Draft Minutes

 

Annual Meeting

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

10:00am – 12:00 noon

Fairbanks location:  Butrovich Building – Room 212B

Anchorage location: ULB Videoconference Room.

 

 

1.          Call to order and roll call

 

Members Present:

 

Lisa Sporleder, President 

Lori Merdes, Vice President

Nikki Blake

Tami Choquette

Betty Dupee

 

Others Present:

 

Pat Ivey, Executive Officer, System Governance

Hans Gunderson, Admin. Coordinator,

           System Governance

Mike Humphrey, Director, Benefits

Mike Molnia

Bess Rounds

Barb Rusher, Alternate

 

 

 

2.         Adopt agenda

 

MOTION: Moved by Dupee, seconded by Choquette, passed without objection

 

“The Statewide Administration Assembly moves to adopt the agenda for the July 13, 2005 meeting.  This action is effective July 13, 2005.”

 

3.         Approve minutes of June 6, 2005 meeting

            http://gov.alaska.edu/saa/minutes

 

            MOTION: Moved by Rusher, seconded by Choquette, passed without objection.

 

“The Statewide Administration Assembly moves to approve the minutes of the June 6, 2005 meeting as amended on page four, last sentence, changed to read: ‘Tami Choquette reported that the Staff Giving Campaign was in full swing; that she, Isabel Martinez and Lori Merdes…’  This action is effective July 13, 2005.”

 

4.         Public Comments

 

There were no public comments.

 

5.         Guest Comments

 

There were no guest comments.

 

6.         Staff Alliance Update

            http://gov.alaska.edu/staff/Minutes/2005/07-12.html

 

Lisa Sporleder updated members on Staff Alliance concerns, specifically about the senior citizen tuition waiver discussions. The policy as written does not preclude the university from admitting tuition-waived seniors into classes in order to beef up enrollment for the purposes of meeting enrollment minimums in order for the class to be taught.  SAA decided to take leadership in developing regulations to preclude this practice.  Barbara Rusher asked to be part of that process.

 

Sporleder also updated the group on the progress toward hiring an employee communications specialist. 

 

7.         Per Diem Update and Comments on Travel Regulations       

http://www.alaska.edu/bor/contents/pt5.xml  

 

No one was present from the travel office to discuss the issue, although there is some evidence that reactivating per diem for same-day travel is being considered.

 

8.         Retirement Update

 

At the June Board of Regents meeting, regents set the university’s defined contribution rate to the current Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) at 12 percent.  Currently, only executives and certain faculty are enrolled.  The implementation date for the university to add new employees to the plan is July 1, 2006, per Senate Bill 141.  Meanwhile, the regents have asked the university to add a healthcare provision to ORP.  The university is looking at vendors and national trends and will be sitting down with different groups as plans are formulated.

 

9.         Wellness Update

 

Mike Humphrey said the university is entering an unprecedented era for healthcare inflation and is rolling out a wellness program.  The task force has looked at four plans and has selected one that most closely fits university needs, one that provides assessment, coaching and communications.  The first step will be for employees to fill out a risk form for which they will be receive a monetary incentive.  Secondly, Premera Blue Cross working with Summex will compile the data and give the university data on how many are low, medium and high risk health-wise.  Those in the high risk category will be able to receive healthcare coaching with a live person by phone and email.  The rollout date for implementation is mid fall.

 

On other fronts in the benefits office, Mike is also, with a staff of one person, developing requests for proposals.  Every five years, the university is required to send its benefits package out to bid.

           


 

10.        ITS Security Policy and Agreement Review                           

http://gov.alaska.edu/saa/SW-IR-rules31Jul03.pdf

            http://gov.alaska.edu/saa/ITS-IR-Agreement-2004-06-18.pdf 

 

The need has not abated for a user friendly guideline to the ITS security policy and agreement, but this task has been set aside until after the ITS merger.

 

11.        IT Merger

http://www.alaska.edu/itmerger/

 

Lori Merdes discussed the IT merger progress to date, saying that the new combined office is now called the Office of Information Technology. The deadline for transition team reports is August 5.  Merdes announced a logo contest, the prize for which is a round trip saver ticket on Alaska Airlines. Betty Dupee asked where the funding would be coming from for the Office of Information Technology.  Merdes explained that UAF funds and Statewide funds would remain where they are, with final expenditure approval by Steve Smith and that only the functions would be merged.

 

12.        Post Board of Regents Update

            http://www.alaska.edu/bor/minutes/minutes.xml

 

This was an item of information.  No action was required.

 

13.        Other Items of Interest

 

Bess Rounds announced that the statewide staff picnic would be held August 16 at the President’s house.

                                                                                               

14.        Agenda Items for the Next Meeting – Wednesday, August 10, 2005

 

            Agenda items may include but may not be limited to: travel regulations, IT merger and

tuition waivers for seniors.

 

15.        Member Comments

 

            There were no additional member comments.

 

16.        Adjourn

 

            The meeting was adjourned at 11:55am.