Administrative Staff Council 2004-2005
Minutes: March 3, 2005
207 BTSU

Call to Order
Chair Luthman called the meeting to order at 1:32 p.m.

Members Present
Jill Carr, Nora Cassidy, Rob Cramer, Dave Crooks, Gerry Davis, Kim Fleshman, Michael Ginsburg, Tim Hoepf, Ann Jenks, Steve Kendall, Lona Leck, Naomi Lee, Joe Luthman, Susan Macias, Debra McLean, Teresa McLove, Connie Molnar, Jeff Nelson, Rich Peper, Sally Raymont, Diane Regan, Deborah Rice, Rachel Schaeffer, Lawrence Spencer, and Robin Veitch

Member Substitutes
Steve Lashaway for Judy Amend, Colleen Coughlin for Mary Beth Zachary, Beth Nagel for Larry Holland, Amy Thomson for Jeff Nelson

Absent
Wendy Buchanan, Greg Dickerson, Sheila Irving, Paul Lopez, Emily Monago, Celeste Robertson

Guests
Laura Emch, Paul Schauer

Approval of Minutes
Motion by Susan Macias to accept minutes as presented. Seconded by Gerry Davis. Motion to approve passed.

Chair’s Report
Chair Luthman reported the following:

1. Executive Vice President Linda Dobb has announced that there will be no formal order to close the university during the December break for 2005. Offices will be encouraged to close with the exception of services such as registration, bursar, etc.

2. Dr. Ribeau has indicated his desire to identify funds that would allow for a modest salary increase.

3. He is seeking a volunteer to relieve the Chair of the management of the Administrative Staff listserv. While this doesn’t require a large time commitment, Luthman believes that the task is more appropriately handled by someone other than an elected officer. He would like to move forward on this reassignment immediately to allow the elected officers to focus on their more important duties.

Chair Elect’s Report
Chair-elect Lona Leck reported the following:

1. Space will be assigned for the use of Administrative Staff Council leadership in the near future. She expressed hope that this would improve the sense of continuity from year to year and allow for small meetings.

2. While not part of the agreement, Leck will continue to seek support staff for Council’s work.

3. The ASC web site is registering between 100-400 “hits” each month while Blackboard usage is still light. Currently, one can view a draft of an Academic Bill of Rights for Higher Education and a draft of a Code of Ethics via Blackboard.

Secretary’s Report
In Penny Nemitz’s absence, Luthman reminded Council that self-nomination forms have been sent to all administrative staff and current members should encourage participation. The Chair-elect and Secretary positions, available for 2005-06, must come from within Council’s ranks.

Guests
Dr. Paul Schauer, member of Faculty Senate Personal Welfare Committee, attended the meeting to present information about the impending restriction of health benefits that will affect employed spouses of BGSU employees effective 01/01/2006. Action is desired based on Senate contention that the proposal is inequitable and won’t achieve the desired goal of cost reduction. For these reasons that body is recommending that implementation be delayed for “at least one year to allow time for a comprehensive review of the University’s health care plan by qualified health care consultants. “

Because the impending health benefits proposal affects the majority of BGSU employees, those who have employed spouses, Senate is proposing a plan that involves the use of financial incentives to move BGSU employees onto the health benefit package of their spouse. At this time the central administration is examining this proposal which has the endorsement of Faculty Senate, Senate Executive Committee, Faculty Senate Budget Committee, Classified Staff Council and the Administrative Staff Exec Committee.

Questions concerning the tax implications were raised.

Following discussion, Robin Veitch made a motion that Council support the proposal that the implementation be delayed one year while alternatives were examined and Rich Peper provided the second. The motion passed.

Committee Reports
Amendments
Rachel Schaeffer reported that the committee had been asked whether or not the Handbook had a stated policy regarding the use of stipends for administrative staff and that none was found.

Awards and Special Recognitions
Kim Fleshman reported that four BG BEST awards would be made this year. She also reported that the Zuni owl statue which had been recently reaffirmed as the desired gift is increasingly difficult to obtain and that our supplier has indicated that no more would be ordered after current inventory was exhausted. The issue of a new “symbol” for award recipients may need to be revisited.

The Committee recommended that the value of the BG BEST Award be increased, the number of awards reduced as well as the award-type be restricted to individuals rather than allowing for a team nomination. All these recommendations would, in the committee’s view, make the award clearly more prestigious than the BG Spirit Award. Council agreed by consensus and those changes in the guidelines will be posted on the ASC Website.

External Affairs
No report

Internal Affairs
No report

Personnel Welfare/Salary
Dave Crooks reported on the previously distributed Draft of Goals to be submitted to the President’s Compensation Committee. He indicated that the document was still a draft and that a salary recommendation needed to be added. He proposed an added goal: that the annual wage pool for Administrative Staff be 4% for those who meet or exceed expectations with an additional 1% super merit for those who “greatly exceed expectations.

After discussion, including questions about the problems caused by the use of a percentage to distribute merit dollars which rewards the already higher salaried, Council endorsed the goals as drafted with the addition noted above to be presented at the Compensation Committee meeting on March 22. Discussion on other plans for distribution of merit dollars will continue.

Member Laura Emch praised Steve Kendall and Dave Crooks for their leadership in matters related to personal welfare and salary.

Professional Development
No report

Scholarship
Rob Cramer for the Committee reported that the recent raffle raised $2680, nearly the highest ever. The winner’s list was circulated. Applications for the ASC scholarship have been mailed to all eligible students.

Faculty Senate Liaison
Robin Veitch listed a number of items under discussion at Senate: Spousal insurance proposal, the work on a draft of an academic bill of rights for higher education, development of a code of ethics for BGSU employees, and a salary proposal for faculty. She noted that Faculty Senate’s salary proposal was unique in that they have asked that increases be tied to the educational portion of the budget. This would end the need for annual salary proposals and is a suggestion that the central administration is weighing.

Classified Staff Liaison
Steve Lashaway reported that the issue of stipends for classified staff is being examined by CSC. Additional compensation items under consideration include longevity reward, institution of an ombuds position to relieve the chair and chair-elect of such responsibilities, salary increase, no health care cost increases, additional vacation day for long-term employees.

New Business
K. Fleshman asked that Council address the disparity of value between the two awards given to recognize outstanding administrative staff performance, i.e., that the more competitive BG Best Award is the Zuni Owl valued at $25 and picture while the monthly BG Spirit Award is a certificate, balloons, and check for $75. After Council discussion, K. Fleshman moved that the BG Spirit award include a check for $100. N. Lee seconded and the motion passed.

Good of the Order
Several members reported upcoming events in their respective areas, including several announcements regarding the success of the Falcon athletic teams at season’s end.

JAQ Preparation Presentation
M. Serio and P. Kelly, members of the HR staff, presented information on the Job Analysis Questionnaire. The presentation was taped and will be available online using streaming video.

After the presentation ended, D. Crooks moved to adjourn. Larry Spencer seconded the motion, and Council voted to adjourn.

Respectfully Submitted,
Diane Regan, Acting Secretary