Minutes - November 20, 2003

Members present: Pat Alfano, Vickie Amidon, Janet Bensman, Alison Louise Brown, Joni Burks, Helen Burnette, Alanna Burney, Oscar Carmona, Johnnie Conley, Marlis Dagg, Margaret Evans, Nelson Fahlund, Rick Garza, Phil Gavenda, Royce Gehrels, Sandra Godfrey, Suzanne Goodman, Andrew Gordon, Kathy Guajardo, Bert Herigstad, John Hibbits, Gayle Hight, Dora Hilgart, Margaret Hill, Thomas Hill, Marcus Horton, Kim Johnson, Elizabeth Korves, Noah Lowenstein, Jim McElroy, Earl McMannis, Peggy Mueller, Greg Murphy, John Nelson, Sam Owens, Chuck Pearson, Jorge Puig, Ana Raley, Kay Randall, Leslie Saucedo, Jennifer Scalora, J.R. Schlesinger, Ann Seago, William Sederholm, Frank Simon, Sandra Sleeper, Didi Smith, Joe Sosler, Jerry Spillar, Kitty Villa, Erin Waneck, Shane Williams, Glen Worley

Members absent with notification: Michael Acuna, Jan Ballard, Karis Beasley, Philemon Brown, Julie Cunniff, Laura Davis, Phillip Dubov, Patrice Fox, Christy Habecker, Frank McIlhaney, Mary Beth Mercatoris, Amy Pinkston, Stella Smith, Sheril Smith, J.R. Watson

Members absent : Mack Andrews, Melba Catchings, Augustin Collazo, PG Moreno

Guests : Juanita Rodriguez, HFSA

Human Resource Services : Debra Kress, Monica Reed

Quorum: 75 filled UTSC representative places divided by 2 = 38 (for quorum)

Welcome:

Chair Glen Worley called to order the regular meeting of the UT Staff Council at 2:07 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, 2003 in Main 212. 53 UTSC representatives were present.

Welcome guests

Announcements:

Welcome new member Susan Goodman, School of Biological Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences, District 360.1

Vickie Heydron, District 621 has resigned as she is moving to another department within UT.

The next regular meeting of the UTSC is December 11, Main 212, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. NOTE: This is one week earlier than usual, due to the holidays. The Executive Committee will adjust its meeting day accordingly.

Chair's report:

Glen contacted Kyle Cavanaugh concerning SB 1652 to make sure he had the correct information:

Kyle's response: SB 1652 included a number of issues:

In summary, it provides authority for the UT System to administer certain human resource functions consistent with institutional needs. The act includes a number of provisions that provide authorization for the UT System to establish its own 457 (b) program (this is a supplemental, tax deferred savings plan similar to a 403 (b)); a reduction from one year to 30 days for the re-employment of TRS retirees (we have this in place); an exemption from across-the-board salary increases if the institution has a pay-for-performance (essentially a merit program) in place; the earliest Kyle would predict we would see any impact from this would be September 1, 2005 since he doesn't expect an across the board recommendation or funding from the state in September 1, 2004.

The act further includes the ability to cover post doc fellows in the group insurance plan.

ULC meeting of November 3, 2003

Report on Project IQ – Development of an Oracle database for new campus system.

Information Quest (IQ) is The University of Texas at Austin 's solution to the reporting needs of all campus departments. With Project IQ, University leaders will be utilizing Business Intelligence (BI) to access and display information critical to their strategic decision-making.

Project IQ will enable departments to

• Extract information quickly without the intervention of programmers
• Design and format reports to display information in the most meaningful way
• Administer appropriate security for confidential information

For more details visit https://utdirect.utexas.edu/iq/ [UT EID required]

Human Resources Services

• New Self-service page – My Benefits – costs and financial details of insurance
• Part-time workers must enroll in health plan; no longer automatically enrolled
• Criminal background checks required for undergraduate workers in security-sensitive positions. Background checks are done when job offer is made; not on all applicants for job
• Sex offenders required to register if student or working at university
• Staff Turnover
  • Classified 12.1%
  • A&P 6%
  • Average 11% (considered a low rate)

Marcus Horton and Glen met with Dr. Bob Harkins and his CPA on Tuesday, November 11 to discuss proposed parking fees. Marcus will make a full report on this in Committee Reports.

President Faulkner's Tuition recommendations sent to all UTSC representatives- Regents approved this on November 18, 2003 .

Excerpt from email from President Faulkner to University Leadership Council:

They approved all of our proposals for the spring semester 2004 without condition.

They also voted to approve all of UTSC proposals for the 2004-2005 academic, effective January 23, 2004 . Their action opens a 60-day window for additional public comment, and it manifests the possibility that changes could be made in the overall package before January 23. However, to make any change, the Regents would have to announce a special meeting not now scheduled, in which they would have to vote formally to amend or rescind the approval that they have already given. Consequently, they have set a very high bar for alteration of their action today. If they do not meet before January 23, the package for 2004-2005 goes into effect automatically. The Chairman indicated in the follow-up press conference that the purpose of the window is to allow the Regents to rectify a grievous error if one is discovered between now and January 23. He added the opinion that given the massively open process through which today's decisions were reached, he would be surprised if any such error were uncovered.

At UT Austin, The University will proceed under the assumption that its tuition proposals will be in effect as submitted for both the spring semester 2004 and the 2004-2005 academic year.

Meeting with Kyle Cavanaugh on Tuesday, November 18, 2003

• Status of proposed Grievance Policy: At this time it is scheduled to be presented to the Vice Presidents' Council at their first meeting in December.
• Status of pay raises: 3% merit pool available. To be eligible for a merit increase in January, a faculty or staff member must:
  • have been employed on or before March 1, 2003. More details to be announced shortly.
  • Discussed the idea of a HR Forum type group for the UTSC District Contacts. The District Contacts primary duty is during UTSC elections. Establishing a group under the direction of HRS would mean that these people would take this duty more seriously. Kyle will discuss this with Linda Casarez.
  • Discussed the possibility of some sort of Staff Appreciation Day activity to coincide with the annual Service Awards presentation.

Glen will be meet with President Faulkner and Kyle Cavanaugh on December 8. Feel free to email or send him any concerns or questions.

President Faulkner is scheduled to attend and speak at the February 19, 2004 Staff Council meeting. Everyone should make an effort to attend this meeting.

Jane Wilcox of Parking and Transportation asked that we announce to the Staff Council that P&T is selling Orange Santa hats for $10 at any parking garage office or Parking and Transportation office in Trinity Garage. $4 of each purchase will go to Orange Santa.

Vice Chair's report:

Recorder/Secretary:

Minutes from the previous meeting:

The minutes of the October 16 meeting were approved.

Committee Reports:

Standing Committees:

(Standing Committees: Issues; Bylaws; Committee on Committees; Communications; Nominations and Elections)

Didi Smith, Issues:

This committee has one new issue to bring forth to the UTSC and discuss.

Issue 2003-28, Replacement Cards for Staff:
To waive fee for replacing cards for staff that have had them for 5+ years and put the cards into the same life-cycle as the students' cards. (Older cards also have social security numbers on them

Recommendation: refer to Communications Committee

William Sederholm and Stella Smith, Bylaws:

In response to Issue 2003-12 regarding UTSC Issue Resolution Process, the Bylaws Committee recommends the following action for each of the issues raised:

1) Regarding the length of service of an ad hoc committee.

Currently it reads: Ad Hoc committees will be appointed by the Exec. Committee or UTSC as the need arises. The Ad Hoc Committee will elect a chair and the time span of the committee will be determined by the matter under consideration and will be disbanded when the purpose has been served. The minimum number of individual members' as well as length of service will be determined by the UTSC.

Proposed Change: Ad Hoc committees will be appointed by the Exec. Committee or UTSC as the need arises. The Ad Hoc Committee will elect a chair and the time span of the committee will be determined by the matter under consideration and will be disbanded when the purpose has been served. THE UTSC WILL DETERMINE WHEN THE COMMITTEE'S PURPOSE HAS BEEN DISCHARGED AND WHETHER THE COMMITTEE SHOULD BE DISSOLVED . The minimum number of members' as well as MEMBER length of service will be determined by the UTSC.

Discussion: Bert Herigstad/Dist 171 clarified "by UTSC" that it means the regular UTSC meeting that would vote to end the ad hoc committee.

Resolution of Changes: The question was called, accepted and passed

Noah Lowenstein, Nominations and Elections

Report on meeting with Linda Casarez of HRS re:

1. District Representative information will soon be available on the UTSC Web site. It will be accessed by an UT-EID page that logs onto a database where this information is stored. This should be operational in a couple of months.
    
2. Streamlining the Election Process: The cutoff calculation date for eligibility to vote and run in UTSC elections is on March 1. Prior to the elections, HRS will run a program to determine who is eligible to vote (50%+ continuously for 6 months as of March 1) and run (50%+ continuously for 1 year as of March 1) in the upcoming election using March 1 as the marker date.

Phil Gavenda, Communications:

Web site update -- there are now links to:

• EAC Web site
• Group email

Working on the District Representative database

Working Committees:

(Classification and Compensation, Grievance; Insurance; Miscellaneous Benefits; Parking and Transportation; Retirement)

The Chair, Glen Worley, asked Sandra Sleeper, Compensation and Classification to defer her report on issue 2003-18 (changes in leave policy to allow retention in some sick leave time when staff go out on leave without pay) to the next meeting so that Marcus Horton will have time to give his report.

She agreed.

Marcus Horton, Parking and Transportation:

Proposed increases in the parking fees.

1. The F11 lot next to Gregory Gym – all the spaces in that lot will be enforced (permit only) at all hours.
2. Dismount Zone is now in effect from 8-5, M-F
3. The report Issue 2003-20 will be given at next meeting as this is still under discussion
4. Parking & Transportation Policy Committee meet and discussed next fiscal years increase of permits. At its last meeting, Dr. Harkins brought out his budget which included raises for all permits, particularly the F-Garage (the proposed raise here was 22%).

Glen and Marcus meet with him about this increase and gave him alternate recommendations to those proposed increases which included instead a 7% increase for the F-Garage permit. Their recommendation covered larger raises to the F-Surface Lot permit and Football/Special Event parking to help cover the garage maintenance expenses.

Discussion:

Phil Gavenda/Dist 652: Thanked Marcus & Committee for their work. Asked if there was a Part 2 of this.

Marcus: Yes, there will a increase for next year but the committee will discuss this at a later time. Harkins still would like to get the $33/month for the F-Garage permit by next Fall but again this will be discussed next year.

Elizabeth Korvis/Dist 282: how are the different percentages figured.

Marcus: Since the F-Garage permits are P&T's biggest seller, they can get more money raising these permits.

Tom Horn/Dist 681: Are there 107 "O" spaces on campus?

Marcus: There are 107 "O" permits, not spaces.

Tom: These use to be Regents spaces and they are marked "At all Times" and are usually vacant. I understand the owners of the permits do not have to pay for them.

Marcus: These permits are given out by the President and the spaces are not all marked "At all Times" especially around the Main Building .

Ana Raley/Dist 202: If you are eligible for an "O" permit, you can request it and you do pay for it. It costs $600/year.

Kitty Villa/Dist 142: What is happening with the Occasional Parking Plan?

Marcus: It is still in the works.

Bert Herigstad/Dist 171:

1) If the parking garage increase went from 22% to 7% and if the proposal stayed within budget what was the intent for the difference (15%)? Did it go to reserves?

Marcus: at the meeting he and Glen restructured the way the reserved is figured in the budget-- they asked what the reserve was spent on and Harkins replied "repairs." They asked him to rename this line item "repairs" instead of the more ambiguous "reserves."

2) Is Harkins obliged to forward the Administration's discussion of this to everyone?

Marcus: Yes

Ana Raley/Dist 202:

1) Surface Lot is less - 7% increase is not 3% (merit raises) - is the rest going to capital expenses?

2) How much is going to debt payment?

Marcus: PG1 will be paid off this year.

3) What happens to the money when the bond is paid off? Will we be getting charged year after year.

Marcus: All expenses are going up on maintenance for these structures and surface lots. The money goes to operation and to keep P&T in the black.

Unfinished Business: None

New Business:

Glen announced that there will be refreshments at the Dec. meeting. Sandra Sleeper will coordinate this so if you want to help please contact her.

Proposed resolution endorsing Regents' decision on tuition increases.
Presented by Phillip Dubov (as Phillip is absent, Glen read):

UNIVERSITY STAFF COUNCIL RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE REGENTS' DECISION TO IMPLEMENT AN ACADEMIC SUSTAINABILITY TUITION

Whereas, the state of Texas contribution to the University of Texas at Austin academic budget has decreased from 50% in 1973 to 19% in 2003, in spite of the 1876 Texas Constitutional mandate that '"the legislature should…establish, organize, and provide for the maintenance and support of a "university of the first class"', the consequences of this reduction in support having the following effects:

• Reduction in the number of faculty and staff while student population has increased
• Deferment of routine and necessary maintenance of buildings, including classrooms, laboratories, and other teaching facilities
• Increased workloads on faculty and staff due to budget cutbacks mandated by the state of Texas
• Inability to continue to offer a compensation program that will attract and keep the quality faculty and staff necessary for a "university of the first class"

Whereas, the increases proposed by President Faulkner based on the recommendations of the Tuition Policy Advisory Committee are reasonable when compared to our peer institutions, and in many cases less than those same peer institutions; and

Whereas, it is noted that more than adequate provisions, also known as set-asides, have been made to minimize the effect of the tuition increases on less financially advantaged students; and

Whereas, the University of Texas at Austin has embarked upon an open and transparent process to raise tuition to the levels needed for its operation as a top-tier academic institution, therefore be it

Resolved, that the University of Texas at Austin Staff Council, representing the 11,000 staff of UT Austin, hereby endorses the UT Regents' decision to implement an Academic Sustainability Tuition for Spring 2004 and the 2004/2005 academic year.

A motion was made to adopt the resolution as written and seconded. During discussion it was clarified that the resolution was written by Glen Worley. After discussion the resolution was voted upon with the following results:

• 44 in favor
• 3 opposed
• 2 abstention

Adjournment:

Meeting adjourned at 3:19 pm.

The next regular meeting of the UTSC is December 11, 2003; 2:00-3:30 p.m., Main 212. NOTE: This is one week earlier than usual, due to the holidays.