ADVISORY COUNCIL OF CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES

Minutes of Meeting

January 17, 2002

Marshall University Graduate College

South Charleston, West Virginia

The Advisory Council of Classified Employees met at 9:23 am, Thursday, January 17, 2002 in the Robert C. Byrd Academic and Technology Center, Marshall University Graduate College, South Charleston, WV.

MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:

MEMBERS ABSENT

GUESTS:

Margaret Buttrick, WV HEPC Chancellors Liaison.

The Chair, Ms. Pitzer, called the meeting to order.

Approval of Minutes: Being that there was no quorum present, approval of the minutes for the December 12, 2001 meeting was deferred until the February 14, 2002 meeting.

Introduction of ACCE Representative: Ms. Pitzer introduced Fred Hardee as the new ACCE representative from Bluefield State College.

JEC Update: The JEC is continuing its review of the Physical Plant job family. The meetings scheduled for November and December 2001 were cancelled. Ms. Buttrick is considering dates for a February meeting. Concerns have been expressed on campuses that some job families have never been reviewed. Ms. Buttrick indicated the Office Support job family would be scheduled for review at a date still to be determined.

By-Laws Report: The only item still pending for the By-Laws Committee is that of election procedures for representatives at the campus level. ACCE members were asked to submit their individual campus election procedures to Mr. Grimm for the By-Laws Committee to begin reviewing.

Legislative Brochure: Mr. Martinelli distributed copies of a legislative brochure developed by the classified employees of West Virginia University. Ms. Pitzer indicated that once a draft of the ACCE brochure is completed that it would be sent out via the list-serve for ACCE members to review. The goal is to have the brochure available the first week of February. Due to the limited time available for the ACCE meeting, Ms. Fertig made a motion that discussion on the legislative brochure be moved to the end of the agenda, thus allowing other business to be discussed and then devoting the remainder of the time available to work on the legislative brochure. The motion was seconded by Mr. Taylor and approved.

Liaison Report: The Chancellors Liaison, Margaret Buttrick, commented on the "Summary of October 1, 2001 Salary Increases WV Higher Education" document. She indicated information is still being received from the campuses and that data files are being cleaned up. The report has not been submitted to LOCEA. Once the updated report is available, copies will be distributed to ACCE members.

House Bill 2360 provides for removal of the cap on the annual increment for state employees. Non-classified employees would be covered under the bill but classified employees would not because the annual increment for classified employees is covered under Section 18B-9-5 of state code, not Chapter 5 as other state employees are. The WVHEPC web-site has a link regarding bills of interest to higher education. No paper copies of legislative updates are being distributed this year by the WVHEPC office.

Ms. Buttrick reminded ACCE members that all requests for information should be directed to her.

The Retirement Feasibility Report has been submitted to the Legislative Committee on Pensions and Retirement. The joint committee will continue to meet early in the legislative session to discuss this report. Nothing official has happened at this time other than the report was submitted and received. ACCE members again expressed their concern about limited opportunities for educating employees about retirement investing. Ms. Buttrick indicated she is working with a representative from TIAA-CREF about offering additional educational opportunities at the individual campuses.

Ms. Fertig requested that Ms. Buttrick report on the December 13, 2001 meeting of the 2002 Legislative Enhancement Committee. She reported that the committee began discussion on Sections 18B7 and 18B9 of state code. Both she and Bruce Walker took notes during the meeting and shared them with the Chancellor. The committee will be working on the concepts of Series 62 and a draft may be distributed before the end of the legislative session. The group is not working in consensus but rather offering comments only. The Chancellor will determine what, if anything, goes forward to the Legislature.

Annual Presentation to the WVHEPC: Ms. Pitzer indicated the ACF would be making their annual presentation to the WVHEPC at its February 15, 2002 meeting. In anticipation that the ACCE may have the opportunity to make our annual presentation at the WVHEPCs March meeting, she asked that everyone be prepared to work on the presentation following our February 14, 2002 meeting and the following day if necessary.

Request for Information: Ms. Pitzer requested that ACCE members bring with them to the February 14, 2002 meeting a list of powers that their campus IBOGs have delegated to their institutional Presidents.

ACCE Vacancies: Ms. Pitzer indicated she is not getting a response from the WVU R. C. Byrd Health Science - Charleston Division concerning the lack of representation on the ACCE. Mr. Martinelli indicated he has an upcoming meeting with President Hardesty and will discuss this issue with him as well as representation for Potomac State.

Other Business: Mr. Martinelli indicted he has again contacted the Governors office in trying to schedule a time for the ACCE to meet with the Governor. Ms. Pitzer suggested that the Governors Legislative Liason Committee might be the appropriate group to meet with the Governor as it was at his suggestion during the 2001 regular legislative session that such a committee be formed. The committee consists of five ACCE members: the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee, and the Chair of the Benefits Committee.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:15 a.m. in order to provide ACCE members the opportunity to meet with their legislative representatives.

Respectfully submitted,

STEPHANIE A. NEAL
SECRETARY

AMY PITZER
CHAIR