Minutes of
Monthly Meeting
August 1, 2001
Council members present: Abby Archila, District 1; Sharon Gordon, (chair), District 6;
Flora Joyal, District 7; Karin Coe, District 8; Debbie Anderson, (recorder)
District 9; Karen Kelly, District 10; Julie Johnson Dubois, District 11;
Shirley Norton, District 14; Cathy Rudd, District 16; Marie Hanson, Member
At-Large.
Absent: Mark Ernst, District 5; Corinne Trott, District 12; Ginette
Couture, District 13; Belinda Camire, District 15; Dick Swasey (Vice-chair)
Member At-Large; Erika Clifford, Member At-Large.
Ex-Officios: Jen Vento, Campus Journal
Holly Wellstead, Human
Resource representative
Sharon Demers, Human
Resources
Lonn Sattler, SPPC
representative
Gregg Sanborn, President’s
Office
Guests: Joan Tambling, UNH Systems Office
June
minutes were approved
Announcements: New council members were voted in
unanimously. The new members are:
Abby Archila, District 1; Karen Kelly, District 10; Julie Johnson Dubois, District 11; Corinne Trott, District 12; Erika
Clifford, Member At-Large; Marie
Hanson, Member At-Large.
Guest
speakers:
Terri Winters-representing
the University Community Scholarship. This
scholarship
started
with OS/PAT councils-it is a solicitation drive that happens every year. The
letter is scheduled to be mailed out to all university staff in September. The
endowment for the
Scholarship
is now over $50,000 after 3 yrs. of fund raising. Terri reported that last year 2 scholarships were awarded for
$1,250 each. One suggestion was to
bring back UNH Pride Day to announce the winners of the scholarship. The awards
ceremony could coincide with Ben Thompson’s Birthday Celebration, but have the
awards ceremony earlier in the day around noon or 1 pm, so more of the UNH
Community could attend. Terri is
speaking at both the OS council, PAT council and Faculty Senate for possible
ideas/support. Terri will bring recommendations to the President for approval.
Joan Tambling- UNH Systems
Office – Joan
came to the council to discuss the process of employee benefits.
Joan
gave an overview of UNH benefits (system wide). Currently UNH spends $68
million on employee benefits. The total
state appropriation to UNH was $74 million.
This includes over $25 million for health coverage with the remaining
portion going to retirement, social security, life insurance, tuition, etc.
Currently
we have only 2 major carriers available: Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and
Cigna Healthsource. Joan indicated that
the latest information available could mean a 20% increase in costs to medical
benefits. A 1% rate hike is about
$250,000, so when there are cost problems the area that has to be looked at is
in Medical Benefits. An outside concern
is conducting a study to evaluate the proposed changes and both OS and PAT
councils will be asked for input.
The
OS Pay Transition process went smoothly.
Sharon Demers, Human Resource Director added that approximately 400
staff members took advantage of taking the 2% of their 3% ATB salary increase
in July to assist in the three-week gap in their payroll distribution. The remaining 1% of the ATB increase will be
reflected in the Sept. 7 paycheck.
Holly
informed the council that Open Enrollment for Benefits will begin Oct. 1 and
run through the month of October. The annual Benefits Fair for employees has
been planned for October 17.
Move-in
day for Freshman will be Friday, Aug. 31.
Upper classmen will be able to move in on Sunday, Sept. 2 and Monday,
Sept. 3. UNH employees were asked to
use alternate lots for parking on Friday, so that students and parents will
have closer access to their dorms. The
university picnic will be Sept. 11 along with the president’s state of the
university address and a ceremony to announce construction of the new campus
dorm and dining hall.
Sharon
suggested that the council have a council meeting in Manchester. We could have
a regular meeting and then tour the campus. The council voted to hold the Oct.
3 meeting in Manchester.
Committee
Reports- no official reports
Meeting
was unanimously adjourned.