MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE MEETING of the MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES April 19, 1973 7741 Present: President Wharton; Trustees Carrigan, Huff, Martin, Merriman, Ra'dcliffe, Stack, Stevens, and Thompson; Executive Vice President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees Breslin, Provost Cantlon, Vice Presidents Nonnamaker, Perrin, "and Wilkinson, Messrs. Ballard, Carr and Wilkie, Mrs* Turk Absent: No one The Trustees met in executive session at Kellogg Center at 7:30 p.m. The main purpose of this session of the Board was to present a report on the Administrative-Professional employees classification study recently completed by Robert H. Hayes & Associates, Inc. President b a r t on turned the meeting over to Executive Vice President and Secretary Breslin who, in turn, asked Assistant Vice President Keith Groty to introduce Mr. Robert H. Hayes and Mr. Timothy A. Reilly of the Hayes organization, and, from the University: Mr. Gary Posner, Director of Employee Compensation and Benefits, and Mrs. Joan Smith, Assistant Director of Personnel for Compensation, whose office will bear the major responsibility for implementing the new classification system. Report by R.H. Hayes & Assoc. on Admin-Prof, employees study Mr. Reilly, who was the on-campus Hayes representative, stated that the basic objective of the study was "to assist Michigan State University in reviewing its compensation practices for Administrative-Professional employees and to assist in developing and implementing a uniform salary program, including systems and procedures, to cover all A-P employees." He then narrated a slide presentation on the proposed classifications and salary ranges and later distributed the same information in booklet form, a copy of which is filed in the Secretary's Office. In the discussion following the slide presentation, Mr. Hayes informed the Trustees that at President Wharton's suggestion an evaluation of the study in relation to their respective units was conducted by University top-level administrators. It is felt that this procedure will eliminate manygrievances when the final version of the system is implemented, and is an innovation the Hayes group will use in future studies conducted by them. Mr. Hayes also stated his firm has "never worked at a place that is doing as good a job for women and minorities as MSU." After the Hayes representatives had left the meeting, President Wharton stated that from his perspective the main objective of the study was to eliminate inequities that may have developed over the years in job descriptions, salary ranges and grades, and titles in the A-P structure. In his opinion, the work that had been done was very valuable to the administration. The point-count system worked quite well but was weakest in assessing those positions which involve a high degree of creativity. Trustee Huff asked that the Trustees be provided with a description of the point-count system. Responding to Mr. Stevens7 question regarding concern expressed by officers of -the A-P Association, over distribution of the report, President Wharton informed the Trustees that a presentation similar to the one just given the Trustees would be given to the A-P Association. President Wharton also stated that two other areas of major concern over and above the question of what parts of the recommendation will be accepted and what parts will not be accepted are the procedures to be used in terms of evaluation of performance and merit increases, and the use of the point-count system as a regular adjunct of this process. It is felt that it is a useful tool on a one-time basis but dangers have been identified in using the process on a regular basis. It is important, he said,, to keep performance uppermost in mind and not focus on the system. Provost Cantlon noted that there are still areas of fogginess between some faculty categories and A-P categories. As examples he mentioned the Agricultural Experiment Station, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Admissions Office, and the Cyclotron where a shift from A-P status to the faculty "Specialist" category is being considered for two employees. He also pointed out that Michigan State has a much smaller Administrative-Professional staff than either Wayne State or the University of Michigan, and therefore MSUTs level of productivity is much higher. Mr. Thompson stated this was one of the problems of making an external wage comparison. Mr. Merriman felt it was important to convey this point regarding higher productivity to the legislature and to State officials. The administration expects to present recommendations for action on the Hayes study at the May Board meeting and it is planned to put the new classifications into effect July 1, 1973. It was also pointed out that the University is committed to a similar study for the Clerical-Technical employees, but this will be done internally using the experience gained in the Administrative-Professional study. Mr. Breslin added that additional people would be needed to conduct the C-T study. Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting, continued April 19, 1973 President Wharton emphasized that when the recommendations are implemented there are bound to be grievances and the grievance procedures recommended by Hayes Associates, he feels, need to be strengthened. He also feels that the differential in salary ranges will precipitate a great deal of concern within the faculty. Following this discussion of the A-P study, President Wharton introduced for report and discussion several items scheduled for the April 20 Finance Committee meeting. He recommended for Trustee reading the Carnegie Commission technical report on nThe New Depression of Higher Education—Two Years Later,!l an overview of what has happened to 41 (including Central Michigan University and the University of Michigan) higher education institutions in the U.S. in terms of financial problems. Executive Vice President Breslin reported that budget hearings are scheduled some time after the first of May. The capital outlay budget, being finalized on this date, provides for an increase from $14.8 million to $15.8 million for precipitators in the two older |boilers of Power Plant 65 has been approved, bringing the total cost of Power Plant 65 iup not to exceed $14 million. j Conversion of the balance of Fee Hall to Osteopathic Medicine has been approved tentatively, |and it is expected that the Law School will be included in the appropriation bill reported | out by the Seriate Appropriation Committee. jA decision regarding student fees cannot be made until additional information is received I regarding the State appropriation and the commitments and high priorities items for next 1 year have been reviewed by the administration. Much preliminary work has been completed and it ! is anticipated further progress will be reported at the May meeting. An effort will also I be made to present a report on the dormitory situation at the May meeting. jProvost Cantlon reported that enrollments are expected to come in pretty much as projected. : Transfer enrollments are expected to be down, but a portion of this drop may be made up \ through increased freshman enrollments. There has been a slight increase in the number of out-of-state applications. The overall undergraduate drop will probably be between 200 I and 250, and graduate students will be down about 200. New minority enrollments will be 1 down from last year, but the developmental program will not be cut back arid will continue I to grow larger, Veteran enrollments are increasing, although not as rapidly as had been I anticipated. Reports re: Budget Hearings Tentative Approval of Conversion of Fee Hall to Osteo Med. Student fees Enrollments Taylor Committed Provost Cantlon remarked that the Taylor Committee Report (which was distributed to the Report; Stand- ; Trustees) had been approved by Academic Council, would serve only as a guideline for the ing Comm. to review academic governance process President and the Academic Council, and would not require Board approval. The only significant change was in the process for the selection of a Provost. A University standing committee to review the academic governance process will be appointed by the President, and hopefully will have had their first meeting by the end of the academic year. Out-of-state fees litigation Attorney Carr reported that the pending out-of-state fees litigation is under advisement by the judge. Mr. Stevens raised the question of the possibility of obtaining assistance from other states whose students are enrolled in our special programs, such as medicine, under circumstances where they cannot obtain such courses in their own states. Mr. Carr informed him that such assistance was legal and in several instances has been received. Requirement thatj On the question of the requirement that students live in residence halls as a condition students live inj of enrollment, Attorney Carr reported that courts have ruled that this is legitimate if residence halls j tied to educational grounds. Vice President Nonnamaker stated that in view of the as condition of j logistics problems, the Residence Halls Association had recommended to him that for next enrollment; com- j year two men's wings in North Wonders Hall be moved to South Wonders and two women's |mittee to consid;e^ings of South Wonders be moved to North Wonders. This procedure would not violate long-range res x-? dence halls poli- current Board guidelines. It was also recommended that next year a blue-ribbon committee cies recommended! be established to consider long-range policies. I Financial aid jVice President Perrin reported that the House and Senate have passed a financial aid assistance bill j assistance bill which, ifc it is not vetoed by President Nixon, will provide $872 million. | They have also recommended funding of the Basic Education Opportunity Grant at $122 million. |Departmental Chairmen1s retreat [Firing of I Gen. Mgr. of State News Increase in reward in Martin Brown death (President Wharton mentioned that the departmental chairmen's retreat had been very successful j and another one will be held just before the opening of the school year. I Regarding the firing of the General Manager of the State News, President Wharton stated I the posture he has taken is to respect the independence of the State News Board. : President Wharton noted that the reward in the Martin Victor Brown death had been increased ; to $10,000 in the hope that this would bring forth additional information. | Meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m. LL \m ..L