Minutes from
UPSA Executive Board Meeting
Tuesday, March 12, 2002

Attending: Eric Jeppesen (President), Thelma Simons, (President Elect), Alisa Branham (Secretary), Ola Faucher (Human Resources), Barb McClain (Representative), Kathy Stiers (Classified Representative), Sandra Wick (Past President)There was no agenda printed for this meeting and no minutes to approve from the previous meeting.Ê (Alisa has been ill and absent from Dec., Jan, and Feb. meetings.)

Budget concerns: The meeting started with a spontaneous conversation about rumored layoffs and the various numbers floating through the media: possibly 50 faculty, 30 GTAs, and 45 classified and unclassified staff.Ê Ola stated that the classified system requires 45 days notice for a layoff but the notice for unclassified employees is not set.Ê Departments will decide how to meet budget constraints and undoubtedly many vacancies will be left unfilled.

Eric reported on SenEx: There are two major issues: 54 hour junior/senior credit hour requirement and tuition increases.Ê On the first, they are now looking at a compromise proposal of 45 hours, an increase over the current 40 but less than the 54 passed by the Regents earlier this year.Ê Tom Mulanazzi has done a comparison of programs at KU and with other universities.Ê Changes will effect freshmen in 2003.Ê Regarding tuition increases, Eric reported that the students on the committees appeared to support raising staff salaries, but not faculty salaries.

Thelma reported on University Council: The University of Phoenix has been approved to grant degrees in Kansas for the next two years.Ê The group discussed plans for ballots, etc. for voting for next yearÕs UPSA Board.Ê Thelma, Sandy and Barb are trying to draft nominations.

Ola reported on Human Resources: The state is expanding drug-screening to include some unclassified positions.Ê Also, there is a proposal to allow classifieds with excess vacation to convert some hours to retain as sick leave.

Eric asked about the grievance procedures for unclassifieds.Ê Ola said that divisions can have different rules but if they donÕt have anything written it defaults to the procedure on the ProvostÕs page.Ê Many of these are vaguely written.Ê Barb believes that, in reality, most mediate through various routes, not as formal as filing a grievance.

Sandy reported for Mark on Governance:Ê He has learned that only K-State and WSU has unclassified organizations like UPSA and he plans to meet with their reps in April sometime.Ê He suggests we change the organization of the UPSA Board to have representatives from various areas of responsibility on campus.Ê Ola can provide information that may help us look at this idea further.

Ola talked briefly about the workplace climate survey.Ê In this tight budget year, they will act on fewer of her recommendations than hoped for.

Meeting adjourned at 1:10.