ADVISORY COUNCIL OF CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES

Minutes of Meeting

June 28, 2001

Marshall University Graduate College

South Charleston, West Virginia

The Advisory Council of Classified Employees met at 1:00 pm, Thursday, June 28, 2001, at the Marshall University Graduate College, South Charleston, WV.

MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:

MEMBERS ABSENT

GUESTS:

HEPC Central Office: Chancellor J. Michael Mullen, and Chancellors Liaison Margaret Buttrick. Other guest included Patty Hendershot, West Liberty State College; Sandra Crist, WVU Institute of Technology; Allen Collins, WVU  Parkersburg; and Sandy Shriver, Fairmont State College.

APPROVAL OF MAY 29, 2001 MINUTES: Minutes were approved as submitted by ACCE Secretary Ellen Broudy.

MEETING WITH WVHEPC CHANCELLOR MULLEN: The Chancellor was presented a series of Questions & Awareness Issues to share with ACCE membership. Issues included:

1. Salary - Institutions will develop multi-year plans for classified employees to progress to full funding of the new salary schedule by the 2005 Fiscal Year. A question that presently remains unclear is whether an employee hired after July 1, 2001 will start at the new, in state code, salary schedules equity step for each pay grade. A potential problem that may result in grievances is that hiring new employees at the equity step will result to what the Chancellor calls a salary inversion. It is possible that new hires will receive more salary than some employees who have served in a pay grade for a number of years.
2. Peer Equity Funds - The WVHEPC (West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission) will distribute $9.2 million in new funding, provided by the Legislature, to bring institutions within their peers funding allocation.
3. Salary Assumptions - All salary increases are to be effective October 1, 2001. With all classifications to receive increases but not necessarily each individual employee.
4. ACCE representation is expected for the Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College, as well as on the Board of Governors. The Chancellor is very receptive to meeting with the ACCE on a regular basis. He encourages our membership to notify his office as far in advance as possible, the time and place of our meetings. If his schedule is open at that time he will meet with us.
5. Classified Employees Projected Costs of Salary Scenarios for FY 2001-2002 - Chancellor reviewed this draft document of salary scenarios that lists each institution with information on (1) number of employees, (2) current base pay, (3) cost of funding new equity, (4) number of employees to receive equity increases, (5) cost to fund one step increases for all employees and (6) cost to fund an additional step to all employees.
6. SB 653 Funding Upon Passage of SB 303 - Peer Equity - $9.2 Million, Community and Technical Colleges - $2 Million, Research - $1 Million, Lottery - $1 Million, Higher education special projects - $4 Million, a grand total of $17.2 Million approved during the June special legislative session.

The WVHEPC is planning a joint meeting and training session for the new governing boards August 2 & 3, 2001 at the Embassy Suites in Charleston.

The Chancellor was unable to stay for additional questions due to another commitment. He encouraged the ACCE to make arrangements with his staff for future meetings as far in advance as possible to ensure that he can schedule to meet with us on a regular basis.

LIAISON REPORT: The Chancellors Liaison, Margaret Buttrick, reviewed many of the questions and issues that the Chancellor did not have the opportunity to address. Questions that she felt could best be answered by the Chancellor would be given to Dr. Mullen for proper action.

Margaret distributed the recent approved Grievance Procedure under West Virginia code 29-6A-1. The document is similar to the Grievance Procedure in State Code for public education employees.

Copies of the following were made available for ACCE members:

1. WV Higher Education Policy Commission 2001-2002 Meeting Dates.
2. HEPC Advisory Council of Classified Employees representative campus address information.
3. HEPC Institutional Board of Governors staff representative campus address information.
4. Commission Communiqui - Newsletter results of May 30, 2001 HEPC meeting at Shepherd College.
5. In the Interim newsletter with results of the last meeting of the Interim Governing Board held at the Erickson Alumni Center of West Virginia State College.

A copy of the HEPC salary guidelines for faculty, classified employees and non-classified employees is on the agenda for the Policy Commissions Friday, June 29, 2001 meeting.

According to state code, institutional governing boards are to develop salary policies that must be approved by the Policy Commission, no later than September 2001. In response to the question, "What do the presidents seem to prefer as to the salary guideline alternatives?" Margaret reported that of the comments received institutional presidents favored Alternative #2 for all types of employees. This alternative instructs each institution to establish a multi-year salary policy that progressively moves to full implementation of the new salary schedule. Current employees who are below the equity step on the salary schedule are to be moved to the equity step. After July 1, 2001, new employees are to be hired at the equity step or above.

BY-LAWS/CONSTITUTION DISCUSSION: ACCE members were requested to review the draft of the Advisory Council of Classified Employees By-Laws, as prepared by Marshall University Representative Stephanie Neal. Changes and corrections are to be forwarded to Stephanie. The final draft document will be reviewed during the July retreat and submitted for approval by the 2001-2002 ACCE membership.

FINAL ACCE/BOG CAMPUS RESULTS: With some institutions awaiting results of their campus elections, final results were not available. ACCE President, Amy Pitzer, requested those institutions in this category to send the campus results to Liaison Margaret Buttrick. The final updated list of campus representatives will be available for distribution during the retreat.

CONFIRMATION OF RETREAT INFORMATION: As location coordinator, Paul Martinelli reported that to date a total of 19 staff and faculty have confirmed lodging for participation in the July 29, 30, & 31 Retreat. The two sites being considered, Days Inn, Flatwoods and Canaan Valley, Davis, have extended a price of $69 per single room. After a brief discussion, the ACCE voted to hold the Retreat at a State facility and Canaan Valley Resort & Conference Center was selected. Separate meeting rooms have been requested for both staff and faculty. Resort Center sales representative will offer the meeting at no charge, providing a total of no less than 25 rooms are reserved for the Retreat. If this total is not met a daily charge of $100 for each meeting will be required.

Staff and faculty representatives can expect complete information to be emailed to use in confirming their lodging. Representatives are requested to contact Paul to confirm their attendance and room confirmation. An alternative to paying for the meeting rooms, if the 25-room requirement is not met, was to request funding assistance from the Chancellor.

TRANSITION OF RULES: Discussion pursued on the Transition of Rules. Section 18B-1-6 concerning Rule Making designates which rules are required by law to be promulgated as a legislature rule. Although there was great concern that Series 62 was not included in the list, it is important to remember that any changes to the rule must be filed with the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability (LOCEA).

ELECTIONS -- INSTITUTIONAL BOARD OF GOVERNORS (IBOG): Concerns were expressed about the recent elections of classified employees held for representation to the Institutional Board of Governors at the various campuses. It was reported that some of the regional campuses elected both an IBOG representative and an Institutional Board of Advisors (IBOA) representative. Ms. Pitzer will contact Bruce Walker for an interpretation of the statute and will email everyone with his response.

ACCE LIST SERVE: It was determined that through June 30, 2001 recently elected IBOG representatives would be added to the ACCE list serve in an effort to communicate with everyone during the transition concerning classified staff issues.

INSTITUTIONAL VS. STATEWIDE POLICY ISSUES: Ms. Carney suggested that a list of Institutional vs. Statewide Policy Issues be formulated for submission to the Chancellor. Such a list was developed at the July 2000 ACCE retreat and is to be reviewed by members of the Policy Committee. The Policy Committee will recommend changes to the list and will draft a letter to the Chancellor for ACCE approval.

FOLLOW-UP OF ACCE MEETING AT SHEPHERDSTOWN MAY 29, 2001: At this meeting Senator Unger, Delegate Doyle and Delegate Overington suggested that the ACCE communicate with the legislature on a regular basis concerning classified employee issues. Mr. Martinelli is drafting a letter to formally request a meeting with LOCEA. Mr. Grimm distributed a paper entitled "Reflections on WV Higher Education Grievance Procedures" for ACCE review. Please forward comments on the document to Mr. Grimm.

ACCE WEB-SITE: Ms. Pitzer reminded all ACCE members of our web-site and will email everyone with the correct address.

RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING PROPOSED SALARY GUIDELINES: Ms. Fertig suggested that the ACCE develop a recommendation concerning the proposed salary guidelines for classified employees for submission to the Chancellor prior to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WVHEPC) meeting. Discussion pursued and Ms. Vingle made the following motion:

"The institutions are to establish a three year salary policy to cause even and significant annual progress resulting in the full implementation of the new salary schedule, including movement of employees below the equity step."

Ms. Walsh seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Ms. Vingle then offered an amendment to the motion which provided the Chair with the authority to change the number of years to establish such salary policy if necessary during the WVHEPC meeting. The amendment was approved.

OTHER: WVU representative, Paul Martinelli, reported that he was in contact with the Legislative Senate Finance office regarding a meeting with the ACCE Liaison Committee during one of the summer LOCEA meeting sessions. Action will be tabled until the election of officers and the ACCE Liaison Committee.

ACCE members are encouraged to attend the Friday HEPC meeting that will be held on the campus of West Virginia State College. Chancellor Mullen will present salary guideline assumptions for faculty, classified employees and non-classified employees.

The next meeting will be held during the July 29 - 31, 2001 Retreat.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

PAUL MARTINELLI
ACTING SECRETARY

AMY PITZER
PRESIDENT