Draft Minutes
10:00am –
- Public
participation is welcome.
- Please
do not disrupt proceedings when the meeting is in progress
1. Call to order and roll
call
Members Present:
Lisa Sporleder,
President
Lori
Merdes, Vice President
Isabel
Martinez, Secretary
Nikki
Blake
Barb
Rusher
Betty
Dupee
Tami
Choquette
Vince
Yelmene
Bess
Rounds
Others
present:
Pat
Ivey, Executive Officer, System Governance
Jodi
Bailey, Administrative Coordinator, System Governance
Jim
Johnsen, Vice President of Faculty and Staff Relations
Debra
Carter, Employee Communications Specialist
2. Adopt agenda
http://gov.alaska.edu/saa/agendas/2005/12-15.pdf
MOTION: Passed without objection moved by Barb Rusher
and seconded by Isabel Martinez.
“The
Statewide Administrative Assembly moves to adopt the agenda for the
3. Approve minutes of November 9, 2005
meeting
http://gov.alaska.edu/saa/minutes/2005/11-09.pdf
MOTION: Passed without objection moved by Betty Dupee
and seconded by Barb Rusher.
“The
Statewide Administrative Assembly moves to adopt the minutes for the
4. Guest/Public Comments
No public comments.
5. Staff
Lisa
gave an update on the last staff alliance meeting, which took place this past
Jim
Johnsen has received twelve applications, and he was pleased with those who had
applied. The position recruitment ended
on December 12th. This
position will be responsible for coordinating training across the system as well
as implementing training within Statewide.
The
employee education benefits will be brought to the forefront again in February,
after the Regents address the retirement benefit issues. Human Resources and the Regents are trying to
implement any new changes to the retirement plans before the new fiscal year
begins on July 1.
Staff
The
group also discussed in detail the new NORP II plan.
Staff
The
group was invited, along with Faculty Alliance, to a meeting the Friday before
the Regents meeting, to discuss the new NORP II plan that was being brought to
the board.
Lisa
discussed the last regents meeting and the comments given by her and the
faculty chair, Lynn Shepherd, regarding the new NORP II. After the testimony, the new NORP II plan was
tabled by the Regents pending further review at the special human resource committee
meeting. The meeting is scheduled during
the day before their retreat next month in
The
governance regulation ad hoc committee will reconvene soon, due to General
Counsel advising the President to reject the regulation.
6. Senior Tuition Waiver Regulation
http://www.alaska.edu/bor/contents/pt5.xml
Lisa
informed the group that the issue will take a hiatus during the holiday season,
but will return in January.
7. IT Merger
http://www.alaska.edu/itmerger/
On
December 12th the reporting status has officially changed to Office
of Information Technology for both UAF and Statewide. The office has received approval from University
Relations for UAF and Statewide for use of their new logo. The new logo is at UAF graphics and is being
forwarded to printing services for new business cards and letterhead to be
produced for staff.
OIT
staff, in particular, is invited to a brown bag lunch meeting today, to discuss
the changes of procedures. Human
resources and labor relations will be at the meeting to assist and answer
questions for staff OIT is currently having difficulties using the new uakjobs.com
website because IT is no longer apart of UAF or Statewide.
This afternoon, there is a mandatory management
communications meeting, which is being led by human relations and labor
relations, to assist the new OIT management that has been designated on the
organizational chart. They will answer
questions on how to effectively answer questions to staff who is currently
split between both MAUs.
Lori
will meet with Steve and his directors next week to discuss current and
upcoming projects to make sure there is no overlapping or abrupt ending of a
service.
UAF has
put together a council that represents staff, faculty and students to address
possible problems and has priorities that they would like Steve to focus on
while this project is being completed.
Steve would like Statewide to put a council together as well, to work on
the same issues and bring him some statewide concerns and questions as well.
8. NORP II – New Retirement Program
Jim
Johnsen gave a brief overview of the rising costs of the retirement plans
around the nation, and how the University is also suffering. Last legislative session, they stated that
they would no longer accept anymore individuals into their current PERS/TRS
programs. They created new programs
which will become effective this coming July.
He also gave a history of the original ORP (Optional Retirement Plan)
plan, which was created in 1990. The
employer contribution rate was originally created to follow a three year
rolling average of the TRS employer rate, but now it is over and above what the
University can withstand. This is caused
by the PERS/TRS retirement plans being under-funded by $6-7 billion across the
state and rising. To try to fix the under-funding,
they attempted to increase the employer contribution rate which, in turn increased
the ORP rate.
The
Board of Regents decided to create NORP (New Optional Retirement Plan) to stop the
growth of the employer contribution rate.
This plan became effective this past July.
To continue
to save money, the University needs to create a more cost-saving retirement plan
(NORP II) for new employees. This plan
needs to try to stay attractive, yet cost effective. It will likely have a vesting requirement for
the employer’s contribution, but will include a health benefit. Human resources will also try to open it up
to new and current staff, but the difficulty will be having the current staff
move over. The University will be held
financially responsible, in the end, for all PERS debt if a member does switch
over.
9. Christmas Potluck - December 16
Bess
gave an update on the potluck, stating that she has passed two sign up sheets
around the building. So far, there is
going to be: 15 desserts, 10 vegetables, 12 main dishes, 10 rolls and 8
platters. Big Daddy’s BarbQ is scheduled
to bring 28 pounds of pulled pork, brisket and rib tips. Bess is also bringing Mardi Gras masks for
people who didn’t have time to create their own, and she is also working on the
prize for the best one. The movie that
will be playing this year will be “Christmas Vacation” with
10. Canned
Last
year, the Food Bank received over 500 pounds of food; therefore, we’re trying
to beat that number this year.
11. Love Inc. Project
This
year, the group had received an elderly woman and a single mother with an
infant. Yesterday, Barb Rusher delivered
the items that had been collected for the two families. Barb will be picking up a receipt book for
the staff members who had donated.
12. Agenda
Items for the Next Meeting –
Canned
13. Member
Comments
No comments.
14. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at