FACULTY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
MINUTES
February 14, 2005 Present: T. Williams, G. Johnson, T.
Evans, M. Newcomer Culp, D. Wu, Dianne Diane Harney
Absent: Kate
Guests: Sherry Sheri Tonn and
J. Pence
Minutes of Feb 7th and committee reports were deferred in order to address the information provided by Sherrie & Jim relative to salary and administrative evaluations.
Sherrie Sheri commented
on the contextual issues of the faculty salary pool and timeline as well as
administrative/staff salary pool. The
current salary pool is 5%, providing 4% across the board, and leaving 1% for
equity, promotions/performance (special) recognition. Administrative salaries are to be wrapped up within the week. Sherrie commented on the importance of
consistency and efforts of equity in order to ensure that morale problems did
not ensue with administrative/staff.
Benefits:
Albers & Company put PLU’s health
benefits up for bid. Most
declined to bid. Those who did bid were
non-competitve. Most indicated
that we would have to cease offering retiree benefits. That,
coupled with a nominal rate increase from Group Health of Less than
4%, led to the decision to continue with Group Health
for the next year.
The has been a
recommendation that PLU move from a 94% contribution to a 95% contribution for
employee coverage.
Dental:
No changes were recommended with Washington Dental Service or
Willamette Dental. There will be nominal increases to the employee contribution
during the next year.
Jim spoke of the need for discretionary $ to solve compression problems. What does equity mean? Philosophy of compensation/no dollar amount. Having discretionary money to solve the problem. Deans like to have performance or merit $, make specific resolutions, if no discretionary dollars that is a problem. Examine step, sequence, experience, time and rank in reviewing the compression problems.
Tamara: in the absence of any policy….
Sherrie other schools will be lower / consultant…. Not a lot of room here … look at the number of people who work here.
4% across the board or 3.8% . wasn’t above 2 year coast of living increase.
Indication of what adjustments were made last year. Range of raises and how legitimate those
were
Examine salary histories at next week’s meeting: asked Jim for data on how discretionary funds were distributed last year.
Jim posed 2 questions in relation to administrative evaluations. Last year’s return was very small on Dean’s effectiveness. Usual date is response by February 15th. No urgency as there is no personnel action. Importance of examining both the practice and the procedure. How is it used in relation to performance concerns? Need for a more comprehensive eval that considers: a combination of self eval, supervisory and feedback from those supervised within that department or school. Jim indicated he would be sending out the evaluations but with a quicker turn around time to elicit feedback from faculty.
Other areas of concern were load issues and the peace studies proposal re a “banking” of credit hours. Jim indicated he felt “banking” was not a good way to go as all effort shold be paid in the year it is expended. Concerns regarding the impact on compensation on independent study. Will this improve the number of students graduating on time? Will it be a violation of Fair Labor Act leading to problems with auditors?
Everyone reminded to answer the survey on benefits.
Respectfully submitted,
Marilyn Newcomer Culp
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Would everyone please write in what you thought you heard about benefits above, too many people were talking at the same time! Thanks MNC