ASSOCIATION OF CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES

MINUTES – November 13, 2003

NOTE: ACE meetings take place on the second Thursday of each month at 10:00 a.m. The next meeting will be on Thursday, December 11, 2003 in the Senate Forum Room in the SUB’s connector. ACE now has a mailbox (Mail Stop 1010) for classified staff use. If you have concerns/agenda items you would like the ACE Senate to discuss, please send them to this mailbox (signed or unsigned -- your choice). Or email agenda items/concerns to Connie Charlton at ccharl@boisestate.edu. Then attend the meetings!

ACE Members Present: Connie Charlton, Nancy Rountree, Valencia Garrett, Carol Carroll, Marci Jaques, Linda Rooper, Robert Gale, Kenny Wiscombe, Tacey McKenzie, Reida Bow, Bonnie Killian, Ann Winslow, Rita Nuxoll, Mike Dome, Lisa Clements, Rex Hadley, Steven Hughes, Randy Bunnis

1. HEALTH FAIR – Connie Charlton

Charlton shared copies of a manual that she found on the Social Work web site titled, “Self Rescue Manual.” (http://www.boiseschools.org/schools/franklin/marjiejacobs.html) She will make copies to hand out at the health fair on Wednesday, November 19 along with lists of the ACE Senate, area legislative district maps and legislators, as the several means for contacting legislators. Charlton asked for volunteers to help staff the table at the SUB for this fair. She will set things up at 8 a.m. Wiscombe, Rountree, Killian, Garrett, and Charlton will each take a one-hour shift, in that order, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m.

2. GOODWILL COMMITTEE – Senate

Charlton has been in contact with Stacey Pearson to discuss the possibility of classified employees using food vouchers at Aramark Food Services on campus. Details have not been worked out. Charlton, Pearson and Jane Buser will meet again on Monday to develop a voucher system, set up an account, and create an application form. Some kind of application will have to be used to determine who qualifies for vouchers. Buser talked with TIAA-CREF about ACE’s goodwill efforts. TIAA-CREF donated $2,000. Charlton also contacted Joyce Grimes about the “adopt a student family” program to see if we could involve the classified employees. Grimes presented it to governing committee and they decided to keep it only for students at this time. A question was presented as to whether or not ACE wanted to adopt a classified employee and their family for the holidays. After discussion it was decided that we could do this during the year and not just during the holidays. This year it is too late to adopt a family; most departments have already committed to some other opportunity. Carroll suggested that we have a standing agenda item each month that allows us to submit names of classified employees that we may personally know that need assistance. Rita suggested that we create a form for people to submit and put on our web site.

3. SUGGESTIONS FOR PERKS IN LIEU OF SALARY – Connie Charlton

Classified employee Suzan Raney suggested to Charlton via e-mail that a perk for classified employees to use the Wellness Center as a referral point (i.e., if we have an earache can we go in to verify that there is actually something wrong before spending big money at a doctor’s office?) would be helpful. She suggested that a $5 fee for preliminary diagnosis and referral seemed fair. The Senate agreed this is a good idea and requested that Rountree and Bow present and discuss the idea at the next HRAC meeting.

4. CEC SCHEDULE – Connie Charlton

January 8 & 9, 2004 are dates the CEC will be meeting and taking testimonies. The presidents from the Faculty Senate, Professional Senate, and ACE senate are planning to meet with the CEC as a group.

5. DISCUSSION OF FEEDBACK re: appearance of union promotion

Charlton presented two email messages from classified staff members who are concerned that ACE is promoting SEIU union membership. There was much discussion regarding this issue. It was pointed out that our meetings are “open meetings” and that Jeff Olson can come whenever he wants to. It was decided that we do not have to put him on the agenda each month, but if he has something pertinent to share with the group he can be added to the agenda as needed. ACE wishes to insure its integrity with the constituency, administration and all groups on campus, as well as protect the funds that are appropriated to the ACE organization.

6. COMMITTEE REPORTS

HRAC COMMITTEE: Bow reported Dennis Sterling was on the agenda and outlined his plans for training and development. He explained their new orientation program and reported that they are looking at reviving Shared Leadership but want feedback on how to make it more convenient for staff. Anyone with suggestions is encouraged to contact Sterling. There is a proposal to discontinue sharing vacation leave into a sick leave pool. If this proposal passes, individuals will have to designate who they want to receive their leave rather than just donating to a block. Bow passed around a draft copy of a new “fee waiver” application and rules. At the last HRAC meeting, Buser stressed that HR is management, not an advocate for classified employees. ACE believes that the classified staff needs an advocate, e.g., an ombudsman, to help represent us. It was requested that the HRAC Committee representatives bring up this item at a committee meeting in the near future. Buser has mentioned that there is discussion about creating a mediation program with Suzanne McCorkle, Director of Conflict Management Services here on campus. BSU is also looking at a pre-paid legal service as a perk for employees.

PARKING COMMITTEE: At the last parking committee meeting, methods for keeping the parking fees fair between Boise, Canyon County, and BSU West were discussed. In 2005 BSU West and Canyon County employees will begin paying for parking. The parking meter rates are going to be raised to 75 cents for sixty minutes, the first raise in meter prices since the 1980s. The west stadium parking lot is being reviewed for ways to come up with more parking spaces by eliminating some of the handicap parking that is not being used and by re-striping. (This committee meets with advisory capacity only - they have no decision-making privileges.)

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Wiscombe reported the dates for the student fee hearings are November 18 at 1:00 P.M. in the SUB and November 20 at 1:00 P.M. in College of Business and Economics, room 307.

Clements noted there is a proposal for the Health and Wellness Center to move behind the Recreation Center. Cost for a facility will run $10-13 million. She also reported that the Culture Center saw the diversity curriculum passed.

Carroll stated that the Kit Fit Program is running in the red and trying to find ways to get more members. They are looking at alumni and how to get them interested. They are considering dropping the $2 per child per hour charge for babysitting to entice more parents to use the facilities. The climbing wall will be open in January.

GENERAL MEETING & LUNCHEON: Garrett reported the ACE luncheon is scheduled for April 8, 2004.

RAKE UP BOISE: Hadley informed the group that Rake Up Boise is this Saturday, November 15. Crews had the ability to do 15 homes, but only 9 homes applied. Boise Neighborhood Housing said the number of requests for this year is down.

Meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m. Valencia F. Garrett

ACE Treasurer (sitting in for Johnson)

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