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CIC-APSC (Chicago) minutes

Meeting October 18, 2004
Big Ten Conference Center - Chicago

I. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS

Why did we come to this meeting?
To share information
Norms of professional staff groups
Ways to cope with budgetary crises
Ways to deal with centrally imposed systems such as PeopleSoft
New ideas and insights on what works to improve work life on campus
To gain strength in numbers
Build a stronger collaborative voice
Use norms across most campuses to advocate for positive change at those
campuses which do not meet the norms

What do we want the CIC APSC to look like?
Website to share information
Governance plan, continuity
Institutionalizing the CIC group within our own institutions
Credible voice for the professional staff/legitimacy
Ongoing forum for information sharing
Collective historic memory
Advocacy

II. ATTENDANCE & GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

1. Continuity in meeting attendees, other ways to pass on info
Consistent CIC liaison(s) for each group
CIC group needs to meet more than once a year.
Centralized repository of information (website) will help.

2. Developing a website
CIC rules governing use of webspace (see handout)
We all agreed the site should be hosted by the CIC
Must have links to each university's professional staff organization
Steven Wietstock of Indiana Univ agreed to serve as Communications Liaison
CIC can also host a listserve
We can subscribe from each university the centralized email account for
the professional staff organization, or the email address of the executive
committee, or the email address of the professional council's hired staff member.
To be worked out via email.

3. Discussion of choosing officers of CIC APSC
Rotating chair - someone from the institution who will host the next meeting
Who will host next year? Illinois or Iowa?
Both Illinois and Iowa reps remember volunteering to host in 2005 during
the CIC APSC meeting in 2003. Vera Mainz of Illinois said they would defer to Iowa for 2005 since Iowa has already begun planning.
Do we need more stable exec committee and structure, such as bylaws?
Suggestions to make CIC rep an official position within each university's
professional council.
Member of executive committee of each member council should serve on CIC.
Last year we decided on the following executive committee structure:
1. Communications reps/website liaison
2. member from last year's host institution
3-4. members from current year's host institution
5. member from next year's host institution
We all have to take ownership of who will take over after we retire/move on from our roles on our professional councils.
Suggestion: Each CIC rep should be a current or former exec committee member from their institution's professional council.

4. Decision to form CIC APSC Executive Committee
" Communications liaison (Steve Wietstock, Indiana)
" one person from Minnesota, host in 2004 (Randy Croce)
" one person from Iowa, host in 2005 (Ella Born, Chair)
" one person from Illinois, host in 2006 (Vera Mainz)

5. Annual Meetings
" Mid January - phone/web conference, Jan. 24, 2005 (Monday)
" Early April - phone/web conference, April 4, 2005 (Monday)
" Early June - phone/web conference, June 6, 2005 (Monday)
" Mid October - in-person conference in Chicago, Oct. 16-17, 2005 (Sunday-Monday)

6. CIC APSC Conference Hosts:

2005 - Iowa
2006 - Illinois
2007 - Michigan State
2008 - Ohio State
2009 - Purdue
2010 - Penn State
2011 - Indiana
2012 - Wisconsin
2013 - Northwestern
2014 - Minnesota

7. Who should attend CIC conference?
No more than 4 from any one institution, generally 3 people
Why does host institution have to pay for dinner for all CIC APSC reps?
maybe member institutions should pay for their own dinners for their own reps
Institutions should send at least 2 reps for continuity

8. Budget
Each of our professional councils should ask for a budget for the annual CIC meeting, just like other CIC groups do.
Strength in numbers - if we all ask, and if we establish a real institutional structure, we should be able to get the budget.

9. Location of next CIC APSC conference: Iowa City or Chicago?
Arguments for Chicago
conference center is free
close to airport
close to hotel
reducted costs for catering
we are part of CIC
does not set a precedent of driving to far-flung campuses
Arguments for Iowa
being able to see different home campuses
host institution: easier to arrange things
Decision: Meet at Big Ten center in Chicago

10. Bylaws committee:
Rebecca Griffiths (NWU), Randy Croce, Ella Born, Vera Mainz
Ideas to be included in CIC APSC bylaws:
Who are the representatives who should attend meetings:
" should be members of council exec cmte, or recent past member
" should be someone who can serve multiple years
" should be someone who is a communications liaison
" should be at least 2 reps from each institution
Subcommittees/working groups/task forces

III. BENCHMARKING

1. Survey on Benefits (see handout)
a) Initiated by IU (Steve Wietstock & committee)
b) Difficulty of getting information promptly
" It took 8 months to get info
" If you assign responsibility of updating info to CIC APSC rep, then it should be much quicker
" Sometimes it just takes a long time for reps to get info from their HR depts
" It will help to say "the CIC wants this information"
c) This info should be on our website
d) To be updated once a year on a regular basis by designated reps from each institution
e) Need to make sure data on this printed report is still correct
f) Each rep should check information for accuracy and send any updates to Steve Wietstock via email by January 10, 2005. (email swietsto@indiana.edu)
g) Should this info be for administrative or professional staff?
" Purdue and Minnesota represent both
" Info should be provided for both, clearly delineating the difference

2. Summary of CIC Professional Staff Councils (see table)
a) Initiated at 2003 CIC APSC meeting and updated via email in October 2004
b) Should also be on our website
c) We should discuss the responses and make sure we all interpreted the questions the same way. Indiana reps agreed to follow-up on this.

3. Implications of open data-sharing
a) Should data be shared by the public on the website, or make the data accessible to members only?
b) Some info may be detrimental to some institutions getting better working conditions, for example if they are already the best in the CIC.

4. What info do we want to compare?
a) Benefits
" Domestic partner benefits
" Existent survey (see above)
b) Salaries
" Difficult to get accurate information that we can share
" Iowa was involved in a comparative study which they could maybe share
" Ohio State also has benchmarking info, will see if they can share
" Gender inequity
" Average annual increase, if any, and is it considered a cost-of-living increase or a merit increase, or both?
c) Non-renewal practices/lay-offs
" is there a notice period? how long is it?
" grounds for non-renewal
d) Grievance policies and procedures
" Is professional staff council involved in grievance process?
e) Who do we represent?
" Exempt/non-exempt/academic
" Do not represent civil service staff
f) Career ladder, promotion
g) Leaves of absence
h) Representation on university committees and searches
" Meetings with senior administration
i) Job security, multiple-year appointments, contracts
j) How often do you meet as a representative body?
k) Job categories/titles - is it possible to compare these?
" Would the end result really be helpful?
" Job classification for compensation purposes
" Wisconsin identified 10 positions that would probably be common across CIC institutions (see handout)
" Is there already CIC data available, e.g. from CIC HR group or budgetary affairs group?
l) Performance evaluations - are they required? what type?

5. Discussion: Comparison of benefits info
a) Health coverage for retirees
Purdue is only one with no health plan for retirees other than COBRA.
b) Dental coverage
Wisconsin does not have dental plan, but dental is covered under regular health plan
c) Optical coverage
Michigan, U Chicago, Michigan State, Iowa (medical plan may
cover eye exam) have no optical coverage
d) Holidays: Michigan State has fewer holidays than other schools
e) No carry-over vacation days: Michigan State and Minnesota
Statement of best practices?
f) Fee remission: not available at Iowa
" Indiana - faculty council is working on reciprocal agreement with other institutions
" Is it available for employees only, or also for dependents?
" Alliance with faculty and civil service employees
" Northwestern: It does cost the university money to pay for 75% of tuition fees for staff
" Should the CIC APSC make a statement about best practices?
Yes - strength in numbers
We cannot officially make such a statement
Leave it to Iowa to take info to their administration
" Iowa does have scholarships that are awarded by lottery.
" In-state rates versus out-of-state rates.
Indiana: a brand new employee who moves to Indiana to take a job at IU, must pay out of state rates. Fee courtesy only covers in-state amount of fees.
g) Same sex domestic partner benefits
" Wisconsin-Madison does not have it, everyone else present does
" Penn State does not have domestic partner benefits either
" Statement of best practices?
h) Opposite sex domestic partner benefits

6. Hot topics - We should speak out about the following issues:
a) Domestic partner benefits (Wisconsin doesn't have this)
b) Fee remission (Iowa doesn't have this)
c) Vacation day carry-over (Minnesota and Michigan State don't have this)
Each institution that doesn't have these benefits could craft a statement in support of the benefit, and then send it on the CIC APSC email list for approval.

CIC doesn't want us to advocate. We must present our positions as "suggestions"unless we get approval from each of our university presidents.

Break for Lunch

IV. DEALING WITH FINANCIAL CRISES

Symptoms of Financial Crisis

a) Reduction in number of professional staff positions
b) Elimination of faculty lines
c) Unions: difficulty in laying people off
d) Professional staff working longer hours, decline in morale
e) Change in culture:
" decreased job security
" increased hours of work
" people looking for different work

Financial Difficulties on Our Member Campuses

1. Iowa
a) Task force to find $12 mil reduction in 5 years. Included the following proposals:
" Cap in benefits of carry-over vacation (cap at 96 hours)
" Spouse benefits for 2-employee couples reduced
" 3-year vesting period for retirement benefits - this is the only one that will probably go forward.
This would affect all faculty and staff.
b) Professional staff council wrote a letter to the administration about these points
c) Reduction in staff through attrition
d) Expect a 39% increase in health insurance premiums
" Staff must pay for only a max of 25% increase, univ must cover the rest
" Staff get "flex dollars"to pay for health benefits, amount based on family composition and years of service

2. Indiana
a) Reduction in number of staff
b) PeopleSoft implementation has led to more work for current staff, increased stress
c) Wait period before hiring replacement staff
d) Changes in retirement plans
" Tiered retirement plans
" Encouraged early retirement
e) Mid-year budget cuts within schools on campus
f) No money for overtime pay
" Exempt staff will carry burden of work that non-exempt staff cannot finish
g) FLSA morale issues
h) 4% tuition cap last year and this year
i) If current trends continue, in 12 years we will have no state funding for the university
j) Board of Trustees have decided they will not fund healthcare cost increases above 16%

3. Purdue
a) Not hiring replacement staff
b) Push toward greater efficiency, do more with less staff
c) Centralization of services, e.g. for IT
d) Interdepartmental cooperation
e) Development office working on private funding sources

4. Michigan State
a) Discussion of merging of colleges
b) Not hiring replacement staff after retirement
c) Staff given $750/yr. salary increase but then charged $9 per month for health insurance coverage
d) Spouses of retirees do not get health benefits

5. Wisconsin
a) Tuition has gone up (as elsewhere)
b) Faculty and staff received 0% salary increase last year, 1% this year
c) Effective Jan. 2004, staff contributing to cost of health insurance for the first time
" affects all staff and faculty
" unionized staff have been dragging their feet on agreeing to contract
" lower-wage workers will have hard time covering this cost
" expected 5% increase in premiums for 2005
d) Layoffs have increased, especially for staff on federally-funded projects
e) Instructors on short-term contracts have suffered non-renewal
f) Additional personal holiday was granted, to make up for low salary increases

6. Ohio State
a) Centralizing services
b) Interdepartmental resource sharing
c) Aggregate 3% annual salary increase, but your dept or college has to provide half of this. So some dept staff may only get 1.5%.
d) Cost of living increase is given to cover increased cost of health insurance, fees and parking
Not a base increase, just one-time check

7. Illinois
a) Consultant hired to examine administrative units with the goal of cutting 25% of administrative costs
b) Resulted in mergers, reductions in certain units
c) Staff taking on additional work
d) Banner (PeopleSoft type program) software implementation
e) Salary increase was 0% 2 years ago, this year it was 3%
Money for salaries had to be trimmed from other parts of the budget
f) Some academic programs were suspended
g) UIC: Some accepted students were told they had to defer matriculation
h) All employees get the same benefits on all campuses
Except that civil service staff can use tuition waiver for other Illinois universities for themselves. All staff can use tuition waiver at any Illinois university/college for their children.
i) Increased health insurance premiums

8. Northwestern
a) Salary increase was about 2.75%
" Departments must come up with part of that percentage, about 0.5 or 0.75
" Merit increase only, no cost of living increase
b) Layoffs from losing grants is at about 30% (term-limited jobs)
c) Job reclassification to higher levels progressing slowly or not at all
d) Health care premiums increasing at higher rate than salaries
e) Interdepartmental collaboration to save money
f) Elimination of some academic programs
g) Staff morale is low across the board for various reasons, including FLSA
20 exempt positions moved to non-exempt

9. Minnesota
a) Increase in co-pays regardless of health insurance plan
b) Increase in health insurance costs
c) Some services are being centralized
d) Layoffs due to lack of matching funds for grants
e) Increased need for external income streams, hiring more development professionals
" Perpetual capital campaign
" Mission-drift of the institution
" Leads to culture change at the institution, low morale
f) Mid-year budget cuts (up to 15%)
Across-the board increase in health care costs seemed to be most equitable way to cut budgets

Discussion of Results of Financial Cuts

Ohio State: Healthcare investment committee
" focus more on wellness
" pro-active approach
Northwestern: Health cost savings accounts have been proposed
" Healthcare went up an average of 11% this year
Wisconsin: State health insurance program for all state employees
" restructured relationship to the vendors to encourage greater efficiency
" contract more favorable if they are more efficient
" prescription drug benefit handled by a separate entity
" state reports spectacular results
" health insurance increase for 2005 expected to be 5%
" didn't have to pay anything until 2004
" $22/month for HMO coverage for a single employee
Minnesota: Self-insured
" benefits advisory committee has beaten back some draconian measures
" common cause with the faculty
" Strategy: alliances with faculty and unionized staff
Wisconsin: keep track of sick leave - earn 8 hours per month
" accumulated sick leave can be converted to cash upon retirement to use to pay health insurance premiums
" employees opt to use vacation days instead of sick days due to this policy
Illinois: this summer tried to move to self-insured program, but it failed
" professional staff basically get the same benefits as AFSCME negotiates with the state
Indiana: prescription plan changes
" change to prescription benefit program, new program to cover all state employees
" even though IU's benefit was better, IU is not being exempted from new law

V. PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS

Are they required? Who manages the process? Are they used as basis for pay increase?
Northwestern Yes, but not enforced Departments, no standard form Yes
Indiana Yes, but not enforced Department, no standard form No, but merit bonuses available in some depts.
Michigan Yes Schools, no standard form Yes
Purdue No, but they are encouraged Department. HR gives sample form. Yes, if reviews are done.
Ohio State No, but strongly encouraged Schools. HR provides one standard form. Yes
Illinois, Urbana Yes HR administers process with one standard form, audits compliance. Yes.
Illinois, Chicago Yes Schools. No, usually merit pay increase decided before review is done.
Wisconsin No, but recommended Departments. No standard form. No
Minnesota Yes HR units within schools, but no one checks centrally.
Iowa Yes Central HR, which tracks compliance on-line. Sample form provided by HR. Yes

Other comments:
a) Several schools say it's very difficult to get faculty supervisors to conduct performance evaluations of professional staff.
b) Performance evaluation as part of termination process:
" Purdue: Bad performance evaluation is first step in termination
" Wisconsin: When no performance management review, then no grounds for dismissal

VI. FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT

Minnesota
a) just starting to look at implications
b) afraid that some exempt staff will become non-exempt

Indiana
a) Creation of a third classification of staff: "Professional Non-Exempt"
b) Salary and benefits of converted employees will stay the same.
c) A large group of exempt staff positions are being examined for possible
conversion.
d) Morale issue - what does "professional"mean?
e) Decisions to be communicated in November.

Northwestern
a) 20 exempt staff were converted to non-exempt.
b) Also seen as a morale issue.
c) Job descriptions may need to change so that expectation of supervisors does not surpass what it is possible for the employee to do in a 40-hour work.
d) Tracking work hours is tough

Iowa
a) About 500 employees changed from exempt to non-exempt (about 10% of total).
b) These employees remained monthly paid staff.

Ohio State
Letters have been sent to about 4000 employees to say their jobs are being reviewed.

Wisconsin
Governor announced that FLSA will not apply to Wisconsin.

Purdue
a) Examined a lot of jobs and notified those people to keep time as of Aug. 22.
b) Small percentage were changed to non-exempt.
c) Creative job descriptions to keep jobs exempt.

VII. REPRESENTATION/VOICE/CULTURE ISSUES

Rethinking the University

Increased importance of professional staff
" Professional and administrative staff have become a more important part of universities in last 30 years
" Fastest-growing employee group at universities is professional staff
" Bill Tierney (USC) has written about staff involvement in university governance

Minnesota restructuring plan:
" University Senate includes faculty, students, professional staff, and civil service (see handout)
" Plan has been proposed to Board of Regents

Who else has a University Senate other than Minnesota?
" Illinois (Urbana and UIC) both have faculty/student senates
" Minnesota:
o Teaching professionals were first allowed to be on the faculty committees. Professionals with expertise in certain areas were allowed to be on the committees.
o Traded a voice at the table for guaranteed minority status of P&A on the university senate.
" No other schools have a faculty/student/staff combined senate.
" Iowa: Joint faculty/staff budget committee (advisory)

Achievements in Representation

1. Illinois-Urbana
Professional staff member representation on university senate and its committees is now official, not just ex-officio
2. Michigan State
On search committees, but not on faculty senate
3. Indiana
Allowed one voting seat on faculty council
Also two student seats on the faculty council
Membership on search and screen committees for university upper administration
4. Ohio State
Staff input on university committees sometimes depends on the committee chair.
5. Northwestern is working hard to be part of university governance.
6. Minnesota has a Committee on Committees
Mandated to choose members of all university committees
P&A does have a few reps on this committee
CAPA puts out a call to its listserve to find volunteers who are qualified to fill committee appointments
7. Iowa also has a committee on committees
Staff invited to nominate or self-nominate members for the committees
Most committees have 2-3 staff members but a majority faculty
President takes staff recommendations seriously, meets with prof staff leaders monthly
8. Wisconsin
Prof staff representation on committees, but faculty still reign
Prof staff not allowed to be chairs of cross-campus committees

Recognition for What Professional Staff Do

1. Indiana:
a) 2 merit awards for professional staff each year, $1000 (taxable) through Chancellor's Office
b) Article in local paper questioning worth of professional staff
c) Salaries published in local paper each year

2. Illinois: 25% cut in administrative costs demanded
a) Professional Staff award of $2000 (after tax) - 6 awards at UICU campus
also includes base increase in salary
b) Assumption that all prof staff are administrators needs to be overcome
c) Initiated awards for length of service for P & As

3. Iowa: 6 awards annually from Board of Regents, plus 6 from the university
a) Cash award from Board of Regents to dept, then dept awards it
These award winners recognized at university convocation
b) One award for innovative technology per year
c) Award for length of service
d) Staff council is developing their own award for outreach and community service
e) Professional development is considered a reward for staff.
awards given on a lottery basis
f) Salaries published in local paper each year
g) Board of Regents controls the single state lobbyist, prof. council cannot employ its own
h) Awards for additional funds to support staff to go to conferences
this year 80 applicants, 31 awards
funding from staff council and from Coke contract, Provost, President, VP for Research, Foundation

4. Minnesota:
a) Publicity for CAPA to foster identity (e.g. buttons)
b) Info meetings with primary Twin Cities newspapers and NPR station
c) Attendance at Regents meetings
d) Calling top administrators out when they didn't mention P&A staff
e) Attendance at student and civil service meetings
f) Individual recognition through monthly "get to know your staff"articles
g) Units are starting to engage in greater staff recognition
h) Moved away from individual awards toward departmental staff awards
Rewards staff-friendly, inclusive units
Unit gets enough money for a nice party and get recognition through newsletter

5. Ohio State: work with local professional staff groups

6. Wisconsin
a) 8 excellence awards campus-wide for various staff achievements (Funding comes from various sources)
b) Teaching awards at campus and system level are open to professional staff
c) Also $40,000 from system in professional development grant money
d) Academic Staff Professional lobbying organization
funded by payroll deduction
lobbies state government

7. Michigan State
a) Staff awards given by units
b) Teaching awards can be given to academic specialists

8. Northwestern
a) One employee of the year award per campus ($1000 savings bond plus a plaque)
b) Longevity awards
c) Units have some awards as well

9. Purdue: Units sponsor their own awards
a) Teaching awards can go to professional staff
b) HR sponsors a few awards
c) Service recognition award

Norms for Elected Leaders

1. Illinois: all prof staff council members are elected by district
executive officers elected by council members
increased interest in recent years
electronic voting

2. Indiana: 7 districts, 3 reps per district
executive officers elected by council members
difficult to find candidates to run for unit reps
electronic voting

3. Iowa: elections for reps in 4 groups (admin, research, health care, merit exempt)
for each 100 people in each group = 1 rep on council
staff only votes on reps for their own group
contested races
executive committee:
" Composed of past president, president, vice president/president-elect (VP/PE), secretary, and four members at-large
" In the process of adding a treasurer
" VP/PE, secretary, treasurer, and at-large members elected by entire group of Council members.
electronic voting

4. Ohio State: not elected by employees
Apply to serve, then 30 committee members interview interested staff and choose reps
Try to keep number representative of the staff at large
Exec committee: co-chairs of sub-committees, pres, vp, sec, treasurer
3 officers are elected
co-chairs by appointment by elected officials

5. Northwestern: not elected by employees
done like Ohio State
Exe cmte: chair, cochair, sec, treasurer
elected by council
subcommittee chairs appointed by chair

6. Minnesota: elected on unit level, proportional to unit size
CAPA elects its leadership:
chairs of 4 standing committees
vice chair
chair
All new senators have to be elected. CAPA can select 25 senators.
Alternates also elected.
Challenge is to have races contested.

7. Purdue: various districts, number of reps proportional to size
1/3 of council is elected new each year
ask interested staff to apply to the council
committee of the staff council interviews the applicants and chooses reps
must have supervisor's approval
vice-chair election each April. Vice-chair become chair the following year.
sub-committee chairs are on the exec cmte

8. Michigan State: election by functional area (e.g. advising, curriculum development, research, etc),
function area is delineated by college
fixed terms
plus 3 appointed members (to ensure minority representation), appointed by Provost
rolling membership, 3 year terms and 1 year appts.

9. Wisconsin: 100 districts determined by job title, 40-70 staff each
One-half of representatives elected each year
Often volunteers are unopposed, so stay on for several terms
Representatives are charged with finding an alternate from their districts
Executive committee of 9 members with 3-year staggered terms
Exec committee members elected at large by all academic staff
5 standing committees (9 members each) are elected by the Assembly representatives

VIII. PLANS FOR NEXT CONFERENCE

Next teleconference: Monday, January 24, 2005
Length: 1 ½ hours
Time: 9:00 am central time, 10:00 am eastern time

Next in-person conference: Sunday/Monday, October 16-17, 2005
Sunday evening sessions were fine, same location

Task Force Groups

By the January 24 meeting, draft statements on best practices for the following issues:

1. Vacation day carry-over
Beth, Minnesota (Chair)
Craig, Michigan State
Ella, Iowa

2. Domestic Partner benefits
Bruce, Wisconsin (Chair)
Isabel, Indiana

3. Tuition benefit for employees
Aisha, Iowa (Chair)
Tonia, Ohio State

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