MEMBERS PRESENT: William Lindemann (F), Bernhard Leinauer (Alternate for John Mullen) (F), Bobbi Raub (F), Maureen Camunez (P), Tina Byford (Alternate for Monica Smiggen) (P), Shaun Cooper (P), Terry Cook (P), William Glenn (P), Annette Alvarez (C), Viola McCormick (Alternate for Margaret Holland) (C), Robert Medina (C), Ida Quinones (C), Nellie Rosales (C), Cathy Thomas (C), Paula Ross (C), Ida Chavez (Alternate for Mark Buckholz) (OLC), Linda S. Beavers (OLC) and Phillip Wright (OLC).

VISITOR: Bob Howell (Personnel) and Stephen Lopez (NMSU Police Department).

ALTERNATES PRESENT: Kelly Brooks (P), Carla Casas (C) and Leman Taylor (OLC).

Shaun Cooper called the regular meeting of the Advisory Council on Administrative Policy (ACAP) to order at 3:00 p.m. in the conference room of the New Mexico Department Agriculture Building.

Shaun called for additions or corrections to the minutes of the February ACAP meeting. A motion was made and seconded to accept the minutes with corrections. Motion passed.

Shaun introduced Stephen Lopez from the New Mexico State University Police Department. Captain Lopez had requested a chance to visit with ACAP regarding a proposed proposal that will be going to the Board of Regents at their May meeting. Included in the proposal would be an increase in parking permit fees. In the proposal, for FY 2002/2003, most parking permits would increase by $5.00 (i.e., a commuter student permit would go from $20.00 to $25.00 and Faculty/Staff would go from $60.00 to $65.00. Outer-Lot Employee parking would remain at $30.00 and Special Permit parking would go from $120.00 to $130.00). Money from parking permits is what allows for maintenance of our parking lots. Money that has been collected from parking permits is way behind in what the University is going to need to repair and maintain our current parking lots. The Police Department Parking Office is considering securing a revenue bond of approximately $2 million for over a 20-year period. In a handout to the Council, Captain Lopez brought up several other issues such as changes in the citation appeals process, booting fees, departmental parking spaces, disabled parking, etc. The Police Department would also like to have a Faculty member and Staff member added to the Citation Appeals Committee.

Captain Lopez asked each ACAP member to take the ideas to their peers and departments and discuss the proposal with them. Captain Lopez would like any comments or concerns sent to him and a revised proposal will be presented to the Council at our April meeting.

FRINGE BENEFITS COMMITTEE: Missy Giacomelli was not able to attend our meeting but Bob Howell presented the Council a memo from her and the Fringe Benefits Committee regarding a proposed voluntary benefits program.

According to Missy’s memo, the Fringe Benefits Committee has been looking at ways to enhance and/or expand our current offering of fringe benefits. A Request for Information was put out last fall soliciting responses to a variety of benefit programs. Additional benefits included long term care, vision, pet insurance, medical and dependent-care spending accounts, pre-paid legal assistance and any other plan or program that the vendor wished to submit.

Several vendors responded. Upon initial review, Competitive Benefits Administrators (CBA) appeared to be most promising. CBA is a part of the Cooperative Educational Services group. The Cooperative Educational Services (CES) mission is to provide services to New Mexico’s public educational institutions. Because their membership base is very large, they are able to negotiate and receive very competitive rates and rich offerings. To be eligible to obtain service through CES, membership is required. NMSU is a member so we are able to avail ourselves of their offerings without having to go through the bid process.

A table showing the offerings, which CBA could provide, was presented. The Fringe Benefits Committee is comfortable with this package and feels it meets the goal of their initial task. Each of the programs is voluntary; each is an employee pay-all program; each is offered independent of the other and each provides an enhancement to our current offering of benefits. This package has also received a vote of support from the Insurance Committee.

The package is now being presented to ACAP for consideration. Given the complexity of beginning a program of this scope, the Fringe Benefits Committee feels that most options could not be offered until January 1, 2003. This kind of lead-time is necessary to allow time for initiation of university-support mechanisms, informational meetings with employees and enrollment periods. Should the program receive the necessary support at all levels, communication with the University community could begin shortly.

Bob Howell addressed questions from the Council and there was discussion about the proposed voluntary benefits program. A motion was made that ACAP write a letter to President Gogue support the voluntary benefits program.

The program will be discussed again at our next meeting.

INSURANCE COMMITTEE: Tina Byford reported that there is some concern about the amount of a premium increase we could have next year with Blue Cross/Blue Shield but we really don’t know yet what the increase will be. They should have more information within the next week to ten days. The Insurance Committee will have a meeting with representatives from Blue Cross/Blue Shield on April 24. Delta Dental increases will be about $1.00 for single members and $3.00 for families. A survey was recently done with retirees and 80% of those responding do not want another plan. Overwhelmingly, retirees are pleased with BCBS

A Council member asked if we, as a group, were in favor of increasing student tuition to cover employee insurance increases. A great deal of discussion followed. The consensus of the discussion was that if the Board of Regents asked about tuition increases to cover insurance rate increases for employees, employees would like to have the relief from the increase in premiums (since we are not expecting any raises or increases in salaries). We also realize that it will take a tuition increase in order for employees to get this increase in insurance premiums covered.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE: The Compensation Committee has sent a letter to President Gogue asking him to find some way to cover any insurance increases for employees. Miriam Meyer has provided the Committee with information about where we stand with our peers at similar institutions.

FACULTY SENATE: No report. Monica Smiggen was not able to attend our meeting and will give her report at our next meeting.

ATHLETIC COUNCIL: No report.

CAMPUS PLANNING: Monica will report at our next meeting.

BUDGET COMMITTEE: Brenda Shannon sent an e-mail saying that the Budget Committee has not met. A meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 15, to discuss the subcommittee’s recommendations regarding University Priority Equipment Funds. She should have a report for us at our next meeting.

REPORT FROM THE CHAIR: Administrative Council and Report from the Chair. Shaun reported that there was some concern over the possibility of losing the El Paso (135 mile) tuition waiver but that was a miscommunication. The new Policy Manual will be going to the Board of Regents for their review at the end of March. There is going to be a Stealth Fighter replica built on the west side of the ROTC building. Efforts are being made to get rid of paperwork for reimbursements and to do it electronically. A proposal has been made to enlarge the parking lot west of the Music Building.

OLD BUSINESS: Acting/Interim Appointments. The Faculty Senate has passed their proposed proposal for the job description of Acting/Interim Appointments. Shaun wants to get a copy of their proposal so that we will know exactly what it says before the Committee appointed to draft our proposal and the Council makes any decision or change to our proposed proposal.

NEW BUSINESS: Employee Picnic. Discussion was held among Council members regarding the Employee Picnic. Last year the picnic was cancelled due to the September 11^th attacks. When the decision was made to cancel the picnic, ticket sales were down from the year before. Some Council members felt that if the picnic was intended to be an employee appreciation event, the cost of the ticket was getting to be too high and could possibly be keeping people from attending. Several other suggestions were made as to what could be done instead. There are already plans for a memorial type assembly in September to remember the September 11^th attack. Council decided that the Executive Committee should get an appointment with President Gogue and see what his feelings are about continuing the picnic.

With no further business to discuss, a motion was made to adjourn. Motion seconded and passed.

_________________________ _____________________________

Paula Ross, Secretary Shaun Cooper, Chairperson

The Council has approved these minutes.

NOTICE OF NEXT MEETING:

THURSDAY, April 11, 2002

New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Conference Room

3190 Espina

3: 00 p.m.