PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
CLASSIFIED SENATE

Next Meeting…
June 13, 2007
1:30 p.m. (meeting immediately following luncheon)
Inaugural Room/Student Center

**Banquet for incoming/outgoing Classified Senators at 12:00 noon**

AGENDA

1. Review of Meeting Minutes
2. Treasurer’s Report (May & June)
3. Committee Reports
   1. Position Paper
   2. Election
   3. Legislative
   4. Public Relations
   5. Advocacy
   6. SB 74
   7. Other University Committees
4. Senate President’s Report from Meetings with Dr. Bryant
5. Legislative Update by Dr. Howard Smith
6. Old Business
7. New Business
   1. Election of Officers
8. Good of the Order
9. Adjournment
   

Please send your agenda items to your Senator! A list of senators can be found on the Classified Senate website at http://www.pittstate.edu/csen/senators.html.

All Classified Senate meetings are open to any interested PSU employee. You do NOT have to be a Senator to attend.

President Kathi Lunday called the May 9, 2007 meeting of the Pittsburg State University Classified Senate to order in the Sunflower Room of the Overman Student Center.

Senators Present: Sue Ann Barnes, Kathy Benard, Dee Buffalo, Pam Henderson, Dave Hornback, Tim James, Kathi Lunday, Leigh Ann Martin, Tracey Mussa, Kathy Neely, Trish Peak, Joyce Row, Treva Sherman, Heather Winzer, Stacy Wolownik, Sondra Wood

Senators Excused: David Hartman, Wendy Peterson, Marty White, Mary Wolfe

Senators Absent: John Bartels

Non-Senators Present: Ruby Ashmore, Dianne Nutt, Dr. Howard Smith, Debbie Sullins, Josh Tucker

Minutes: Sue Ann Barnes was not absent at the April meeting. Under new business on the meeting agenda for this meeting, it should be election of senators not officers. Motion was made, seconded and passed to accept the minutes as corrected for the April meeting.

Treasurer’s report: Leigh Ann Martin submitted a written report after the meeting but will present the May report at June’s meeting. May budget account had a beginning balance of $1021.28, with no expenditures for an ending balance of $1021.28. Donation account had a beginning and ending balance of $30.

Position Paper: A vote was taken to determine which three topics to present to the Kansas Joint Council of Classified Senates in June. The three topics will be: 1) fund a general increase for all employees on an annual basis, 2) COLA – equal amount given to all employees – 1.5% times the average state salary, and 3) pay 50% of the insurance premium for employees retiring at 60 years or older, until the retiree is eligible for Medicare. The other two topics to increase for the retirement multiplier from 1.75 to 2 times the years of service, and allow holiday and leave time to be deemed as hours worked when figuring hours for overtime will be something for those attending the meeting to keep in mind.

Election Committee: Election of officers for the upcoming year will take place at the June meeting. Notices were sent out to the areas that had vacancies for the upcoming year on April 24 and May 1. Calls to prospective senators followed. All positions are filled except one in building maintenance; that position was filled shortly after the meeting. New senators were accepted and will begin in June.

Legislative Committee: The governor has signed the proposed pay plan which includes the following for classified employees: 1) 2% base increase, 2) 5% targeted base increase (a list of the positions receiving this can be found online at http://www.pittstate.edu/pres/Legislature.html, 3) one-time bonus payment of $860, 4) increase longevity bonus payment $10 a year (from $40 a year to $50 a year of service), 5) creation of a state employee pay philosophy task force and 6) creation of a state employee compensation oversight commission. The letter sent from the Kansas Joint Council of Classified Senates to Governor Sebelius requesting the creation of the state employee pay philosophy task force and the state employee compensation oversight commission was well received.

Public Relations: No report.

Advocacy Committee: No report.

Senate Bill 74 Research Committee: No meeting and no report.

Other University Committees:
1) Recycling – Trish Peak reported the committee is reviewing the feedback they received on phase 1 before phase 2 starts. They are looking at the budget to possibly hire another student worker and using current campus equipment to provide pickup service later on.
2) Joint Student Publications Board – Kathy Neely stated they met and the new Collegio and Kanza editors were introduced. A review of the awards they received this year was presented as well as an annual evaluation of Gerard Attoun was conducted.

Senate President’s Report from Meetings with Dr. Bryant: Kathi reported that they discussed the pay plan that passed in general as well as progress on the vacation leave policy.

Legislative Update: Dr. Smith said that SB21 is no longer the vacation leave bill but now a different bill. The vacation leave issue has now been passed to the Council of Presidents, who is waiting on the Board of Regents to write a policy. Dr. Smith is already watching the legislature for next year for funding of the pay plan and encouraged the senate to continue their monitoring. Deferred maintenance was authorized some funding, but not nearly enough to fix everything. We don’t want anyone assuming that the funding passed will take care of the situation.

Old Business: The banquet planning committee reported that plans are underway for the banquet on June 13th at 12:00 noon in the Governors Room. Outgoing and incoming senators will be invited as well as their supervisors and other university administration. Invitations will be mailed out next week.

New Business: New senators were accepted during committee reports. Election of officers will take place at the June meeting.

Good of the Order: Kathi Lunday said J.T. Knoll has something come up and was unable to attend today’s meeting. No response has been received by Senator Barone to date.

Motion to adjourn was made, seconded and passed.

Respectfully submitted,

Pam Henderson
Recording Secretary