MARSHALL UNIVERSITY CLASSIFIED STAFF COUNCIL
MINUTES
Thursday, December 14, 2000
President Barrett called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.
Motion was made by Jill Chapman, seconded by LuAnn South, to accept
November minutes as written. Council unanimously agreed.
Jim Stephens expressed his
appreciation to Jill Chapman, our only remaining Charter Member of Staff Council
who is retiring tomorrow, and wished her well in her retirement and stated he
would miss her. He presented one
item to Council: Draft of
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) – a mechanism to solve a person’s issue
that might otherwise lead to a statutory grievance. He desired our input on whether or not it would work
and what would make it work better. Nothing
in this draft denies anyone of their right to a grievance under the code.
This process says than when a person comes to the Human Resource
Department and states they are going to tender a grievance at Level II, we will
ask them if they would care to participate to an ADR process to try and settle
their issue. We would like to
utilize this informal process as much as we can to settle issues.
Mr. Stephens requested feedback for improvement of this process.
First, Mr. Stephens will ask those persons coming in to file a grievance
to do so that it is filed timely and then give us a waiver of the time line
where we can work on the issue, talk with the parties to see if we can get a
settlement. If we think there is a
really good constructive remedy that we are close to but we can’t perfect in
30 days, then we might go to the parties and see if they will give us another 15
working days or something to continue to work on it. At each point the person filing the grievance has the option
to say, no, that they want to have their hearing and they will continue in the
statutory process.
LuAnn South asked the
question about what happens to the record of trying to solve the issue and Mr. Stephens stated it was
something they would have to work out.
He suggested that we put some input on this issue.
David Cremeans asked
about the waiver of the time line, whereas, Mr. Stephens stated it must be in
writing and signed and a hearing must be provided before the waiver is expired.
David states 3 or 4 have already used this process and they were
resolved. Mr. Stephens again asked
for feedback.
ACCE Representative –
Stephanie Neal read a
portion of the WV Higher Education Policy Commission meeting of December
12, 2000 to Jim Stephens regarding Senate Bill 653 Enhancement Legislation which
states: “….B. Personnel,
2. All other state employees are
governed by the grievance procedure for state employees set out in W.Va. Code
~29-6A-1 et seq. while higher education employees are governed by the
grievance procedure covering county board of education employees set out in
W.Va. Code ~18B-29-1 et seq. Higher
education employees should utilize the same grievance procedure as other state
employees.” Mr. Stephens had
not heard this emphasizing that processes are not entirely different but there
is a time line and protocol for the two. He can work with either.
Stephanie further stated from
this meeting there were quite a lot of questions regarding the suggested changes
that the executive committee was recommending.
There was no resolution from the committee.
They only took the comments from the staff and audience.
The issues which are critical to classified staff are:
compensation and classification which they desire to take out of state
code. Concerns also over merit,
retirement plans, - opt out of TIAA Cref, change the number of the Board of
Governors meetings from 6 to 4, salaries based on peer equity with each
institution having it’s own set of peers and the classified staff being
removed from the peer equity issue but not faculty or administrators.
The salary schedule recommended is much lower than that of some of our
peers, so their thinking is that is probably why they want us out of the peer
equity group. Stephanie Neal stated
that Advisory Council is to meet with State Senator Lloyd Jackson but no date
has been set.
President Barrett stated that we
need to follow closely this legislature session with letters, phone calls,
E-mail as this is a critical session. Issues
are: salary schedule – come July
there is no provision for a raise and PEIA. Stephanie
Neal further stated that we would not have the salary schedule we have now had
not the classified staff been to the capitol to voice their opinions.
LuAnn South asked how the President of MU felt about the salary schedule.
President Barrett stated he is scheduled to be at our meeting January 18,
2001.
Ken Reffeitt, Chairperson,
Legislative Affairs: Mr.
Reffeitt stated if we go bifurcation, Plan B, then anyone can be hired for any
position at any salary such as it was years ago. For those who are bifurcated out, Stephanie Neal stated, as
long as you are at the minimum equity set, then you are considered to be fair
and equitable and there will be no provision for years of service for the exempt
personnel. Margaret Buttrick stated
she misunderstood this statement and there would be years of service but if
there was merit money, it would be in addition to years of service.
Example: Someone works
beside you for 4 years and you have been there 24 years, this 4-year employee
can be paid more than you. Ken stated as per President Barrett that the legislature
could be our only source of influence.
Most people on the Policy Commission are new and not higher education
orientated so, they are going to do what the Executive Committee says.
President Barrett emphasized to Stephanie and Ken that if they let us
know what we should do, then classified staff will do it.
Membership Election – Joe Wortham
reported a meeting should be held in January 2001.
Service Awards – Mr. Wortham reported
they had their first meeting last week. 10-year
awards for service were discussed and decisions will be forwarded to the
president’s office for consideration.
Jill Chapman made a motion, seconded by LuAnn South on
the second reading of the constitutional revision of changing terms of office
from two – 1-year terms to three – 1-year terms.
Council unanimously agreed. This
will take effective immediately.
Since Jill Chapman is retiring, the office of
Parliamentarian is open. Jill
Chapman nominated David Cremeans, seconded by Mohammad Chaudhry.
Charlene Hawkins made a motion, seconded by LuAnn South that the
nominations be closed. Council
unanimously agreed. David Cremeans
is our new Parliamentarian.
No further business, meeting was adjourned.