Operating Staff Council Meeting
Present:
Susie Ericson-West, Chair
Sheila Kirby, Vice-chair
Deb Ford
Cecil Maxfield
Deb Barrett
Deb Logan
Deb Williams
Dee Denehy
Absent:
Ro Dettelback
Tim Garland
Doug Adler
Ex-officio: Kim Harkness, HR director
Approve Minutes:
Minutes unanimously approved from OS Council meeting of 10/9/13
Treasurer’s Report:
$9,290.00 Total Balance
KSC Operating Staff Internally Designated Fund
$622.33
Operating Staff Dependent Scholarship
$33,470.76
In other news:
Letter from student recipient of OS-Dependent Scholarship expressing gratitude for scholarship was passed around to the group
HR Updates:
*** System has approved a 3% pool for wage increases; 2%, retroactive to 9/1/13, for “across the board” increases/base performance increase. The remaining 1% is to be broken out with .75% going to merit increases and the remaining .25% to be used to address equity issues. President Huot needs to forward the salary increase guidelines to the Admin Board for their 11/21 meeting; this is a formality, and we can expect the 2% increase to go forward soon after that (HR will have their work cut out for them to effect those increases). However, implementation of the remaining 1% will be delayed, as conversations about the merit-awarding process and a final decision by PAs (principal administrators) is needed before the additional 1% is released. As regards the merit-awarding process, it’s anticipated similar guidance will be used as was used in the last merit-awarding (goals met, or progress made toward them, e.g.). While certainly not cast in stone, there is hope that all of this can be worked through so that by the end of January, 2014, the remaining 1% may be released, again retroactive to 9/1/13.
*** At the end of the current week (11/15/13), any changes to Open Enrollment choices need to be finalized.
*** Healthy Returns, held in conjunction with Benefits Fair, had an uptick of 17% participation, and 78 flu shots administered. As an added benefit this year, the same set of evaluations (cholesterol, blood sugar, height/weight) was offered on the first floor of the Student Center, to students and adjunct faculty, and was well-received.
*** HR has received some claims data, which shows that participation in preventive screenings is up, especially for colonoscopies, mammograms and prostate screenings. While this is good news, it is noted by HR that men in particular are not as likely to take the care of themselves as they might (yearly physical examinations were mentioned). Look for increased encouragement on that front in the future.
*** SIPs (Separation Incentive Program): OS Council chair will get in contact with PAT Council chair (Jeanne Hearn) to draft a letter to President Huot to inquire as to the possibility of SIPs in the 2014-2015 fiscal year. HR has inquired as to whether money was being set aside for a potential SIP, as was anticipated at the last SIP offering, and has received assurances that the money has been set aside and is in place.
Provost Search Committee Update:
Susie Ericson-West reports that the ad for a new provost has been sent out to the Chronicle of Higher Education, and a profile has also been crafted, to further flesh out who/what Keene State College is and what we are looking for in a new provost. Search Committee is working with search consultants Storbek/Pimental & Associates, and has received 20+ applications as of the first of November. Storbek/Pimental will also approach individuals who may not be looking for such a position, but whom S/P deems a good fit for the position. Applications will be reviewed in November and December, with “airport interviews” taking place in the first quarter of 2014.
Leadership Constituency meeting with President Huot:
Susie Ericson-West reports there was concern about the amount of bad press KSC had been receiving after Pumpkin Fest and World Series celebrations took turns toward irresponsible and dangerous behavior on the part of a few KSC students and/or their guests. President Huot sees this negative publicity as able to impact our enrollment, and while acknowledging that there was irresponsible behavior on the part of a few, she would like to see more balanced reporting in the future.
Committee Reports:
Planning Council still has not met (Deb Williams) FPAC/Master Planning: Progress is being made on the Master Plan; hopefully the process will be concluded and approved by early 2014. (Cecil Maxfield) SPPC will be addressing some language as regards Compassionate Time donations: Section 19.6.3 (improving the Compassionate Donation program policy to include, where it previously read that it would not: “… for those caring for a newborn child, adoption or foster care.” ) to be addressed. (Sheila Kirby)
New Business:
Winter Fest on 12/4 from 11AM-2PM: Does OSC want to participate? After much discussion, it was decided to not participate this year and concentrate on something “fun” in late winter, when, it was felt, there is less pressure to purchase and people may be looking for an event to chase away the winter blues which may have descended by then. Any money raised would go, in part, to the OS Dependent Scholarship fund, unless other decisions are made in the interim. The question of asking the College to offer stipends to staff who serve on search committees, when the work of the search takes them off campus, and at times outside their normal working hours. Much discussion ensued, with a major concern being about legality of coverage (workers’ comp) for any accident which might occur while on “College business” but off campus and not “on the clock”. Decision was made to discuss with HR director at another meeting, and it was understood that nothing is going to change for any search currently underway.
Meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote at 11:30 AM.
