TOPICS DISCUSSED
- COUNCIL MINUTES
- WFSE LOCAL 330
- EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH – SELECTION
- EMPLOYEE COUNCIL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE & OPERATIONS
- MISSION STATEMENT
- PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
- PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEMS (PERS)
-TUITION WAIVERS/CLARIFICATION
- MEDICAL INSURANCE MEMBERSHIP CARDS
- TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
- ADJOURNMENT/NEXT MEETING
COUNCIL MINUTES
Minutes were approved as read. The newsletter is now distributed
on GroupWise. Paper copies are still being sent to departments without
general e-mail access. To access the minutes via the web page, go
to the CWU home page; click on Administration, then on VP Business and
Financial Affairs, then on Meeting Minutes. From here you will see
a list, click on Employee Council. (Past and present minutes are listed.)
WFSE LOCAL 330
Dale Hubbard and Rebecca Thompson from the local union attended our
meeting. Rebecca reported on the function of the union at CWU, a
brief history, duties and responsibilities, including their legal status
to make binding agreements for their members. We considered mutual issues
of interest between the Union and Employee Council.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH - SELECTION
Charlene Kauzlarich, Program Support Supervisor, College of Education
and Professional Studies was selected employee of the month for December.
She was nominated by coworkers who said she was “one of the critical keys
to the effective services of our college and particularly to the students
who depend on accurate information along with personalized service.
Charlene is always on top of things, and students are top priority.” Congratulations,
Charlene. Thanks for all your help to our education students and
teachers. The form for nominating someone as employee of the month
is available at http://www.cwu.edu/~humanres/hrhomepage.html
The committee keeps all the nominees “in the hat” for the entire
year. So be patient if you do not hear anything back right away.
EMPLOYEE COUNCIL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE & OPERATIONS
Colleen Rose passed out the final version of the “Statement of Purpose
& Operations”. This was finalized at our last meeting.
Your representative has a copy.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Council discussed the University mission statement sent out by
the Strategic Planning Committee. An open forum was held later the
same day in Grupe. For those of us who could not attend the open
forum, Kari discussed our comments and concerns with Phil Backlund.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
If you missed seeing the presidential candidates live and in person,
you may view the videotapes that are available at Media Circulation in
the CWU Library.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEMS (PERS)
Wendy Rittereiser explained benefits for temporary employees.
They may, under certain circumstances, earn service credits in the Public
Employees Retirement System (PERS). If a person works in a temporary,
hourly position for 70 hours or more a month, for five or more months a
year, for two or more consecutive years, they are eligible to participate
in PERS. The employee is normally enrolled the beginning of the second
consecutive year of such employment. Once eligibility is established
and the employee is enrolled, deductions are taken from their paycheck
to contribute to PERS and they begin earning service credit. The
current employee deduction is 1.85% of salary, or $1.85 for every $100
earned. Service credit is earned based on the number of hours worked each
month. Less than seventy hours earns ¼ month credit; seventy
to ninety hours earn ½ month credit; ninety or more hours earn a
full month credit. When 60 months or five years of service credit
have been earned, the employee is “vested” in PERS, and is entitled to
receive a retirement benefit beginning at age 65. The benefit is
2% of the average highest salary for each year of service credit.
So, if a person has 12 years of service credit, they would receive 24%
of their average highest salary upon retirement. If an employee believes
he/she may be eligible to participate in PERS based on temporary employment,
he or she should contact Wendy Rittereiser in the Human Resources Office
at extension 2279.
TUITION WAIVERS/CLARIFICATION
RCW 28B.15.558 which allows tuition waivers for state employees taking
classes on a space available basis states that the college “may waive all
or a portion of the tuition and services and activities fees”. There
has been some previous concern about adding “student fees” to our costs
as employees. Our CWU attorney general has given a ruling on this,
and employee tuition waivers will continue as in the past, with a $15 service
fee/quarter. Graduate waivers are taxable income for non-job-related
classes. Summer school courses are “self-supporting” and not currently
involved in tuition waivers.
MEDICAL INSURANCE MEMBERSHIP CARDS
If you changed medical plans in open enrollment this pertains to you:
There was a transmission error on the Health Care Authority computer when
they downloaded the subscriber information to the vendors (Insurance Companies).
In other words, the Insurance companies did not get names of new members.
If you changed plans in open enrollment this affects you. The information
has now been distributed correctly. Your new insurance membership
cards should be in process now. Please expect to receive your new
insurance membership cards in one to two weeks. If you do not have
a new membership card by February 15th, please call Becky Baker, 963-2269.
If you have a doctor’s appointment or need a prescription filled, just
tell the doctor’s office that you do not have your membership number yet
and ask them to do a delayed billing. Please use your copy of the
enrollment form as “proof of insurance” at the pharmacy. You may
have to pay for the prescription and then write the insurance company to
reimburse you when you get your membership cards. Human Resources
has the prescription by mail order forms for Group Health, Options and
Uniform. Call 1202 if you want a form.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
With the deadline rapidly approaching, to discontinue POP-mail (Pegasus
and Eudora email) on campus, now is the time to get GroupWise up and running,
before that last minute rush. This is also a great time to plan on
attending one of the free GroupWise training sessions offered through the
HR-Training Office.
GroupWise classes available at this time:
| PC E-Mail | Feb. 22, 2000 | 9am – 11am | BL 129 |
| PC Calendar | Feb. 24, 2000 | 1:30pm – 4pm | BL 129 |
| PC Calendar | Feb. 29, 2000 | 9am – 11:30am | BL 129 |
| PC E-Mail | Mar. 2, 2000 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm | BL 129 |
| Macintosh | Mar. 7, 2000 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm | BL 226 |
If you would like to find out what GroupWise can do for you, or if you would just like a basic over-view, please attend one of our GroupWise demonstrations.
GroupWise Demonstrations:
| February 18, 2000 | 1:30pm – 2:30pm | SS 205 |
| February 28, 2000 | 3pm – 4pm | SUB 204 |
For the most recent information on these and other classes, or information on our training library materials, please visit the Training Office web pages at http://www.cwu.edu/~training
Training Library Review, “Mega Memory”, Audio and workbook presented
by Kevin Trudeau . Kevin Trudeau is regarded as the world’s foremost authority
on memory improvement training. As founder of the American Memory
Institute, Kevin has helped more people improve their memory than any other
person alive. Mega Memory is based on techniques first discovered
in working with blind and retarded children. Kevin adapted these techniques,
so anyone can release their own instant recall ability. If you are
interested in this or any other training library materials please call
963-2288, and let us help you.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 17th, at 2:00 p.m. in SUB 209.
All representatives need to attend, alternates are always welcome.
Present:
Kim Thomas, Business & Admin Support: Unit A
Paula Moffatt, Business & Admin Support: Unit B
Karol Barker, Dining Services
Kariann Taylor, Instructional Support: Unit A; Chair
Gene Wilson, Instructional Support: Unit A
Leona Johnson, Library Services; Secretary
Ann Arango, Library Services
Dorothy Tenney, Plant & Facilities
Vernon Bier, Plant & Facilities
Jeri Francisco-Porter, Plant & Facilities
Ginger Linnell, Enrollment Management & Marketing
Carola Alden, Student Services & SUB
Celia Johnson, Student Services & SUB
Absent:
Marilyn Thompson, Housing & Residential Services
Sharon Kies, Housing & Residential Services
Karen Simmons, Instructional Support: Unit B
Debbie Nethery, Instructional Support: Unit B
Also present:
Dale Hubbard
David Miller
Colleen Rose
Rebecca Thompson