THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY

 

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

 February 13, 2003

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  John Mullen (F), Elliott Willman (F), Bobbi Raub (F), Terry Cook (P), Monica Smiggen (P), Shaun Cooper (P), Tim Nesbitt (P), Viola McCormick (C), Robert Medina (C), Carla Casas (Alternate for Ida Quinones), Nellie Rosales (C), Cathy Thomas (C), Irene Fierro (C), Christie Padilla (C), Linda S. Beavers (OLC), Leman Taylor (Alternate for Ida Chavez) (OLC) and Phillip Wright (OLC). 

 

VISITORS:  Janet May (Personnel) and Bob Howell (Personnel).   

 

ALTERNATES PRESENT:  Kelly Brooks (Compensation Committee), Tina Byford (Insurance Committee), Mary Berry, Candice Guzie, Oscar Perez and Paula Ross.     

 

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 of Agriculture Building.  Shaun thanked everyone for a wonderful year as he ends his year as Chair of ACAP.  However, since Maureen is not able to attend today’s meeting, Shaun will run the meeting one more time. 

 

Shaun called for a couple of changes to the agenda.  He would like to add Bob Howell to talk about a draft of the New Mexico State University Smoking Policy, a possible motion for a constitution change, adding a report from the Alcohol Use Committee, under New Business to add Evaluations and Grievances, under Old Business Pioneers Representative and under New Business to add pay phones on campus.  

 

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

 

FRINGE BENEFITS COMMITTEE:  Cathy Thomas reported that the Fringe Benefits Committee has not met but will be meeting on February 19th in room 333 of Breland Hall.

 

INSURANCE COMMITTEE:  Tina Byford reported that the Insurance Committee met on January 23rd and held their election of new officers.  Tina was reelected as Chair.  Jim Strickland will be leaving NMSU and they will be electing a new Secretary.  The Committee talked about premium changes and we will not be able to avoid a premium increase.  There may be between a 13 to 20% increase without a change in our insurance plan.  Now they will be looking at changes in our plan and how they would affect the premium.  Their next meeting will be February 25th at 1:30 p.m. in Hadley Hall.  Members of Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Mercer will be there.  They hope to have their negotiations completed by April 1.  They will also be working on a retiree dental plan.  The retirees would have to pay the entire premium.  They are also looking at a different dental plan.   

 

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE:  Kelly Brooks reported that the Compensation Committee met January 31st.   The Committee is currently working with Pat Quintana’s office to try and change the caps on the percentage the University can pay towards our insurance.  Apparently a bill has been introduced in the current legislative session to move from the current caps to 80% across the board in the public schools.  The Chair of the Committee will talk to Pat Quintana and see if this bill can be changed to include higher education.  The Committee is also looking at the living wage concept and will spend several meetings discussing this issue.  

 

FACULTY SENATE:  Elliott Willman reported that the Faculty Senate has met twice since our last meeting.  He reported that the membership on the Board of Regents has been increased from five to seven members.  There was a proposal that one of the new members should be a Faculty member.  The Senate did not pass this.  The Senate is also looking at the University calendar and discussing whether or not finals week should be included in the regular semester calendar.     

 

ATHLETIC COUNCIL:  Phil Wright reported that Athletic Council had met on February 4th.  The video scoreboards are in place at the Pan Am and most of the problems have been worked out.  Fall grades are in.  The women posted a 3.0 average GPA and the men had a 2.41 average GPA.   

 

CAMPUS PLANNING:  Robert Medina reported that the Campus Planning Committee met and handed out copies of the minutes from their meeting on October 10, 2002 and a hand out regarding their meeting on February 5, 2003.  A presentation was made by the Panhellenic Council proposing to landscape an area located on the NE corner of the Corbett Center.  It will be a gift to NMSU.  The area is near the Residents of Garcia Hall and WRC.  They would like to add landscaping, benches, and a crushed gravel pathway.  The project will be dedicated to the local centennial of the National Panhellenic Conference.  The funding would come from the Panhellenic Council and other Sororities on campus.  The Sororities will supply the labor.  Bud Jones, OFS Landscape Manager told the council that the start up cost would be about $1,000.00.  The maintenance would then come from the Council and Sororities.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the project.  Motion passed and will be moved to the Administrative Council.  

            Ben Woods told the council that the General Obligation Bonds for Higher Education passed in the November election and will come available in March 2003. 

            Under New Business, Biscets Design of California is being considered as consultants to develop a master plan for creating signage on campus.  The signage is to help direct people coming onto campus, through campus and off campus easily and more conveniently.  It is also to promote a more friendly campus for our visitors, students and faculty/staff members. 

            Ben Woods mentioned an article which ran in the Round-Up in reference to converting the tennis courts to student parking.  This might add approximately 400 parking spaces.  What will have to be considered are the cost increases that will be associated with student fees.  For example, the cost of parking for the students would have to increase and student fees in general may have to increase.  The Student Senate and the Parking Committee are researching this. 

            Ben Woods talked about the future needs for the College of Education at O’Donnell Hall.  One project being considered is the renovation of sections G and E at the Vista Del Monte student apartments.  These sections are some of the oldest.  Consideration is being given for an Early Childhood Development Center, the Family and Consumer Sciences and the Early Childhood Development Sciences.  But the capital outlay was not considered in the General Obligation Bonds passed in November.  This project will be considered in the future. 

            There has been a temporary delay in the building of the Stadium Annex.  Construction is to resume on February 18th.  They are proposing to combine two floor areas.  The area will include a gathering room with a patio area.  The view will be of the Organ Mountains. 

            The basement at Milton Hall where Printing and Duplicating has had their operation for so long has been re-structured.  They are still located there but an additional 80 work areas have been created.  These areas are to be utilized by the English Department’s Graduate Assistants and Researchers. 

            The construction of the Health and Social Services building has begun.  There was a slight delay because of the elimination of parking spaces for Faculty and Staff.  That has been temporarily resolved.  The renovation of the Ag Institute for the Police Department and the future Visitor’s Center is going well.  April 18th, 2003 was given for the completion of the renovation for the Police Department.  This will include the Parking Office. 

            The Equestrienne Building is almost complete. 

            The East Mesa DABCC is into Phase II. 

            The Natatorium project is complete. 

            The golf club house is waiting on the appraisal of the land that the current clubhouse sits on. 

           

PAN AMERICAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE:  Norma Ledesma was not able to attend our meeting so there was no report.   

 

NAMING COMMITTEE:  Bobbi Raub reported that the Naming Committee had not met.   

 

BUDGET COMMITTEE:  Tim Nesbitt reported that the Budget Committee had met.  The Committee is looking at ways that NMSU might modify methods which they use to distribute resources – overhead recovery. 

 

REPORT FROM THE CHAIR:  Administrative Council and Report from the Chair.  Shaun reported that he did not attend the Board of Regents meeting in Santa Fe.   He also reported that the College of Business is currently interviewing candidates for their Dean’s position. 

 

ALCOHOL USE COMMITTEE:  Monica Smiggen reported that the Committee had received one request from the Alamogordo campus.  They will be having a function and it would include the serving of alcohol.  Monica said that the Committee feels that it would be best if each branch campus had their own Committee.  Lou Cabot will work with the other campuses to form similar Committees with the same type of guidelines.  An International Food class wants to be able to have wine tastings.  This was approved because they have done it before. 

 

OLD BUSINESS:  Guidelines for Changes to Fringe Benefits.  Bob Howell said that if a department wants to make a change in benefits they offer (i.e., to Faculty, Staff or Retirees), they need to go through the proper procedures and they can get the procedures from him. 

Interim/Acting Positions.  Our proposal regarding Interim/Acting Positions was taken to Administrative Council and vetoed.  Shaun asked if we wanted to talk about it again on a non-academic side?  Discussion followed.  The consensus was that ACAP is not interested in taking this issue any further. 

            Pioneers.  Maureen will talk to them about having a member on ACAP.  Bob Howell will bring it up at the Pioneers’ meeting. 

 

NEW BUSINESS:  Smoking Policy.  Bob Howell passed out a copy of the drafted New Mexico State University Smoking Policy.  We are subject to the City of Las Cruces and the Dona Ana County rules for smoking.  The policy makes the entire campus smoke free.  Bob requested that we read this policy draft and take it back to our constituents and talk about it again at our next meeting.  Nothing will probably happen until next Fall.  The policy would also apply to the branches and Science Centers. 

Elections.  Norma Ledesma was the only nominee for the position of Chair-Elect.  Shaun reviewed the duties of the Chair-Elect and asked if anyone else was interested in the position.  No one volunteered and no one made any additional nominations. 

Paula Ross was the only nominee for the position of Secretary.  Shaun reviewed the duties of the Secretary and asked if anyone else was interested in the position.  No one volunteered and no one made any additional nominations.  Shaun explained that according to our constitution, an officer should be a regular voting member of the Council and Paula is an Alternate.  In order for her to serve as Secretary, we would have to approve an exception to the constitution.  A motion was made to make an exception to the constitution.  Motion seconded and approved. 

A motion was made and seconded to accept Norma Ledesma as the new Chair-Elect and Paula Ross as the new Secretary by acclamation.  Motion passed. 

Replacement on the Insurance Committee.  Dr. Jim Strickland is leaving NMSU to take a job with the USDA.  Denise Welsh will take Dr. Strickland’s place on the Insurance Committee. 

Evaluations and Grievances.  Time has come again for evaluations.  A question as been asked about the Grievance Board and a Classified Staff member wants to know the step by step procedures for a Classified and a Professional Staff member if they want to file a grievance. 

Bob Howell said that the employee must file an appeal through Bob’s office within 15 days.  They will then try to work something out before going to the Grievance Board.  You can’t force a supervisor to change their evaluation marks.  The appeal can only go on if an evaluation has a rating of “needs improvement” or “unsatisfactory”. 

No Pay Phones at Zuhl Library.  John Mullen said that there are no pay phones available at the Zuhl Library.  Shaun said that there might be several reasons for this but that he will look in to it and report back to the Council. 

Next Meeting.  Our next meeting will be on March 13th in room 317 of Corbett Center from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.  The Council will then go to the Dona Ana Room for the presentation of the Roberts Award.  The Insurance Committee will be presenting a presentation on our health insurance with Blue Cross/Blue Shield and changes that may be needed.  So that we will have time for the presentation and to handle any old business or new business that needs to be addressed, everyone who normally makes a report for one of our standing committees is asked to please e-mail or send Paula a written report so that she can send them out to the Council before our meeting. 

 

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, MARCH 13, 2003

ROOM 317 OF CORBETT CENTER

3:00 P. M.