MINUTES UAF STAFF COUNCIL MEETING #107 Friday, April 2, 1999 Wood Center Ballroom I Bev Frey called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Anderson, L. Candler, R. Aslam, D. Dufseth, K. Baergen, A. McClellan, L. Barnabey, T. (for B. Gieck) Parzick, J. Christensen, S. Rogers, P. Comstock, S. Rounds, P. Downes, I. Wilson, K. Enochs, K. York, R. Evans, C. Frey, B. OTHERS PRESENT: Hazelton, G. Camm, J. Leavy, D. (for P. Duvlea) Kirts, C. Martyn, P. Mosca, K. Murawsky, N. Oleson, B. Poe, A. Poole, A. Powell, D. Richardson, J. Simmons, H. Williams, F. Sowell, P. (for M. Scholle) Thomas, M. White, P. B. The Minutes to Meeting #106 (March 2, 1999) were approved as distributed via e-mail C. The agenda was adopted with the addition of a report on the Technology Advisory Board and Health Benefits under committee reports, items F. and G. II COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Staff Training - D. Powell The Committee is busily working on the Staff Longevity Awards Program on May 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the Wood Center Ballroom. There will be a special RIP presentation also. The remaining April Supervisory Training Schedule is: April 27 - 3:00 p.m., Interviewer Strategies: Finding the Best- Fit Employee, Wood Center Conference Room C Instructor: Todd Wheeler, Career Services Finding the "right" employee can often be a difficult process. Ideas will be presented and discussed on interviewing skills and techniques for the INTERVIEWER, as well as emerging types/styles of interviews which can help departments select the best-fit candidate. B. Rural Affairs - H. Simmons The committee met March 1 and Carolyn Chapman from Personnel Services answered staff questions regarding the JEF process. The next meeting is scheduled for April 5. The committee will address the joint course catalog for the rural sites with consolidated course information. C. Staff Affairs - L. Anderson Representative Anderson gave a brief update on health benefits. At the System Governance meeting, all campuses voted to support the UA 2000 health care plan. Lydia Anderson, Karen Enochs, and Patty White were selected to represent UAF staff to work on the plan and RFP. Staff from the other administrative units will also assist with the RFP and work on the plan. The committee addressed the motion which came down from UAA on tuition waivers for staff who retire from the University. The committee expressed concerns regarding the motion which include: what is the definition of retirement status, what does space available mean, how is this monitored, is this retroactive, could you work for another employer under PERS and receive this benefit, and is this continuous or cumulative service of 15 years to be eligible. This item will be addressed at the next Staff Affairs meeting on May 5. President-Elect Christensen stated that she forwarded the questions to Patty Thorton and Hillary Davies from UAA. The definition of retirement is the same as the definition that the University uses, anyone who qualifies in policy as a University retiree is included in the program. The space available is defined in Alaska statutes. The program is not retroactive, refunds will not be paid to individuals who have already paid tuition. There was no preference to cumulative or continuous years of service, as long as you had 15 years of service. The committee drafted goals for next year which include: red lined salaries, salary schedule, and staff stress levels. If you have any other issues that you would like Staff Affairs to address in the coming year, forward your comments to Lydia Anderson at fnlma@uaf.edu. Representative Sowell asked about a transfer between the University system and be considered an internal applicant. Representative Anderson stated that an employee is considered an internal applicant for the entire UA system. D. Elections, Membership & Rules - P. White Bob Gieck is doing field work and Patty White gave the committee report. The committee met on March 12 to address proposed changes to the bylaws. The first item addressed was representation outside the unit when there is a vacancy in the unit and there is lack of staff participation from within the unit. Concerns were expressed about someone from outside the unit representing a unit. They did favor this item and will not be forwarding a motion on this issue. Term limits was another issue addressed. The committee didn't support term limits either and felt it was necessary to limit the choices in representatives by placing term limits on the staff. The committee addressed the issue of co-president-elects and had some concerns. Who would make the deciding vote in a tie? Who would have the final say in personnel issues or strategy? What would happen if there is a personality conflict? The committee will also look at the workload for the president and president-elect. If you have any comments, forward them to Bob Gieck at fnreg@uaf.edu. 1. Open Nominations for President-Elect Nominations for president-elect were opened and will remain open until the May 12 meeting. The President-Elect will be elected from the staff at large by the representatives at the May 12 meeting. If you are interested in serving as President-Elect and would like more information, contact Bev Frey at beverly@gi.alaska.edu, Shannon Christensen at fnslc@uaf.edu, or the Governance Office at fystaff@uaf.edu. Representative Enochs nominated Representative Irene Downes. E. Ad Hoc Picnic Committee - A. Baergen The committee met on March 25. The theme for the picnic is "Surfin' Into Summer." Prizes continue to come in for the raffle and door prizes. Some of the prizes include an overnight at the Regency, two tickets on the Riverboat Discovery, Jim's Automotive, and the Bookstore. There is still no word if the University received their corporate donation of ticket vouchers from Alaska Airlines. Vice Chancellor Kirts indicated that we may not want to hold up the raffle because they have no idea when or if Alaska Airlines will make a donation of vouchers. The raffle drawing will be at the June 2 meeting. This will enable longer ticket sales and committee members will be able to sell tickets at the picnic. Advertisement for the picnic will dove tail with the longevity awards program. The dress code for the picnic will be tropical. The following flyer listing the food items each unit needs to bring for the picnic was distributed. UAF STAFF PICNIC - "SURFIN' INTO SUMMER" THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999 IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE STAFF LONGEVITY AWARDS PROGRAM IN THE COMMONS AREA BETWEEN GRUENING & CONSTITUTION HALL UNIT 2 - College of Rural Alaska, Tanana Salads/Baked Valley Campus, Alaska Cooperative Beans Extension UNIT 3 - College of Natural Resource Vegetable Trays Development & Management (SME, & Dips SOM, & SALRM) UNIT 4 - Institute of Arctic Biology Salads/Baked Beans UNIT 5 - Geophysical Institute Fruit UNIT 6 - School of Fisheries & Ocean Sciences Desserts UNIT 7 - Student Services Chips UNIT 8 - College of Liberal Arts Vegetable Trays & Dip UNIT 9 - Chancellor's Office, Center for Salads/Baked Global Change, Governance, Registrar's Beans Office, Graduate School, Provost's Office, Summer Sessions, University Relations, Development, REPP, UA Press, Proposal Office, Institution Research, Arctic Research UNIT 10 - College of Science, Engineering Desserts & Math, UA Museum UNIT 11 - Facility Services, Design & Fruit Construction, Physical Plant, Utilities UNIT 12 - VCAS Office, Contract Services, Chips Financial Services, Personnel Services, Safety Services, Risk Management UNIT 13 - Library Vegetable Trays & Dips F. Health Benefits - K. Enochs Health Benefits Committee met for the first time yesterday afternoon. Karen Enochs, Lydia Anderson, and Patty White represent UAF staff on this committee. The committee spent time looking at the UA2000 plan. The well baby visits do not count towards the $400 limit. The life time maximum benefit was changed from $1 million to $2 million. The wording was changed from wellness to read "preventative". Clarification was made regarding prescriptions, after you pay $7 or generic or $10 for name brand drugs, the plan picks up 100% of the cost. The Committee addressed the Request For Proposal (RFP). The committee will meet every Monday for the month of April to address the RFP. There is an intensive questionnaire that goes with the RFP. The committee will be addressing this questionnaire so that all our questions are answered from the proposed health care vendors. President-Elect Christensen asked that the questionnaire be sent out or placed on the web for staff input. The Governance Office will distribute a copy of this questionnaire to the representatives for their input. The RFP will go out the middle of May, with bids coming in by mid-July. The committee will review the bids in August. A health care provider will be selected prior to the November open enrollment. One faculty union will start re-negotiations on health benefits this summer, and CEA will re-negotiate health benefits the summer of 2000. Statewide administration hopes that the unions will accept the UA2000 plan to have better coverage and larger numbers, instead of a different plan with higher administrative costs. Concerns were reiterated regarding the out-of-network doctors. Coverage for out-of-network doctors is 60/40. The committee members were given an example of how this can save money when one hospital in Anchorage charges $12,000 for a normal delivery and the other hospital charges $3,900. However, employees always have a choice to use any provider. Fairbanks and Anchorage are considered network provider communities. In the rural areas, it is unclear how negotiable this area will be. Rural representatives expressed concern regarding this unclear area and how do they classify a rural area. G. Technology Board - I. Downes The UA Technology Advisory Board put out a RFP for fund projects that enhance the learning and classroom environment. The Tech Board received 25 proposals and funded 10. The Board will meet again next week to finish allocating funds. The Tech Board is still soliciting proposals for large projects. Irene Downes asked representatives to go back to their unit and let them know that the Tech Board is still looking for ideas which are new and that will enhance the learning environment or student life on campus. Forward the proposals to fychanc@uaf.edu. Representative Hazelton requested that a reminder be sent out to the rural employees. There is a web site for the Technology Board and this site can be accessed through the main UAF web page. There are some campuses who do not pay the technology fee and the proposals from these campuses were not considered. III OTHER BUSINESS A. Make Students Count Award - S. Christensen The purpose of this awards is to recognize an outstanding staff for their efforts on behalf of student from each major administrative unit. President Hamilton will formally recognize the winners at the June Board of Regents meeting. Nominations forms are due in the Governance Office on April 15. Staff Council leaders and student leaders will review the nominations and make recommendations. The nominations will then be forwarded to System Governance and President Hamilton will make the final selection. Representatives asked for clarification on if only full time employees are eligible for the award. President-Elect Christensen stated that she will get clarification on this matter. Representative Oleson asked that this information be faxed to the rural sites. Representative Downes stated that this information is also on the Staff Alliance web page. Vice Chancellor Kirts recommended that all staff who are nominated be recognized in some way. Makes Student Count Nomination Criteria: All full-time classified and APT staff employed by the University of Alaska anywhere in the university system are eligible to apply. Please complete the form and submit it together with a letter of nomination containing the service provided to students and three letters of endorsement from those who most closely have knowledge of the contribution made by the applicant/nominee. Please submit nomination packets to the UAF Governance Office, 312 Signers Hall by 5:00 p.m., Thursday, April 15. IV President's Report - B. Frey Parking Advisory Board - Terms have expired for the Parking Advisory Board this advisory board. This Board is a policy making board only, appeals will not be a part of the Board's function. If you are interested in serving on the Board, contact the Chancellor's Office at fychanc@uaf.edu. Staff members serving on various boards will be asked to give a report to Staff Council periodically. V Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services Remarks - F. Williams Technology - The University has been given increased band width starting up in September. Food Service - A project manager will be hired. There is an interim project manager at this time. Also a consultant has been hired. Representative Enochs asked that comments cards be placed on the West Ridge. E-mail comments to Dan Flodin or Vice Chancellor Williams. Representative Powell stated that she will bring the request of comment cards to the next Think Tank meeting. Polar Express Cards - The one card system will be on line in the fall. President Frey passed around her card. AT&T will be the vender. The program will be phased in and the system will be available for faculty, staff, and students. Contact Scott Ebanez and Sue Wilken for further information. This project has taken off with a lot of enthusiasm. A recommendation was made to have copying access available to all faculty, staff, and students. Recruitment - Chancellor Wadlow has authorized recruitment for 23 faculty and 9 staff. These positions as a result of the faculty and staff participating in the Retirement Incentive Program. VI Guest Speaker - Vice Chancellor Kirts, Student Services and University Relations and Advancement Dean Gabrielli was unable to make the meeting and Vice Chancellor Kirts was the guest speaker. Gift for Chancellor Wadlow - A scholarship has been created for Joan and Dick Wadlow by the senior staff including previous administrative staff, Mike Rice, Karen Cedzo, and Jack Keating. This scholarship is already at the endowed level. Anyone can contribute to this scholarship. This gift was a surprise for the Chancellor. If you are interested in contributing to this scholarship, contact Pamela Davis is the Development Office. TV Ads - Vice Chancellor Kirts played two TV ads that have been developed to promote UAF. Mike Mills, the new Director of Admissions is working on the out of state recruitment. Twenty states have been targeted for this type of recruiting. Admissions counselors met with current students from these states and asked what is it that we can do to capitalize on getting UAF's message out to the type of students in their state who would be interested in attending UAF. Polar Express Card - There are a number of units working on this project. Vice Chancellor Kirts stated that students will be able to copy with this card and this will be the pilot test to see how it will phase in to Banner. Staff Longevity Awards Program - Vice Chancellor Kirts will be out of town and won't be able to MC the ceremony this year and gave her apologizes to Staff Council. Publications - The new fall schedule is out and on the web. The publications incorporate the new brighter colors geared towards a younger audience. The new catalog is out with the bear face on the front. University Relations had five different mock-ups of catalog covers and high school students overwhelmingly selected the bear. Various designs of the bear have been trademarked and registered by UAF. This will alleviate unauthorized usage of the trademarks in inappropriate manner. Northern Parallel - This publication is sent out to supporters of the University and includes highlights of UAF activities. "This Week at UAF" highlights good things happening at UAF also. Food Service - Food service is being looked at on campus, and this includes all aspects of food service. A suggestion was made to have a sandwich cart in the Natural Science Facility. Chancellor Lind - Students Services and University Relations staff met incoming Chancellor Lind at an informal reception the beginning of April. Alcohol and Other Drugs - A committee is taking a look at this issue on campus. Concerns have been expressed regarding the elimination of the AWARE program. The committee will establish an action plan for alcohol and drug awareness, which will take a broad approach and incorporate agencies from the community. Enrollment and Retention - Mike Mills, director of Admissions, an enrollment plan has been established and is tied into the marking plan. The retention data has not been favorable and this will be addressed and individual departments will be looked at. Each department needs to ask what actions will make a difference in a students college experience. Logo Input - The logo with new exciting colors is designed to attract the young public. Statewide Student Affairs Conference will be held in Anchorage in early August. Staff Brochure - There isn't plans at this time for a staff brochure. The intent of these publications is to provide information for donations and recruiting tools. Donors don't typically give for administration, but will give when they know what the student and faculty doing. Make Students Count award will highlight staff who are making a difference. VII Governance Reports A. Faculty Senate - M. Schatz Madeline Schatz is ill and there was no report. B. ASUAF - J. Richardson Student leaders will meet with Marshall Lind on April 5. The ASUAF budget is being addressed. There is a shortfall of 20,000. Cuts will have to be made. Jean Richardson encouraged staff to testify on the University budget on Tuesday, April 6 at the Legislative Information Office. Also students will hold a rally statewide on April 13 and the theme will center around the $16.3 million increase President Hamilton has proposed. C. Alumni Association - J. Poole The budget is now at the House Finance Committee and has given flat funding thus far. Come out on April 6 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. to provide public testimony on the University budget at the Legislative Information Office. Talking Points were distributed and staff were encouraged to contact their legislators. UA Funding Talking Points - UA has seen a decline of over 35% in real dollars of its general fund budget since 1985. - Funding cuts have compelled the Board of Regents to more than triple tuition and increase fees since 1981 to offset general fund declines. - Campuses have reduced administration costs by $11.6 million during the past two years in an effort to protect instructional programs. - UA faculty and staff have been reduced by 248 full time positions in FY90-96, less than half have been filled. - The University has also identified and captured all alternative- funding sources available. This amounts to an additional $62 million in additional income during 1990-96. These include increased federal receipts, university receipts, indirect cost recovery and auxiliary receipts. - Deferred maintenance has left many facilities across the state in disrepair. Although money has been provided through capital revenue, there is still more to do. - Higher education spending by other stated increased nationally by 12% over the past two years, while higher education general fund spending in Alaska has decreased over the same period. - UA is an investment in the state. For every dollar the state invests the university returns $4.40. So for a $183 million fund investment the state will see a $806 million return. - The UA land bill has been touted as the answer to UA's funding problems. This is a diversion. UA will not see any revenues from a land grant for years, due to the required management plans, litigation, and capital investments. - Many other long term funding mechanisms, including general fund increases, land revenues, an endowment fund, etc. have been proposed over the past decade. Now is the time to start considering these options. - 95% of Alaskan's consider the university's programs and services important or very important according to a McDowell group study conducted in February 1998. - 64% of Alaskans believe state funding for the University should increase, and 2% believe state funding should decrease, according to the same study. D. Staff Alliance - S. Christensen Lobbying Efforts - Staff Alliance has been involved in the lobbying efforts along with Alumni. System Governance Office provided two postcards for staff to write to there legislators. At the state of the University address, President Hamilton encouraged everyone involved to contacted their legislators. Make Students Counts - Staff Alliance has been working on this award and President-Elect Christensen will clarify eligibility of staff members to only full-time staff and certificates will be distributed to all staff who are nominated. Accreditation - Governance will play a part in the accreditation process. Retreat - Staff Alliance will take part in a retreat in Juneau April 13-15. VIII Comments and Questions A. President-Elect Christensen has been trying to make at least one meeting from each of the committees. In planning for next year, President-Elect Christensen asked the committees to address the issue of chairs or vice chairs. Also, a recommendation was made to have committee meetings scheduled within 10 days after the Staff Council meeting. IX Announcements A. The April meeting schedule was included in the agenda for the representatives convenience. X The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 a.m. Tapes of this Staff Council meeting are available in the Governance Office at 312 Signers' Hall, if anyone wishes to listen to the complete tapes. Submitted by Kathy Mosca, Staff Council secretary.