1. November, 2003 - MPEA ratified, and the Board of Regents passed, a partial tuition fee waiver (50%) benefit for dependents of employees who have been employed at least 3/4 time for 5 or more consecutive years. This partial tuition fee waiver will be piloted during FY05 only, beginning with the 2004 summer session.
2. December, 2003 - President Gamble attended CEPAC's December meeting and discussed the MPEA-negotiated waiver (above) and CEPAC's future strategy regarding the staff's other requests in this regard
3. February, 2004 - CEPAC members attended the MUS-Labor Management Committee Meeting and learned that this is the appropriate forum through which to forward staff requests for additional fee waiver considerations
4. March, 2004 - CEPAC reports to the Commissioner of Higher Education its plan to further the additional fee waiver considerations to the MUS-Labor Management Committee
5. May, 2004 - CEPAC welcome to further the outcomes of the Fee Waiver Survey via the MUS Labor Management Committee
6. July 14, 2004 - CEPAC memo to MUS Labor Management Committee
7. November 4, 2004 - MUS Labor Management Committee meeting at which CEPAC July 14 memo discussed. See MUS Labor Management Committee meeting notes

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Methods of Contact: Announcements were sent by email and posted in hard copy.

Personnel & Payroll estimate there to be about 1,000 classified staff associated with the Bozeman campus, and the classified staff email listserv currently contains 802 addresses. As CEPAC is aware, the listserv does not automatically update as staff are employed or terminate. In addition to Dawn Watkins' offer to provide information on new hires, Allen Porter of ITC has undertaken to regularly utilize methods whereby the listserv may be made more comprehensive. Thus, in future, CEPAC announcements should reach optimum staff numbers.

The survey was announced over the MSU-Bozeman classified staff listserv on September 18th, and flyers sent to Residence Life and Facilities Services staff, for display in appropriate areas. Despite some delay, associated with mail delivery, the flyers were distributed and/or displayed for approximately two weeks prior to the CEPAC meeting of October 8th.

Visits to the web pages carrying the survey and associated information received 298 and 316 hits respectively (9/18-10/8/03). One hundred and forty one people responded to the survey (nearly 13% of the potential total), delivering their answers both electronically or via the campus mail, suggesting that both the email announcement and hard copy flyers had reached a fair number of classified staff.

Summary of Responses: Please see the attached sheets for full details of staff responses. In summary, 95% had some previous knowledge of the tuition fee waver benefit, and 42% had utilized it. Half (51%) had experienced no restriction against their potential use of the waiver, and several said they would (38%), or might (26%), take classes in the future. It appeared that few respondents knew all the facts about the waiver, and several took the view point that people already holding a degree would have no interest in taking classes.

Issues Arising from the Responses: Many employees appeared to have one difficulty in common: balancing work schedules with class offerings. Several people identified online or more evening classes as possible solutions to the conflict. However, experiences differed widely with respect to departmental/supervisor authorization of the fee waiver request, particularly in the area of day time absences. Reports indicate some dissatisfaction at the absence of uniform policy in this regard.

Respondents made some requests: (a) for a reciprocal arrangement with the Great Falls and University of Missoula campuses; (b) for part time staff be allowed a pro-rated benefit (e.g. a 3 credit waiver for 0.5 FTE); (c) for Extended studies/continuing education courses to be covered by the waiver; (d) for the waiver to be passed from the employee to family members.

Comments reveal confusion over some aspects of the waiver (e.g. [i] the degree plan requirement; [ii] departmental discretion to deny authorization of the waiver; [iii] the staff scholarship program). Also, other issues, such as the potential tax implications of utilizing the waiver, may be unknown by many employees.

Some verbal feedback was received regarding confusion over the origins of the email announcement, as the message did not come from "CEPAC" itself. Apparently, some people felt inclined to delete the message without reading it for fear of virus contamination in an email from an unknown source.

Research on Issues Arising: CEPAC's original announcement questioned whether the fee waiver could be used for online classes for credit from MSU-Great Falls. Eleanor Wend, at the Bozeman Tech Center (522 0830), local coordinator for online classes and workshops, including those from Great Falls, has confirmed that it can.

Respondents' requests (a) reciprocal arrangements with MSU-Great Falls and the University of Montana. Becky Roeder, Financial Aid, has confirmed that since this is a Board of Regents policy, any eligible employee of a state institution of post-secondary education, can use the waiver at any other like institution. Bozeman employees may, therefore, take classes at Great Falls, U of M, Western, etc., using the waiver form issued by the individual school.

(b) pro-rated benefit for part time staff, (c) inclusion of Extended studies/continuing education classes, and (d) passing the fee waiver to family members are, presumably, matters for the Board of Regents. Becky Roeder, in Financial Aid, has confirmed that Extended studies/continuing education classes, and that staff working less than 0.75 FTE are specifically excluded as per the Board of Regents current policy. Of course, item (d) has been raised with the Regents, by CEPAC, with no current resolution.

Confusions: Becky Roeder, Financial Aid, has confirmed the following:

• The faculty/staff fee waiver is not subject to satisfactory academic performance standards for financial aid. Eligible staff do not need a degree plan, nor be in a degree program. It's a registrar's rule that students can take up to 9 credits as a non-degree student, and apply these to a degree at matriculation into a degree program. However, of course, only 6 credits could be covered by the fee waiver. Alternatively, eligible staff may take unrelated classes purely out of interest.
• The fee waiver "benefit" is subject to the stipulations of a Board of Regents policy. Therefore no exceptions can be made in terms of eligibility. However, supervisors, deans and directors are at liberty to set their own departmental rules (for example, as to whether or not absences will be allowed during the working day and/or how time will be made up).

Tax implications: Max Thompson, via Ami Trujillo, Personnel & Payroll, has confirmed a legislature change currently in effect (staff should check periodically with their tax advisor for changes in the law). The waiver is still reported on a 1098T form but is not included on the W2 or tax return. The only exception is if the value of the waiver exceeds $5250, which would not be the case at MSU.

Email announcements: Carol Shannon, ITC, currently acts as "go-between" for CEAPC, sending out announcements via the MSU classified staff listserv. She has confirmed that she is willing to do so as a favor to CEPAC, but thinks it appropriate for announcements to come from current CEPAC officers directly. Carol has offered to remain authorized to post to the listserv in situations of absence or emergency. Sara France, Secretary, has been added as an authorized sender. Future announcements could, therefore, be sent in Sara's name rather than Carol's. In order for announcements to appear to be coming from CEPAC itself, CEPAC would have to have an email address with one or more officers sending/receiving messages. There are two possible ways to set this up.

• It is already being done with Exchange email accounts. One or more officers would be authorized to send/receive messages. Exchange accounts carry a one-time $29 license fee and a $6 per year client license for each computer sending/receiving messages (transferable as new officers are elected). If the officers operating the CEPAC address already have Microsoft client licenses ($6/yr) these would not be payable in addition.
• A similar service is potentially available on the Gemini server, at no cost. CEPAC messages would be forwarded to the Inboxes of such officers as have been authorized to send/receive. When sending messages, they would specify "CEPAC" rather than the message going out by individual names.