West Virginia Association of Concerned Classified Employees

Meeting Minutes

August 9, 2000

Marshall University Graduate College

MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE

MEMBERS ABSENT

GUESTS

QUORUM

Following discussion it was moved, seconded and passed that ten representatives, or their proxies, would constitute a quorum at ACCE meetings. This is the number that must be present to make any decision requiring a vote. Membership is currently nineteen. Eastern Community & Technical College will be contacted about representation.

MINUTES

It was moved, seconded and passed that draft minutes will be distributed by e-mail, changes incorporated, and the final draft brought to the next meeting for further discussion and approval. Ms. Pitzer stressed the importance of e-mail input to the draft version.

It was moved, seconded and passed that the minutes of the July 11, 2000, meeting be approved with the addition of the two referenced attachments.

Approved minutes will be distributed to the following:

• ACCE Representatives to distribute on their campuses to their
• Staff Councils and Advisory Council of Faculty (ACF) Reps
• Interim Chancellor John Thralls
• Interim Governing Board Chair Cathy Armstrong
• HEPC Chair John Hoblitzell
• HEPC Liaison Margaret Buttrick
• Advisory Council of Faculty Chair Nigel Clark
• Joint Commission for Community & Technical Colleges Chair Susan Faulkner
• Ms. Pryor for posting on the ACCE web site

LETTER FROM CHANCELLOR THRALLS

Ms. Pitzer distributed copies of a response from Chancellor Thralls to our letter of July 25, 2000. He invited the ACCE President to address the HEPC at their August 29, 2000, meeting. Ms. Pitzer notified Ms. Buttrick that she will attend, and hopes to include the other members of the Executive Committee as well. We developed a table of short- and long-term Issues, Recommendations, Justifications, and Consequences to present to the HEPC. A copy of Dr. Thralls' letter is attached.

Ms. Buttrick suggested expanding the wording of our Salary Schedule goal to include the concepts of classification system and compensation package/program. She said that the Presidents had met that morning and reviewed Institutional Compacts. NCHEMS is on contract to identify peer Institutions and the outcome will affect the Salary Schedule.

LONG TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE

Ms. Vingle spoke about the lack of uniformity in access to TIAA Group Long-Term Disability Insurance. It is not available to Classified Employees on all campuses. She distributed a document TIAA GROUP LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE FOR WEST VIRGINIA STATE SYSTEM OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES and polled the members present about the availability of the insurance on their campuses. Each representative will report about availability on their campuses at the September 13, 2000, meeting.

HEPC OFFICE LIAISON REPORT

Ms. Buttrick will send out the Chancellor's Interpretive Memoranda since we could not get them from the HEPC web page. She advised that Number 4 - Non-Classified Status for Positions Considered Critical to the Institution may be amended to include the process, so she will send the packet after that has been done.

In response to a request, Ms. Buttrick provided information on the promotion policy: 5% increase per pay grade or new minimum, which ever is greater. Rounding to the next highest step as indicated by Series 62 was changed by a directive from the chancellors in 1994 indicating that the rounding portion of the rule was not in effect.

Ms. Buttrick shared her "HEPC Human Resources (HR) Philosophy". She stresses that individual employees, and people with employment inquiries, should always go to the HR Office on their campus first. But she is always available to talk to employees who identify themselves, and will address an issue with the campus HR Office if it seems appropriate.

Ms. Buttrick distributed the following handouts:

• Updated ACCE contact list
• July 1, 2000, average pay increases by campus
• Red-Line Classified Staff, Hired Above Entry, FY 99-2000, by campus and pay grade
• Red-Line Classified Staff, Not Hired Above Entry, FY 99-2000, by campus and pay grade

Both Ms. Buttrick and Ms. Vingle had information about the $40 million PEIA surplus. Since PEIA is required to maintain a reserve, those funds will be used for that purpose.

COMMITTEE WORK

ACCE Goals were reviewed and tasks assigned to Standing Committees as follows:

• Legislative - Increment Cap (II), Term Limits (IV), Expanded Representation on ACCE (VI), Seat on HEPC (VII), Existence beyond SB653 (VIII)
• Policy - Personnel Policies (V)
• Legislative & Policy - Salary Schedule, etc. (I)
• Benefits - PEIA (III)
• Web Page - Communication with ACF (IX), Determine and develop web page information

It is the responsibility of the committee chairs to call meetings and make reports at monthly meetings.

The group then broke into committee meetings and brought back the following reports:

Benefits

Disability insurance, phased retirement, and retirement shares equality with public education were identified as issues to work on in addition to PEIA.

Legislative

Goals assigned to the committee, including those linked to Policy, were discussed and prioritized for recommendation to the Committee Chair. Concerns were expressed about information posted on the web page. The Committee will schedule its meetings tied to the regular monthly meetings, and Mr. Nebel will report in September.

Policy

Policy bulletins and series were distributed. The Committee is open to suggestions about how to proceed.

Web Page

The page was reviewed and additional options discussed. The BOD-ACCE page developed at Concord College was offered as a source of ideas. It is http://www.concord.edu/~cstaff. Mr. Britton said that Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free, can enable us to read the .pdf files on the HEPC web site. The concern with this is that those of us on Institutional networks cannot do this on their own. The ACCE web page has links to each Institution's page and e-mail links for each member. The Committee will be responsible for communication with the ACF.

NEXT MEETING

The ACCE will meet Wednesday, September 13, 2000, at 12:30 PM in the Drain-Jordan Library Conference Room at West Virginia State College in Institute,. Ms. Fertig distributed directions, campus maps and parking passes.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved, seconded and passed to adjourn the meeting.