Academic Staff Assembly (ASA)
Minutes
MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 8 September 2003
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-5:00pm)
A. Vice chancellor Darrell Bazzell called the meeting to order at 3:35
pm.
B. AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 5/12/2003 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
C. Agenda review
Bruce Beck will discuss the System memo to the chancellor on ideas for
an unclassified pay plan (in New Business).
D. Vice chancellor report
Darrell described the SEVIS situation and reported that the shared governance
committee had recommended that no special student fees or segregated fees
be used to pay for this unfunded federal requirement to track students
on international visas. The committee felt that existing base budget funds
should cover these costs. This year the costs will be covered by the Foundation,
since no campus funds had been allocated in the budget. A call for donations
had thus far yielded only $11K of the $330k needed.
Darrell also reported on the situation with Tyson Foods. He stated that the chancellor had decided to honor the students' request and not buy Tyson products until the contract dispute with workers was settled.
The Regents approved changes in salary ranges for chancellors and provosts, but not without controversy. The change might not have been such a political liability if a more public process (not a teleconference) had been used to raise the ranges.
E. Introduction of new Assembly representative and alternates for 2003-04 - Bruce Beck
F. Brief Assembly orientation - Rick Daluge
Rick explained to Assembly reps that their key functions were to:
" Find an alternate to attend meetings in their absence
" Send email to their district members to introduce themselves
" Forward Assembly minutes and agendas and other messages from the
Secretary
" Get feedback on issues that will be discussed at Assembly meetings
" Inform district members about the academic staff website www.wisc.edu/acstaff
" Sit in front of the taped rows at Assembly meeting and use a microphone
G. Committee Reports
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC): Bruce Beck, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/asec.html
Bruce described ASEC's functions as setting Assembly agendas, communicating with Assembly reps, and handling day-to-day governance issues. He then introduced other members of the executive committee.
Since the last Assembly meeting, ASEC had its annual planning meeting to set priorities for the coming year. Some of these included examining language regarding layoff and nonrenewal, following up on professional development initiatives with regard to the campus strategic plan, and investigating methods for a pay equity review.
Currently, members of ASEC are meeting with the University Committee, which is interested in having the academic staff working title of Research Professor available for emeritus professors. Academic staff would argue that it was not intended for this usage.
ASEC designated Distinguished Scientist Jackie Hank to serve on the Regents Working Group for Research and Public Service.
Members of ASEC and standing committees attended the academic staff leadership conference this summer in Oshkosh. Bruce and Colleen McCabe participated in the annual Academic Staff CIC meeting in Chicago.
Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee (CEBC) - Bill Steffenhagen
reporting
A subcommittee of Jim Pavelko and Bill Steffenhagen has been formed to
look at ways to determine if pay equity issues exist. Margaret Harrigan
of Budget, Planning, Analysis and Ann Lamboley of the Academic Personnel
Office are providing staff support. The group is currently reviewing promotion
data on academic staff members who have held an associate prefix title
for more than three years and who have held a no prefix title for more
than seven years. At present, units are not accountable for providing
normal progression promotions.
Bill (as a member of the Campus Transportation Committee) talked about
the controversy concerning the single hang tag parking permit. Those driving
motorcycles or convertibles find it difficult to secure the hang tag when
these vehicles are unattended. However, restricting employees with multiple
vehicles to one hang tag has opened up many parking spaces across the
campus and has provided the opportunity for Transportation Services to
offer these spaces to employees on the waiting list for parking. Employees
who have only one vehicle and employees with multiple vehicles who are
willing to designate one vehicle to park on campus, will be given the
opportunity to trade in the hang tag for a window sticker.
Districting and Representation Committee (DRC) - Anne Gunther, chair
Anne said that her committee keeps busy updating data files and assigning
new academic staff to districts. Her committee is also working on a ten-year
report using the data they have collected. She pointed the Assembly to
the DRC web site information on districts and members at http://drc.academic-staff.wisc.edu/.
Nominating Committee - Laurie Mayberry, chair
Laurie described the duties of the Nominating Committee as developing
standing committee slates and finding appropriate candidates to serve
on campuswide committees. Much of their work is done in the spring, but
she encouraged Assembly members, and particularly those who are in research
and instruction, to get involved.
Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) - Daña
Alder, co-chair
Daña reported that the first round of Professional Development
Grants is due to departments by October 17. A special brown bag to help
academic staff prepare grant proposals will be held on September 30 at
Union South. The granting period will cover January - June 2004. The PDRC
also does judging of the academic staff excellence awards in February.
Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) - Ann Wallace, chair
The PPPC is close to having a final version of a new document to help
academic staff with the appeals process if they have a grievance or appeal
to pursue. The committee is also doing a review of job security data that
has been collected from the schools and colleges. Once this data has been
digested in tabular form, it will be shared with the Assembly and Committees
on Academic Staff Issues (CASIs).
H. GUEST: Bill Kox, Insurance Services, Employee Trust Funds http://www.state.wi.us/agencies/etf/
Bill Kox gave a brief overview of the upcoming changes in the state health
insurance coverage. These changes are the results of a study begun two
years ago by the Group Insurance Board (GIB) and the ETF staff. The continued
high cost of health insurance coverage and the disparity in benefits and
quality were motivating factors for the study. Five recommendations were
put forth by this study group. Two will be implemented on January 1, 2004,
a three tiered coverage plan based on total efficiency, not just premium
cost and utilization of a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (Navitus). The Group
Insurance Board expects the implementation of these changes will help
keep the cost of health insurance from skyrocketing thus benefiting everyone.
Kox described some of the resources used in assessing the benefits of
the changes including the Leapfrog Group (http://www.leapfroggroup.org/)
which provides a guide to assessing quality of the various health care
providers. The dual-choice booklet will refer to the survey. This booklet
will be available in late September.
Kox explained that the employee premium share is not a function of the GIB but of the Legislature. The budget bill included rates for the unrepresented classified staff but represented classified and faculty and academic staff's premium share will be determined by collective bargaining and University pay plan, respectively.
Twelve of the sixteen health care providers in the program are in Tier 1 (Governor's proposed premium share of $25 for single coverage and $62.50 for families per month.) Four are in Tier 2 (proposed premium share of $50 and $125 per month.) Standard plan and Standard plan II have essentially been combined and will be in Tier 3 (proposed premium share of $100 and $250.) All four Dane County HMOs are in Tier 1.
A comprehensive dental plan is being studied but will not be available January 1, 2004. Some plans will continue to provide limited preventative coverage.
A question and answer period followed.
Q. Will the contribution paid by part-time (50%+) employees change?
A. The governor vetoed the provision that would increase the premiums
for part-timers. However, pay plan and classified labor contract negotiations
could change that.
Q. Can employee contributions go up from what has been stated for the
various tiers?
A. Yes, there can be some changes during pay plan and contract negotiations,
but the relative difference between tiers should remain the same.
Q. How can the Standard Plan now be so inexpensive compared to the past?
A. Costs will be averaged over all plans. This was done to make the system
more equitable, particularly in areas of the state without an HMO option
nearby.
Q. How can HMO plans cost so much less than the Standard Plan?
A. Because of the large volume of services provided by HMOs, they can
negotiate much better deals with vendors for medical supplies and equipment
and with their care providers (doctors and hospitals.)
[The Dual-Choice enrollment period runs from October 6 to October 24. There will be a Benefits Fair at the Memorial Union on October 8.]
I. BUSINESS
New Business
System suggestion for funding unclassified pay raises
Bruce described the pay plan idea from System that would provide raises
for unclassified staff of 2% across the board by increasing health insurance
premiums. In addition, funds would be generated for raises by discontinuing
payment of premiums two months beyond termination as is currently being
done. System concluded that we are 4% behind our peers in salaries, and
this plan will help to avoid a large catch-up issue in the future. Since
we cannot raise tuition again in 03-05, the only way to provide salary
dollars is through program cuts or generating funds ourselves. Since an
employee contribution for health care insurance is a sure thing, the suggestion
was to use additional contributions to fund a percentage increase.
Assembly reps spoke adamantly against this proposal saying that those with lower salaries would be paying for raises of those with higher salaries. According to Bruce, the break-even point falls at around $70K, so anyone earning less would lose. In addition, pay increases are taxed, whereas insurance premiums come out as pre-tax dollars. The idea of dollar increases for percentage raises looked to some like "robbing Peter to pay Paul."
Mary Ray made a motion to say that "academic staff are not willing to pay additional health insurance premiums to fund our own raises." Seconded.
Bruce then introduced a letter he had prepared in response to the System plan, in the event that the Assembly agreed to oppose it. The letter stated in essence that no salary increase should be paid by a shift in funding at the cost of benefits either directly or indirectly.
Mary Ray withdrew her motion in favor of using Bruce's letter as a resolution.
Caton Roberts moved to accept the letter by Bruce to be sent to Katharine Lyall. Seconded. In the discussion, it was suggested to add "strongly oppose" to the language of the letter, and send copies of the letter to ASPRO and the University Committee. The motion passed unanimously.
The open discussion item was deferred to the next Assembly meeting.
Old Business
None
Meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff