University Governance
Task Force on Employment Benefits
Minutes of Meeting of 24 September 2008
Governance Office Conference Room, Strong Hall
Present: Campbell, R; Crowe, W. (chair); Elmer, S.; Grosshans, K.; Vannaman, M. (ex officio)
Excused: Jansen, K.; Nalbandian, J.
Crowe opened this second meeting of the task force at 1 pm. He noted the unavoidable absence of two members because of other commitments to be away from campus.
The minutes of the meeting of 10 September 2008 were approved as distributed.
He recalled for the group the understanding about keeping confidential the institution-specific data he shared, based on information provided by Deb Teeter from the annual survey on benefits conducted among a large body of public universities. He encouraged members to delve into this report.
He noted that Deb Teeter reports that the data from the “good places to work” survey, which was conducted across many institutions of higher education in the nation and indicated KU to be among the more desirable institutions, is still not in. She will let Crowe know when the data become available.
It was also noted that there would be value in the task force’s making contact with the Human Resource Advisory Council, which is convened by Ola Faucher (and of which Grosshans is a member). Crowe will follow up.
Crowe thanked Madi Vannaman for identifying the open web-available information about tuition assistance benefits offered by the six Regents universities, following up on the discussion at the first meeting of the task force. Distinctive features of this benefit made by Fort Hays State University were cited as warranting more investigation. (See: http://www.fhsu.edu/fhsu-aaup/tap.php)
Crowe recalled the range of benefits issues cited at the first meeting: (1) availability of assistance with payment of tuition/fees for employees and their families; (2) review of the varying rates of vacation accrual; (3) the lack of availability of benefits generally to domestic partners; (4) timing of availability of health care coverage for new employees and their dependents (the issue of the mandated waiting period) and generally the high cost of such coverage for dependents of graduate assistants.
The members reviewed the several factors related to benefits to take into account in determining how best to focus its attention:
- The locus of authority to create or improve a benefit, ranging from benefits authorized by Kansas law and regulation to those benefits within the authority of KU to make changes, to benefits subject to collective bargaining—each of which would call for different approaches and time horizons for possible change.
- The value for the task force to consider recommending that early efforts on benefits be focused on potential changes that would affect a wide range of--if not all—employees and potentially in concert with other Regents universities.
- The potential value in suggesting a periodic professional study—likely to be done in conjunction with other Regents universities—of benefits issues to promote a sustained effort to monitor the environment and consider changes on a regular basis, reflecting the perceived speed of change in the environment – statewide, nationally and globally.
- A desire to consider recommending changes in benefits that would be –and could be seen to be—factors in promoting long term competitiveness in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce of the highest quality and so the ability to continue to attract a similarly high quality body of students, and so give strong expression to the values that KU espouses.
Out of that review the group determined that it should prepare a template of the core benefits it is considering and note for each the locus of authority to make any change.
Here follows the group’s initial review of the loci of authority to make any change in core benefits:
KU Authority
Tuition Assistance (not clear about the scope of authority to include others in the household who do not meet current federal/state definition as a spouse/dependent)
Relief from Campus Fees for employees enrolled in KU courses
Release time for employees enrolled in KU courses
State Government Authority
Insurance benefits matters (of all kinds) [for health insurance matters: the Kansas Health Care Commission under statutory authority]
Kansas Board of Regents
Policy on rates of accrual of annual leave for different categories of employees (University support staff accruals are governed by state statute)
Health Insurance Coverage for Dependents of Graduate Assistants (with same issue about household, i.e., who may be considered a dependent or spouse))
Crowe restated his proposal that once members have reviewed these minutes that he contact University Governance to report on the work and likely approaches to be taken. The task force would want to ensure clear understanding about the directions it was planning to take.
The meeting ended at 2 pm.
The next meeting of the task force is scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, 1-2 pm, Governance Office Conference Room.
Respectfully submitted:
WJ Crowe