MINUTES

Marshall University Classified Staff Council

Meeting of July 17, 2003, held in Smith Hall 263 

MEMBERS PRESENT: Nina Barrett, Carol Hurula, Jack Blake, Adrian Lawson, Angela Bradshaw (Sect.), Leonard Lovely, Bernice Bullock (Vice Chair), Kelli Mayes, Jill Burcham, Stephanie Neal, Tom Dorsey, Sherri Noble, Mike Dunn (Chair)  , Terry Olson, Elizabeth Graybeal, Feon Smith, Charles Harless, Lu Ann South, Charlene Hawkins, Yanzhi Wu, Ronnie D. Hicks, Connie Zirkle 

EXCUSED ABSENCES: Teresa Bolt, Jody Perry, Muhammad Chaudhry, Patsy Stephenson, Woody Edmonds, Joe Wortham 

GUESTS: Jim Stephens, Director – Human Resources 

Meeting called to order by Chairman Mike Dunn at 1:05 p.m. 

Minutes from prior meeting distributed, Chairman Mike Dunn requested corrections to minutes. Ms. Stephanie Neal requested correction on the ACCE Section regarding language. 

Motion to accept the June 12, 2003 Minutes with corrections made by Mr. Leonard Lovely, seconded by Ms. Lu Ann South.  Motion carried.  Minutes approved. 

ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR:       

Chairman Mike Dunn announced acceptance for nominations of Vice-Chair. 

Nominations made:

Ms. Lu Ann South, by Mr. Leonard Lovely

Ms. Bernice Bullock, by Ms. Nina Barrett 

Motion made to close nominations by Mr. Leonard Lovely, seconded by Ms. Charlene Hawkins. 

Vote by ballot taken and counted by Ms. Barbara Lanham with Mr. Jim Stephens assisting. Ms. Bernice Bullock elected Vice-Chair. 

ELECTION OF SECRETARY: 

Chairman Mike Dunn announced acceptances for nominations of Secretary. 

Nominations made:

Ms. Lu Ann South, declined nomination

Ms. Angela Bradshaw, by Ms. Jill Burcham

Ms. Connie Zirkle, declined nomination

Ms. Jill Burcham, declined nomination 

Motion made to close nominations by Ms. Charlene Hawkins, seconded by Mr. Ronnie D. Hicks. 

Ms. Angela Bradshaw elected Secretary by acclimation.

GUEST SPEAKER (Jim Stephens): 

Jim Stephens as guest speaker was asked to respond to the following issues: Questions regarding PIQ and New Worker’s Comp Issues. 

Mr. Stephens greeted and offered congratulations to staff council, welcomed the new chair, new council and returning council.  He stated he is very pleased to have interactions with staff council and welcomes any issues and/or opportunities of council concern.  Staff council members are welcomed to speak with Mr. Stephens directly in either a meeting of the staff council or in his office individually. 

Mr. Stephens requested permission to follow plan on presenting information on the PIQ and answering questions.  Mr. Stephens then stated after presentation and questions, he plans to leave and let staff council deliberate solely. 

Part-Time Classified Employees

The Board of Governors looked at a policy on Part-Time Classified Employees.  Mr. Stephens does not know whether it got pulled from the agenda or did not get substantial review from the Board of Governors.  But, there is a requirement in the State Code that there be a policy on the roll of Part-Time Classified Employees (excerpt from the code on file in Classified Staff office). He also distributed a copy of the draft policy (on file in the Classified Staff office), only has a face date of July 1, 2003 because approval of draft was sought before the deadline of code which was July 1; however, the deadline was not met due to the Board not meeting until mid-July and policy to be considered is draft.  Mr. Stephens advised that staff council may make revisions to the draft as seen fit and should turn such revisions in to either Mr. Stephens or Mr. Layton Cottrill.  The revisions will then be folded into the existing draft and presented at a later meeting of the Board of Governors. 

The basic purpose of the policy is to prevent, wherever possible, the use of a part-time employee when a full-time employee could be supported; and, keeping an individual below the threshold for qualifying for benefits when the institution could afford to do otherwise. The policy sets up several safeguards.  For instance, Mr. Stephens’ roll in reviewing existing part-time positions and getting some documentation as to why they have to be classified part-time allows him to review new proposed part-time positions and question why they cannot be classified as full-time and benefits eligible.   

Also, the state code had in it a requirement that the institution make available to 9-month and 10-month classified appointments an opportunity to work in the summer before using any temporary workers.  Chairman Mike Dunn asked whether the institution has such appointments and Mr. Stephens replied that we have some employees working less than a year but do not have any 9-month or 10-month appointments.  Mr. Stephens thinks it would be smart to have a policy since it is in the state code.  Simply put some language into the policy that is responsive to the fact that we do not currently have any such classified appointments.  Mr. Stephens restated that revisions to the policy are welcome and that council can deliberate on such revisions as needed.  

Four policies on actions in response to reductions in salary budgets 

Mr. Stephens received excellent effort from staff council with a list of revisions and was able to include most into the draft.  However, there are a few points still out for argument and debate and he is going to try to dissolve those.  Mr. Stephens is going to substantially rewrite the policy on layoffs.  Mr. Stephens will then give another re-write of the layoff policy and requests that staff council review and comment.  Some things are still in discussion, one of which is the definition of furlough (time-off without pay) and deliberation.  Mr. Stephens then applauded the ADHOC Committee’s efforts in providing revisions to the policies. 

Mr. Stephens requested permission from Chairman Mike Dunn and staff council to return the four policies as drafts, understanding that the layoff policy will be substantially rewritten.

PIQs and Generic Job Descriptions (Issue of whether PIQs are confidential documents.) 

The Office of Human Resources has a notebook of generic job descriptions; however, no maintenance is done on the notebook.  Without maintenance, the notebook gets older and older each month and may not be an accurate picture of the jobs being currently performed.  Anyone is given, if requested, a copy of any of the job descriptions in the notebook.  Regarding the placement of the notebook, HR would be delighted to place this notebook in the library and/or the Staff Council office.  Mr. Stephens advised Ms. Sherri Noble that the notebook was the originals.  Ms. Stephanie Neal advised that that was what was told to JEC.  Mr. Stephens advised that there was a sense to replace those with a reference with a representative PIQ or a benchmark PIQ.  Ms. Neal advised that she would speak with Margaret Butterick to confirm if generic job descriptions were to be cancelled. 

Mr. Stephens’ opinion regarding PIQ privacy is that the PIQ is a discoverable document, meaning that if someone were to ask for a copy of a PIQ and was denied, then that person could use his/her Freedom of Information Act to acquire a copy of the PIQ.  Thus, Human Resources treat the PIQ as a public document.  It makes the PIQ an open process.  The bad side to the PIQ being an open process is that notations on the PIQ from a supervisor or other would be seen. 

Central Office sent to Human Resources a CD with a large number of benchmark PIQs.  It is available in the Human Resource office.  Mr. Stephens would be willing to make a copy of the CD, or if preferred, HR could print out the job description from the CD for the requesting individual.  He advised that he asked Ms. Glenna Racer if there was a PIQ for each classification – she advised that they were representative, meaning that there were more than one for some classifications.  Mr. Stephens thinks that to mean a sample of comments from the positions that are representative of typical PIQs. 

Mr. Leonard Lovely presented the question of positions that are unique, knowing there are no generic job descriptions for those. Do they use the PIQ and is this not correct?  Mr. Stephens replied that, yes, there is supposed to be a PIQ of record that is the governing document for each classification. 

Mr. Lovely asked whether the book included these PIQs.  Mr. Stephens replied that, no, they never did.  Early on, they were going to try to fill up the volume of generics with the right job descriptions, but don’t think there was much progress on that.  What we have now are job descriptions for classifications that have multiple incumbents (i.e. Administrative Assistant Seniors, Administrative Secretary, and Program Assistant).   

Mr. Lovely asked about the time factors on the PIQs, i.e. the time frame for completion.  Mr. Stephens replied that under policy, the requirement to complete a review and provide recommendation is 30 days of receipt in Human Resources of the PIQ.  Mr. Stephens emphasized that it is not 30 days from the time you write a new PIQ, but that it is 30 days from the time HR receives a completed signed PIQ.  The schedule works from the time HR receives a completed PIQ and in the event that the PIQ is not forwarded to HR, then individuals should contact Mr. Stephens and he will try to find out the problem with the PIQ. 

Mr. Stephens also advised that PIQs must be completed by the department and then forwarded to HR.  In the event that the supervisor will not send the PIQ back, then the individual should call Mr. Stephens. 

Ms. Stephanie Neal asked regarding PIQs from other institutions and whether the “Discovery Document” justification holds true if HR could obtain a copy of a PIQ on a job classification from another institution.  Mr. Stephens replied that it could be asked, but he does not know the success of the request.   

Chairman Mike Dunn asked as to whether our PIQs are available to WVU?  Mr. Stephens replied that they are available.  Mr. Leonard Lovely asked as to whether such a request would fall under the Freedom of Information Act.  Mr. Stephens replied, yes, you could obtain PIQ. 

Mr. Lovely stated that the Physical Plant Job Family evaluations had been done and inquired as to when the rest were to be done.  Mr. Stephens replied that there are some job families that need to be reviewed and turned the floor over to Ms. Sherri Noble for further discussion.  With no specifics, Ms. Noble turned the floor over to Ms. Stephanie Neal.  Ms. Neal advised that Office Support was to be reviewed prior to Physical Plant; however, physical plant had to be done first due to the Administrative Law Judges decision.  Once it was completed, the Advisory Council asked when they would move forward on the review of the Office Support.  Ms. Margaret Butterick advised that there would be no further reviews of any family at this time.  Ms. Sherri Noble emphasized that when you submit a PIQ, you should understand that a PIQ may come back the same, downgraded or upgraded. She advised that you put a lot of thought into the completed PIQ and give adequate information. 

Mr. Ron Hicks revisited the issue of the Physical Plant job family reclassification specifically the questions regarding trade specialists.  Everyone (Physical Plant) is worried about being moved around.  The question being how Trade Specialists to be handled are, is it going to be Trade Specialist – Carpenter, Trade Specialist – Electrician?  Ms. Stephanie Neal advised that when the JEC reviewed the physical plant job family, JEC representatives had major concerns regarding lumping everyone together.  The concern being that, if the supervisor requests a trade specialist who is a carpenter to go unplug a drain, then that trade specialist would not be qualified to do so.  Ms. Sherri Noble advised that we were assured that when they advertised for trade specialist, that it would be advertised as (i.e. – Trade Specialist – Carpenter). 

Worker’s Compensation 

Mr. Jim Stephens advised that the Worker’s Compensation statute is extremely complex and extremely lengthy.  He also stated he would be going to a workshop next week that will distill the contents of the statute, the changes and so forth.  The new statute has the effects of making the requirements more stringent to have a worker’s compensation claim.  There are different paths that appeals and protests will follow.  Mr. Stephens then requested Council’s permission to attend the workshop and present at a later date when more informed.  HR has a record of the type of action, department and amounts.  Ms. Stephanie Neal inquired to any positive solutions, possibly training?  Mr. Stephens replied that HR takes the side of “needing to be preventive.” 

Ms. Jill Burcham voiced a concern by the janitorial staff with the darkness in Old Main during power outages.  Ms. Burcham said that janitorial staff cannot see during the power outages.  Ms. Burcham presented a resolution of possibly installing auxiliary lighting or reflective systems.  Discussion followed. 

Mr. Stephens thanked the Staff Council for their invitation. 

ACCE REPORT (Stephanie Neal) 

Chairman Mike Dunn requested that Ms. Neal report on the ADHOC Constitution Committee.  The Committee was established July 1, 2003 to put together the Constitution and the By-Laws of Staff Council. 

The Committee is as follows: Adrian Lawson, Woody Edmonds, Lu Ann South, Sherri Noble, and Stephanie Neal (Chair) 

Ms. Neal reported that the committee had met several times and they were probably on-fourth of the way through the Constitution.  A draft of the Constitution was submitted by email to Chairman Mike Dunn; however, delivery failed.  So the process was slowed down.  The committee was hoping to have the draft at today’s meeting; however, a draft will be provided at the next meeting of Council.  The committee is reviewing the election process and welcomes any input on what the Council would like to see in the Constitution. 

Reporting on the Advisory Council for Classified Employees, Ms. Neal stated they will be meeting July 30-31, 2003 at the Heritage Farm to discuss goals and challenges for next fiscal year.  She also mentioned that the 2^nd Annual ACCE Video Conference, which is state-wide, will be held on Friday, August 1, 2003 in Drinko Library Room 402, 1pm – 3pm with Marshall University hosting.  All institutions in the state will be participating with the exception of Fairmont due to their closure on Fridays; however, interested employees of Fairmount will be attending the conference at WVU.  

Present attendee confirmations:   Governor Wise, Senator Plymale, Chancellor Mullen, Director of PEIA - Tom Justice, TIAA-CREF - Jay Mahoney,  Mountaineer Flex Benefits - Rosemary Cardinas, and Barbara Heeley 

The conference is hoping to have Legislatures and classified employees in attendance as well.  Ms. Neal will be working with Mr. Lawson and his staff on the details.  ACCE also requests that members of the Council be thinking of questions regarding higher education for the meeting.    

The President was asked to participate, but at the present time, he indicated that he may be out-of-town. 

INSTITUTIONAL BOARD OF GOVERNORS REPORT (Sherri Noble) 

Ms. Noble reported on the meeting of the Board of Governors and a distributed list of upcoming events as provided by President Angel (on file in the Staff Council office).  

During the meeting, President Angel reported on revisions of the Higher Education Acts, which are now in the process of being revised.  The Higher Education Acts have to be revised every five years.  The President’s Office is now sending out letters of congratulations to students each semester that are enrolled for 12 hours and have a 4.0 GPA.  He also distributed a package from the Admissions office which shows how the institution is trying to recruit students.  (Package sent around to council members for review.) 

Ms. Noble reported that the Board of Governors had five new members, three of which were appointed by the Governor, and one faculty and one student representative. 

Appointed by the Governor: Mike Ferrell, Brent Marstellar, CEO – Cabell Huntington, Gary Adkins, Superintendent – BOE Wayne County 

Faculty Representative: James Sottile 

Student Representative: Michael Safsak 

A list of the Board of Governors was distributed to council. 

Ms. Noble advised that Dr. Vicki Riley discussed the status of the MCTC accreditation team.  The team recommended an initial accreditation of five years with a two year progress visit in 2005. 

Ms. Noble stated that Marshall University has or will have a new center called I.D.E.A. (Institute for Development of Entrepreneurial Advancement) A presentation was made by Cal Kent. (Copy of Presentation passed around to council members.) 

Ms. Noble commented on the Master Plan Committee.  As discussed in prior meetings, Betty Cook was appointed by Nina Barrett to serve; however, due to Ms. Cook no longer serving on Council, Chair Dunn would need to appoint a new member from current Council.  (Draft of the Master Plan passed around to council members.) 

Ms. Noble stated that the Board of Governors has a committee that is working with the Foundation (the Board of Governors members and the Foundation Board of Director’s members).  They are trying to see how the two fit together, because the Foundation is separate from the university.  Mr. Perry reported that they have met a few times and that they are working on some plans and ideas.   

Gary White mentioned that David Todd was the chair of the president evaluation committee.  David was not reappointed to serve this year so can longer be chair; however, he will serve as a community representative.  

It was proposed that the Part-Time Classified Employees be pulled from the agenda so that Staff Council would have an opportunity to review.  Also, Faculty Senate and the Board of Governors need to review the policy on the role of part-time faculty. 

Discussion was held to request approval on the refinancing of the Shewey Building (Athletics Facilities Building).  The Board of Governors approved the action but sent the agreement back for revision because the contract was to go through legal counsel. 

Tom Wilkerson then reported that the nominating committee recommendations for chair, vice-chair and secretary are as follows: Chair - Mike Perry; Vice Chair – Menis Ketchum; and Secretary – Joe Williams.

Nominations were accepted. 

Ms. Noble advised on items needing to be completed by Council. On the policy on the part-time extra help/classified staff, she has asked Chairman Mike Dunn to select a few people to review the policy and to respond in a month or so revisions or thoughts.  She hopes to have the group together so that revisions, if any, can be presented before Council at its August meeting since the next meeting of the Board of Governors is September 10, 2003.  The item was pulled from the July Board of Governors meeting because as mentioned in State Code, the policy is to be written with the advice and assistance of Council.  The July agenda was the first time Council had seen the policy. 

Presentation materials about the Rahall Transportation Institute were distributed. 

The Executive Committee has been working on preparing a questionnaire to enable all classified staff to evaluate the President.  We have been given this opportunity and are hoping for great input and want to do a great job.  The Evaluation Committee came up with criteria for the questions pertaining to basic issues of the President’s performance. A draft of the questionnaire was provided for review by members of Council for editing and revision.  She is hoping to have the final questionnaire distributed to classified staff in July so that replies can be obtained in early August prior to the next Council meeting. 

The format of the questionnaire is to be determined by Council.  It was determined, during today’s meeting that the questionnaire should be in a format that rates (1-7) and allows comments.  Discussion and revision on the questionnaire was lengthy.  Revisions to the draft were finalized, reviewed by the Executive Committee and submitted to Angela Bradshaw for formatting into the agreed upon rate and comment style.  (Copy of draft and copy of final questionnaire can be obtained by contacting the Staff Council Office.) 

OLD BUSINESS 

None Discussed. 

NEW BUSINESS 

Ms. Jill Burcham moved that Council present the “Old Main Hazards during power outages” concern to Mr. Jeff Ellis for resolution.  Ms. Lu Ann South advised that she would email Mr. Ellis directly regarding the concern. 

INFORMATION FROM THE CHAIR 

Chairman Mike Dunn requested assistance from Council, if possible, on August 22, 2003, 1:00 pm – 7:00pm, to assist Mr. Steve Leadman, Admissions Recruiter with New Student Orientation.  Chairman Dunn would investigate Release Time for participants and would like to know of those interested in participating so he may inform Mr. Leadman. 

A flyer regarding Red Cross Blood Donations was distributed to members.  The flyer requests all staff to participate in a campus blood drive.  Chairman Dunn would like to have Council members assist in distributing the flyer to our respective EEO groups.  Chairman Dunn advised that he would transmit the flyer by email to each council member. 

Chairman Dunn commented on improving staff communication through use of the EEO groups. The groups will be divided with most people remaining in their own group. Your listing may not have many and others may have a lot.  It will work like a buddy system; you will communicate with the members in your EEO group. He is hoping the system works to provide employees with items of interest. 

Chairman Mike Dunn asks for further questions. 

Leonard Lovely revisited the review of the Physical Plant job family and presented the question as to whether there is a plan to review other job families. Chairman Dunn stated that this concern should be something determined by the JEC.  Ms. Stephanie Neal then stated that the JEC should have a plan, she thinks, in place to periodically do all of the job families.  There are many job families that have never been reviewed and the Physical Plant job family was again reviewed due to the Administrative Law Judges decision.  That is an issue that needs to be pushed through legislation.  Mr. Lovely has the opinion that the Higher Education Policy Commission does not have the intent to do another job family review.  Ms. Neal advised again that we should push this concern through the Legislature because the decisions are based on funding.  If you make all of your decisions based on funding it is not necessarily the best decision.   For the integrity of our classification system we have to always be looking at it and updating it on a recurring basis regardless of whether we have the money now. 

Ms. Lu Ann South questioned the possibility of a class action suit for classification grievance by all who have not had the opportunity for a job family review. Chairman Dunn commented that the Physical Plant Family job review was done due to lawsuits and grievances. 

Chairman Dunn adjourned the meeting at 3:45pm. 

Minutes prepared by:                                                          Minutes read by: 

______________________________________                ________________________________________

Angela D. Bradshaw, Secretary – Staff Council                      Dr. Dan Angel, President – Marshall University