Classified Employees
Personnel Advisory Committee (CEPAC)
Spring
Bulletin, 2006
What is CEPAC?
A
committee of 11 classified staff members, elected by their peers to serve every
MSU classified employee (1100 people, in 193 titles across 5 EEO categories,
working locally and remotely). CEPAC (which is not a union) facilitates
communication and co-operation between MSU staff, students, faculty,
professionals, our campus administration and that of the MUS. Through Shared Governance, CEPAC pursues
improved professional welfare for the staff, and various other pertinent
goals. It promotes higher education, and
the University’s role within the State economy.
What
is the CEPAC Bulletin?
An
outline of our recent work and activity, published quarterly for staff not
regularly accessing electronic communications.
This service is in direct response to staff requests made via CEPAC’s 360 Review, in 2005.
If
you would like further details on any topic mentioned here, please see the “how
to find out more” section at the end of the bulletin.
Shared Governance
www.montana.edu/prescomm/leadership.html
CEPAC
is experiencing increasing cross-campus communication and cooperation. The partners in Shared Governance, (staff, student,
faculty, professional, and administrator representatives) are discussing issues
of mutual interest. We exchange
knowledge and ideas from the diverse perspective of each of our constituent
groups, with the aim of problem solving and the collaborative fulfillment of goals
and objectives.
For
CEPAC, this cooperation extends beyond the
The
influence of the Shared Governance protocol is evident in this bulletin. It is a CEPAC priority to involve as many
staff as possible in Shared Governance activity.
The
voice of the classified staff is being heard on the
Information Sharing
CEPAC’s undertakings
are directed by feedback from staff members like you. We also need a working knowledge of campus
activity in general. Thus, CEPAC relies heavily
upon direct staff contact (outreach), collaboration with our representatives on
various campus committees, and regular communications with our Shared
Governance partners.
Outreach
Visits with our constituents: since launching our outreach program in September,
CEPAC has visited with 28 groups and departments, local and off-campus staff. We are particularly pleased when supervisors
and managers attend in support of their staff. We continue to arrange outreach
visits, but please feel free to request one for your department today!
Soliciting staff input: CEPAC regularly polls staff opinion. Recent surveys include parking issues, and
if/how staff must supplement their MSU salaries (please see “Updates” section).
Outreach
provides CEPAC with powerful, first-hand information invaluable in our efforts
to broadcast the classified perspective and to finding workable solutions to
far-reaching issues.
Committee
Representation
CEPAC
is vested in classified representation on various campus committees and task
forces, and we recruit broadly within the workforce. CEPAC coordinates 25-30 reps, maintaining
close contact around our respective committees’ activities.
Shared
Governance Steering Committee
For
some time now, CEPAC has been meeting with Faculty and Professional Councils
and ASMSU. Together, we are consolidating the experience of our constituent
groups, strengthening communications, and building foundations for the
future. Recently, these discussions have
melded into the more formal weekly meetings of the Shared Governance Steering
Committee. At the same time, CEPAC is
proud of the support of MSU administrators, with whom we enjoy a regular and open
dialogue – the fifth partner in Shared Governance.
Board
of Regents
CEPAC
and our MUSSA colleagues attended the regularly scheduled agenda time with the
Regents, in March (please see “Professional Development & Training”). In addition, CEPAC spearheaded the first of
what we hope will be a series, of more intimate on-campus Regent meetings. We led our partners in Shared Governance in a
very worthwhile exchange of views with Regents Stephen Barrett (
Some Pressing Topics
Salary
Issues
Over
the last 2-3 years, local housing costs etc have presented a new focus for
CEPAC. We continue to research every possible solution
to cost of living-type problems.
Individually, and with our MUSSA colleagues and Shared Governance
partners, CEPAC delivers information relevant
in decision-making to university
administrators, the Board of Regents, and even the Legislature.
Recruitment
& Retention
o
|
“Help Wanted: |
||
|
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
|
1,097 |
3,928 |
4,720 |
o
MSU’s recruitment and retention difficulties are impacting
its service standards, and eroding institutional knowledge:
|
|
FY04 |
FY05 |
|
.5 FTE+ staff positions |
1154 |
1176 |
|
Total classified searches |
270 |
277 |
|
Positions vacated by staff
leaving MSU |
153 |
124 |
|
% vacated positions (leaving
MSU) where incumbent held post for less than 3 years |
53% |
62.5% |
MSU
and MUS Goals & Objectives
CEPAC
strives to frame its activities in the context of MSU Bozeman’s Five Year
Vision, and Board of Regent strategies (educational attainment, economic
development, and institutional efficiency) maintaining relevance to other
campus and MUS efforts.
Updates
Supplementing
Staff Salaries Survey, 2006
In
January, CEPAC surveyed a random selection of classified staff, to determine
whether MSU classified employees working in Bozeman supplement their MSU
salaries in order to meet their basic financial needs and, if so, how. (This was a follow-up to our “Two Jobs”
survey of 2004). We received an extraordinary
63% response rate, and unsolicited
offers of information from staff not selected for the survey (not included
here)! The outcomes of this effort have
been complimented as providing “a really meaningful set of data”. The full report is available from the CEPAC
office or on the web, but here’s an idea of the content.
|
2006 (responses of full time staff) |
Yes |
|
Do you subsidize your MSU
salary in any way (including other jobs)? |
85% |
|
Are you currently employed
in more than one paying job? |
37% |
|
If NOT working another job,
do you subsidize in other ways? |
47% |
|
If WORKING another job, do
you also subsidize in other ways? |
81% |
http://www.montana.edu/staffsenate/supplementing2006.pdf
Professional
Development & Training
Local
campuses and the Board of Regents continue to support CEPAC and our MUSSA
colleagues’ combined initiative for the provision of professional development
and training opportunities for classified staff. The concept recognizes the classified call
for equal opportunity in this area (e.g. 9 of the 23 classified tactics in MSU’s 5 Year Vision contain PD/career development elements)
offering a PD&T curriculum/inventory, chosen by the staff to meet its self-determined
need. The program design utilizes pooled
resources (both materials and expertise) from across the MUS, and shares them equally
among all interested staff members.
The
Regents have strongly praised our inter campus collaboration and called the initiative
“well suited to the mission of the MUS”.
In further discussion with the Office of the Commissioner of Higher
Education, we intend to apply to the Regents for approval to commence the
project this summer.
CEPAC
Membership Elections
New members, starting
Jamie O’Callaghan, for Tech/Paraprofessional
Rose Cain, for Service Maintenance
Rich Stafford, for Skilled Crafts
CEPAC Needs Your Help
Keep your feedback coming: please call, email, or write about your experiences
as an MSU employee at any time - no need to wait for a survey!
Spotlight features: surveys and departmental visits provide a huge amount of information about
the tremendous contribution the classified staff makes to the university. Help us share this with the rest of campus by
celebrating a team, or individual, via our web-based Spotlight program. http://www.montana.edu/staffsenate/spotlightpage.html
How to Find out More
For
further information about any of the topics mentioned here, to ask questions,
log concerns, or become more involved with CEPAC or Shared Governance:
Come to a CEPAC meeting:
CEPAC encourages everyone to attend our monthly public
meetings held on the second Wednesday of the month from
Or contact us:
At
our office:
Office: Room B, Hannon Hall
Tel: 994
6895
Hours: Mon, Wed, Thur
Admin Associate: Sara France sfrance@montana.edu
Via the web: www.montana.edu/staffsenate
By calling a CEPAC member (employment
category shown in italics):
Genevieve Burmeister, Chair
Secretarial/Clerical, ext. 3881
Michelle Larsen, Chair-elect
Secretarial/Clerical, ext. 5081
Eileen Baker ext. 6756
Technical Paraprofessional
Matt Blazicevich, ext. 3353
Service Maintenance
Steve Burk, ext. 7787
Classified Professional
Ray Byerly,
ext. 2107
Skilled Crafts
Mary Engel, ext. 1982
Secretarial/Clerical
Kristine Mashaw,
ext. 7042
Technical Paraprofessional
Robert Monnin,
ext. 2107
Skilled Crafts
Dan McGuire, ext. 2098
Service Maintenance
Sheron McIlhattan, ext. 3653
Classified Professional