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Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee
June 9, 2009

Present: Doug Curry, Chair; Janet Cox, Vanessa Cummings, Pete Haverkos, Scott Lessing, Karen O’Hara, Kelly Phillips, Ted Pickerill, Anne Schauer, Frances Yates
New Members: Amy Carito, Lindsay Carpenter, Sarah Frye, Mark Walker

Absent: Stephen Gordon, Sarah McNitt, Amy Poppel

The meeting was called to order by Doug Curry.

New members Amy Carito, Lindsay Carpenter, Sarah Frye, and Mark Walker were welcomed and introduced.

The minutes of the May business meeting were approved. Members should expect a delay in publication of the minutes to the UPAC website.

New Business
First Year Class Discussion: Doug noted that enrollment for the incoming first year class has fallen short of its target of 3500 students. An additional budget deficit of up to $5 million is expected. Furthermore, it is unclear how returning students will be impacted by their families’ financial situations. Any member who wishes to comment on this situation should contact Doug.

Academic Personnel Update (Janet Cox)
Janet reported that the deans are working on probable additional budget reductions.

Recent changes in Personnel and Academic Affairs:

• New department chairs will be announced at the August UPAC meeting
• The Dean of Middletown Campus, Kelly Cowan, has resigned from the dean’s position. A search for an interim dean is underway.
• Cecilia Shore is the new director of CELT
• John Tassoni is the new director of Liberal Education. This position is now half-time. Professor Tassoni will continue as faculty as well.

Appointment letters for unclassified staff will go out later this month. Members viewed an updated version of the terms.

Personnel Update (Kelly Phillips)

• Kelly explained the process for determining enrollment targets. Based on last year’s numbers, this year’s goal was reasonable. David Creamer is working on additional budget reductions for his area. Final enrollment numbers will not be confirmed until September.
• EHWB summer programs are underway. A schedule is in the EHWB newsletter.
• Benefit Services is conducting an audit of employee dependents. Employees will be asked to provide documentation, such as marriage licenses and birth certificates, for their dependents by August 17.  Dependents who are college students will have to provide yearly proof of full-time college enrollment. An explanatory letter has already gone out; another letter will go out shortly. New employees will have to provide documentation when they enroll for benefits, and there may be periodic audits in the future.
• The PeopleAdmin job application system for unclassified and classified positions has been well-received.
• The hiring freeze has been extended past July 1.
• Job audits for classified staff will resume on July 1. The audits are intended to identify employees who have assumed a higher level of duties, not additional workload.

The subject of faculty data regarding job eliminations was raised. Kelly confirmed that positions were lost, although personnel were not directly affected. Janet said that numbers are not available, as appointments are still being processed. Some tenure track searches were suspended. With few exceptions, fewer faculty searches are being conducted.

Senate Representative (Anne Schauer)
No report

Academic Policy Representative (Pete Haverkos)
No report

Benefits (Ted Pickerill)
No report. Kelly noted that the Benefits committee continues to seek cost-savings and will resume meeting in August.

Networking (Sarah McNitt)
No report

Communications (Steve Gordon)
No report

Old Business
None

Doug thanked UPAC members for their service and encouraged new members to become involved as we face additional challenges ahead. Outgoing members were thanked and good wishes were offered to Steve and Vanessa as they assume leadership positions. Outgoing members then offered a few words of advice and encouragement to new members.

Members should expect a calendar proposal for the working meeting scheduled for June 16.

Other Items:
Working meeting: June 16

 

Respectfully submitted

Karen O’Hara