March 6, 2003 Minutes
1. Call to Order - A regular meeting of the Staff Senate of Missouri State University was called to order at Plaster Student Union, Room 313 at 1:30 p.m.
2. Roll Call -
Present - F. Chris Arney, Mike Clark, SuzAnn Ferguson, Phyllis Keeney, Steve Mills, Alan Roland, Chris Strodtman, Kelly Brown, Belinda Davis, Cynthia Giacin, Betty Lewis, Phil Nichols, Pamela Sailors, Mary Lynne Golden, Patrick Byers, Chuck Donald, Abigail Hagy, Lisa McEowen-LeVangie, Marilyn Robertson, Myril Stewart
Absent - Sherry Adams, Tara Horton, Candi Vincent
Guests - Beth Aldrich, Howard Berriman, David King, Janet Wight, Ginger Allard, Sara Clark, Sheila Ponder, Mary Barb, Leslie Dingman, Marline Ritter
Lisa McEowen‐LeVangie, Chairperson, presided and Betty Lewis recorded the proceedings of the meeting.
Lisa McEowen-LeVangie, Chairperson, welcomed new senator, Phyllis Kenney.
3. Guest Speaker - Howard Berriman, Assistant Director of Human Resources and Chair of the University Health Care Plan Committee, spoke on the status of the University's Health Care Plan.
Key points of Mr. Berriman's presentation included:
*Missouri State Today Articles - Howard noted that he regularly summits articles to
Missouri State Today on employee benefits for everyone's information.
*Rising cost of health care - 2002 was a very expensive year for medical expenses--with a cost of $9.7 million to run the University's health care plan. 67 people had very expensive claims (1/2 of the health care plan's expenses were from paying these claims). This is an increase from 2001 when we had 36 people with very expensive claims. The increase is not just due to the increase of health care costs or more seriously ill people, but also due to employees that are choosing providers out of network. Out of network services can have a greater cost associated with them since Missouri State receives discounts with our network providers for many services.
*Health Care Summit – A Health Care Summit is planned for April 10, 2003. Some of
the
options to be discussed include:
- Change the medical plan to add a separate deductible for emergency room visits which aren't emergencies
- Increase the medical plan's annual deductible amount
- Increase the medical plan's annual deductible for people who don't use St. John's hospitals, clinics and physicians
- Increase the medical plan's annual out-of-pocket limit
- Increase the medical plan's annual out-of-pocket limit for people who don't use St. John's hospitals, clinics and physicians
- Increase the monthly premiums charged to retirees
- Increase the monthly premiums for family medical and dental insurance
- Require employee to pay a portion of the cost for their own insurance
Planned attendees for the Summit include the Fringe Benefits Committee, Health Care Plan Committee, physicians from Taylor Health Center, our health care consultants, outside health care consultants from other universities, and members of Med-Pay staff.
4. Approval of Minutes - Staff Senate voted to approve the February 2003 minutes. The January 2003 minutes were approved by an online vote.
5. Name Change Resolution - A name change resolution was submitted by Myril Stewart on behalf of the Issues and Concerns Committee. Staff Senate voted to approve the resolution offering our support to changing Missouri State University to Missouri State University.
6. Report from the Chair - Lisa McEowen-LeVangie -
Greg Burris, Vice President of Administrative Services, wants Faculty Senate and SGA to weigh in on the Smoke Free Resolution that Staff Senate approved in January 2003. Faculty Senate has it on their March agenda.
Lisa reported on the February Board of Governors. The university has received an additional $3 million in federal funding for the construction of a parking garage at Grand and Holland; this brings the total funding we have received to $7.5 million. Cost of construction is approximately $13 million.
Lisa represented the Missouri State staff at the Salute to Missouri Governmental Leaders on March 1.
Phil and Lisa are invited to the first portion of the March 10th Administrative Council meeting which will be a discussion of the FY04 Budget Proposal from Financial Services and the President. Lisa has requested and received permission to add the Chair of the Staff Senate Issues and Concerns Committee to the staff representation at the budget talks. This seemed appropriate as the Issues and Concerns Committee traditionally composes the Staff Senate budget recommendations that are voted on by Staff Senate and then forwarded to the President.
The governor has said he will withhold between 2.3 and 2.4% of the total appropriations
for higher education--this is $1.8 million from Missouri State for FY03. The CBHE
has
recommended flat funding for FY04, but the university is anticipating the possibility
of further budget cuts and/or withholds.
Edie Sartin and Lisa Reed resigned from the Public Relations committee. Ginger Allard and Lisa McEowen-LeVangie are replacing them. Please let Ginger know if you would like to join this committee.
Public Affairs committee is starting and has 4 members. Please let Lisa know if you would like to join this committee.
7. Report from the Chair-Elect - Phil Nichols - Phil has been asked by Julie Johnson to be a member of the Korean Veterans Commemoration committee.
8. Committee Reports -
- By-Laws, Myril Stewart-Chair - The By-Laws Committee has discussed increasing the size of staff senate to have members by Vice Presidential areas as well as by job code due to attendance problems. They are also discussing redefining a quorum to a simple majority and allowing substitutions. They are looking at moving the selection of senators to November instead of December. Recommendations will be brought to the April meeting for Staff Senate to vote on.
- Web Committee, Sara Clark-Chair - The web committee has looked at revamping the staff senate web pages to make info
easier to find. There will also be an archive of minutes for 2001 and 2002, so only
2003 will be listed by month on the web page. Presenters and authors of resolutions
are asked to provide a paragraph with follow up information to post on the web.
Lisa McEowen-LeVangie, Chair, asked all standing committee chairs to write a brief synopsis of their committee so new people will have some type of information on all the committees. - Equal Opportunity Advisory Committee, Chris Arney - The Lambda Alliance has protested the changes made to the equal opportunity statement since it did not include the changes recommended by the Equal Opportunity Advisory Committee. The committee decided not to respond to the protest. Instead they are looking at ways to market the information and the grievance procedures.
- Faculty Senate, Myril Stewart - Forsyth is undergoing a $1.8 million renovation; $750,000 is a loan from university
reserves. Faculty Senate budget & priorities committee is going to investigate why
they could get this loan.
Dalen Deutsman reported that they are trying to get state tobacco money to build Ozark Public Health Institute. Faculty Senate also approved additions/deletions of minors. - Parking Advisory Committee, Myril Stewart - Parking fees for next year have been approved. At this time meters will increase and permits will stay the same. Missouri State is looking at having a parking consultant, possibly shared with the City of Springfield.
- Work out facilities in McDonald, Myril Stewart - Faculty and staff will have limited use of a work out room in McDonald Arena. The
room with equipment also has classes in it, which is why the schedule is so limited.
Room 116 will be available the following hours:
Spring 2003: Fall 2003:
M W F 11:00am-1:00pm M-F 7:00-8:00am
M-F 7:00-8:00am M W 11:50- 1:00pm
T Th 12:15-1:00pm T Th F 11:00-1:00pm
It was recommended that Staff Senate purchase a sign.
Incentives for wellness programs will be carried forward as unfinished business for April.
9. Announcements -
The next meeting of the Staff Senate will be held Thursday, April 3, 2003, at 1:30 p.m. in Plaster Student Union, Room 313.
The meeting adjourned at 3:00pm
Respectfully submitted:
Betty Lewis, Secretary
Staff Senate