OCTOBER 2014 MEETING MINUTES
Staff Council Meeting Minutes
OCTOBER 16, 2014
Attendance
· OFFICERS
Amanda Lippincott, Tim Clark, Karenn Reeter, Colleen Clark, Mark Ross (also a rep), Mary Knapp
· REPRESENTATIVES
Shannon Adamsen, Jeff Brittingham, Kat Burton, Craig Canfield, Jean Celeste-Astorina, Rosemary Cobane, Will Dawes, Peter Earle, Jan Favaro, Jill Fisher, Gary Goss, Christine Gregory, Christine Haase, Staci Hall, Joan Hurley, Michele Lang, Kristin LiBritz, Clint McCartney, Brenda Mikula, Rosane Mordt, Kristin Morse, Suzette Moschetti, Virgilio Pinto, Sean Reilley, Beth Reynolds, Michelle Rios-Dominguez, Victor Rosa, Candy Ross, Laurie Shaw, Cindy Smith, James Underwood, Jennifer Wofford, Jeff Wright, Tiffani Ziemann.
· GUEST SPEAKERS
Cheryl Thomason | Director of Employment Benefits and Work Life
Nancy Pringle | Vice President and General Counsel, Division of Human and Legal Resources
Opening of Meeting
· Meeting called to order by Amanda Lippincott at 2:01pm.
Announcements
· Current staff council representatives cannot serve as a proxy for another representative, according to attendance rules (note the three consecutive absences rule)
· Notes for the retreat will be available for those who were not able to attend
· Reminder that work place harassment training needs to be completed by Oct. 31
· Flu shots will be administered on Oct 30
· Animals and pets on campus. There are guide dogs working on campus and some are in training. You are allowed to ask if an animal is a service dog. It may be reported to a supervisor’s attention if it is not a service dog. RD‘s are allowed support animals in their residences. It is not required for dogs to wear ID harness with students.
· Parking services office no longer accepts phone requests to get a ticket excused. Must go thru the appeals process. If you forget your vehicle parking tag you must get a temporary pass for the day. There was an Intercom announcement on parking fine increases.
Committee Reports
· Talk to Michelle Lang or speak directly to the parking policy committee about warnings and changing spots from 10 minute to 15 minutes. If you forget tag, immediately call parking services (x4-3756) or go to visitor’s booth. First ticket is a warning.
· Treasurer’s report – Starting budget $1,745, Retreat cost $858.21, Balance $886.79
· JJ staff scholar award recipients for Fall ’14 semester: Tanisha Graves, Karenn Reeter, Gary Goss
· NO bus trip in December
· Caring and sharing – Helped 10 families with 18 kids. Moving forward with Thanksgiving drive.
· Blood drive – IC is number 1 in Tompkins County. Last drive resulted in 142 whole, 47 double reds. Next blood drive is Dec. 9, 2014.
· Executive Committee
o We need to conduct elections for representatives for 2 areas: Human Resources and Counseling/Health Center. Will be sending out calls for nominations next week.
o We followed up with HR about the question of TIAA-CREF employee contributions regarding overtime pay. Mark Coldren said a signature is required due to salary difference and base wages so it remains the responsibility of employees to sign up.
New Business
· SC voted to move Sick time proposal forward to benefits committee
· SC voted for Staff benefits committee to absorb staff appreciation committee
Guest Speaker – Cheryl Thomason | HR, Director of Employee Benefits & Work Life
Mandatory Reenrollment Nov. 10- 21
What’s new? Re-Enrollment Updates:
· Enhanced life insurance and new carrier-Hartford. College will provide 50k of coverage. That is an increase from 20k. Can get additional coverage from 50k to 500k. Supplemental insurance will be based on age. Added services: funeral planning, beneficiary assistance, estate guidance, and travel assistance with ID theft protection.
· Dental insurance-new provider is Delta Dental. Deductible $50 individual (level 2 and 3), $150 family. Plan covers exams, cleanings, and x-rays. Plan works the same way as current plan. 17 in network dentists in the Ithaca area. Most dentists do not participate in dental networks
· High deductible health insurance deductibles raised: Individual Employee $1300, Family $2600
· HSA contribution maximum for Individual Employee increased to $3350
· Dependent eligibility – No new domestic partners allowed effective Jan. 1, 2015
Guest Speaker – Nancy Pringle | Vice President and General Counsel, Division of Human and Legal Resources
Talked about changes to IC Nepotism, ethics & integrity, and conflict of interest policies - mostly to bring the policies up to date with government requirements.
Feedback:
· Ethics and integrity - prefer to receive comments through the chain of command rather than the hot line. When anonymous it is very hard to follow up on issues. Amanda will test the hot line system.
o Nancy Pringle to add information on volunteers
o Asked to share links with others
o Reporting hotline goes directly to Nancy
· Nepotism - Employment of friends and family (1) how does that impact student employees with family members at the College (2) Clarify domestic partner
· Conflict of interest - Voluntary self-reporting. There are no specific requirements. This will be more of a narrative and it must be disclosed by bringing it to the attention of a supervisor. Applies to both faculty and staff. What is a nominal gift? Right now up to best judgment. Would like more of a definition. Maybe a range.
·
Meeting Adjournment @ 3:30p
NEXT MEETING: November 20 @ 2:00 - 3:30pm - Taughannock Falls Room
ACTION ITEMS being TRACKED
Action Item CLOSED October 2014: Mark Coldren said a signature is required due to salary differences and base wages so it remains the responsibility of employees to sign up.
Ø SUBJECT: TIAA-CREF Employee Contributions
Assigned to Amanda Lippincott on 26-JUN-2014
TASK: Forward motion to Mark Coldren and Nancy Pringle.
DSECRIPTION: Motion passed by Council 6/26/2014
Staff Council Executive Committee will bring this concern (*) to Mark Coldren and Nancy Pringle in order to address whether the issue was resolved and how. If it was not resolved, Staff Council Executive Committee will share provided information to the Staff Council representatives to vote on a motion to proceed with reactivating this issue for further action.
(* TIAA-CREF employee contributions when overtime or bonus income is received for work beyond regularly scheduled hours.)
Background information: In 2007 the Ithaca College Faculty and Staff Benefits Committee recommended that Ithaca College offer two choices to TIAA-CREF eligible employees.
· Option A: Employer contributions stay as they currently are. No changes to the employee contributions. Contributions are still based on regular pay/standard work week.
· Option B: Employer contributions stay as they currently are. Employee TIAA-CREF contributions to be based on total gross pay, included but not limited to overtime and inconvenience pay for staff. For faculty it would include chair pay, overload, additional and summer advising payments. To take advantage of this option, it would be the employee’s responsibility to sign up.
General information provided to council with this request:
· Employee contribution from overtime is not regulated by the IRS (up to the yearly maximum)
· TIAA-CREF has institutions currently participating in Option B
· Option B could put employees in a better financial picture at retirement
· According to TIAA-CREF, if an employee reaches their yearly maximum contribution, Ithaca College’s contribution continues
Ø SUBJECT: Smoking Policy Review
Assigned to Mary Knapp on 23-FEB-2014
PENDING .. XX.. CLOSED
TASK: Forward motion to Nancy Pringle for Advisory Committee on Campus Security/Campus Life
DESCRIPTION: Motion Passed by Council 2/20/2014
Staff Council requests that Nancy Pringle, Linda Koenig, and Terry Stewart fast track review of the Ithaca College Smoking Policy for clarification and consistency, in all respects, including enforcement, and report back to Staff Council by the end of this Spring 2014 semester.
NOTES: Nancy Pringle met with the executive committee and discussed the issue. Staff council provided her with list of specific grievances for her review and consideration.
Action Item CLOSED. X Nov 2014: HR announced that no new domestic partners will be allowed as dependents effective 1/1/2015 due to the Marriage Equality Act.
Ø SUBJECT: Qualified Domestic Partner Benefits
Assigned to Sean Reilley|Chair, Benefits Committee on 20-FEB-2014
TASK: Review policy and make a recommendation to staff council
DESCRIPTION: the following proposal was presented and discussed at Staff Council and referred to the Benefits Committee:
· Qualified Domestic Partner: The College recognizes "qualified domestic partner" or QDP as "Same-sex sole domestic partners who are jointly responsible for each other's common welfare and share financial obligations." (http://www.ithaca.edu/hr/benefits/faqs/faq/554/). Those who fall under QDP category are offered medical, dental, vision, and accidental death insurance. QDPs are also allowed to partake in educational opportunities at the college.
Now that same-sex marriage is legal in New York (assuming this is the reason why QDP had been established), I would like to propose QDP be equally extended to opposite sex partners who fit this
Action Item CLOSED X ..on 12DEC2013. Staff Council received the status update requested.
Ø SUBJECT: Abandoned Campus Life Committee Recommendation for Sub-Committee on Smoking Policy
Assigned to Mary Knapp on 18-APR-2013
TASK: Forward motion to President’s Council
DESCRIPTION: Motion passed by Staff Council on April 18, 2013 for President's Council. Staff Council requests that the President's Council provides us with a status update regarding the Campus Life Committee's recommendation to set up a subcommittee to address the Campus Smoking Policy. We have been informed that the Campus Life Committee has not met since the departure of Brian McAree.
NOTES:
Ø April 2013: SC assignment pending for new President’s Council liaison, following retirement of Carl Sgrecci.
Ø July 2013: Nancy Pringle | VP for Human Services & Legal Affairs, assigned as Staff Council’s new liaison to Presidents’ Council.
Ø October 2013: Motion emailed to Nancy Pringle.
Ø November 2013: SC responded to a request from Nancy Pringle for background information regarding the origin of the smoking issue.
Ø December 12, 2013: We have been informed that the Campus Life Committee is obsolete. There is now an ADVISORY COMMITTEE on CAMPUS SECURITY/CAMPUS LIFE. Staff Council verbally requested that the advisory committee form a subcommittee to review the smoking policy, per the official 2012 recommendation of the Campus Life Committee.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CAMPUS SECURITY/CAMPUS LIFE
Co-Chairs:
Linda Koenig, Assistant Director, Housing Services and Communications, Residential Life
Terri Stewart,Director, Public Safety and Emergency Management
Members 2013-2014:
Steve Gordon, Faculty Representative
Julie Dorsey, Faculty Representative
Elizabeth Hall, Faculty Representative
Athena Zhang, Faculty Representative
Katelyn Madison, Student Representative
Joshua Couce, Student Representative
Jamila Carter, Student Representative
Melinda Carmichael, Student Representative
Nancy Reynolds, Staff Representative
Zach Newswanger, Staff Representative
Rory Rothman (Ex Officio), Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life
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