Staff Senate Meeting Included Visit by Todd

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 4, 2009) -- Staff Senate Chair Bryan Back called the meeting to order Nov. 12, 2009, and reminded senators University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. would be speaking to the Staff Senate and would also take questions from the audience. In his introduction of President Todd, Chair Back highlighted the good working relationship the Staff Senate has with the president and pledged to continue. 

President Todd addressed staff concerns related to salaries, benefits, the new tobacco-free policy, and other issues, and also took questions from the audience on various subjects. President Todd also announced that plans are under way for a Family Fun Night on the evening of Staff Appreciation Day as another way of saying thanks to staff. President Todd's entire speech is transcribed below.

In giving her report, Robynn Pease, staff representative to the Board of Trustees, stated that among her accomplishments since her election was to determine that the Board of Trustees listens to the Staff Senate and realizes how much the organization is dedicated to staff advocacy. 

Debbie Carwile, Human Resources manager for compensation, returned to the Staff Senate's November meeting and completed her presentation. Senators were given an overview of the process that goes into deciding salary ranges as well as individual earnings. 

The two co-chairs of the Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative Task Force  came to the meeting to give senators an overview of what changes to expect on UK's main campus when the tobacco-free policy goes into effect. Ellen Hahn, a faculty member of the College of Nursing, and Anthany Beatty, assistant vice president for campus services, fielded questions and addressed concerns from senators. The University of Kentucky went tobacco-free Nov. 19, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout. 

For more information concerning the Staff Senate or to contact your staff senator, visit http://www.uky.edu/Staff/Senate.    

Summary of President Todd’s Address to the Staff Senate

Nov. 12, 2009

President Todd began by thanking staff for the work they do, especially in light of tough times. 

He reported that this year 12,000 student applications were received, 4,145 of which became our freshman class. The freshman class is being held at 4,000, and the student body will not increase until more faculty can be added. He went on to state that since Provost Kumble Subbaswamy’s war on attrition started, the freshman-to-sophomore retention rate has gone up 1.5 per cent that resulted in a little more revenue. The number of African-American students has increased to 404 students or nine per cent of the freshman class – a record - compared to seven per cent for Kentucky. The graduation rate for African Americans at UK is the highest in the state at 50 per cent, but work still needs to be done because the campus graduation rate is 60 per cent. In addition, international student numbers are up 38 per cent, and Hispanic student numbers are up 21 per cent. Eleven new African-American faculty were hired last year for a current total of 84, and that contributes to diversity. The freshman class is the most academically prepared; the average ACT score moved up three tenths of a point. As a state land-grant university, relative to Top 20 status, it is necessary for the out-of-state student rate not to exceed 15 per cent and to accept students that reflect a range of test scores. This year, about 390 freshmen had test scores between 31 and 36 – a 27 per cent increase over that type of student from the previous year.

President Todd reported being pleased that Governor Beshear did not cut higher education or K-12. However, to avoid doing so, stimulus money was used to plug the holes, and that money will not be available in 2011. The budget session will begin in January, and there is talk of another cigarette tax and gaming. More revenue for the state is needed. He applauded the Chamber of Commerce’s recommendation that state employees pick up some of their insurance costs that would save the state $200 million, if they pay approximately 50 dollars a month.

He cited the university’s modifications and savings in the areas of co-pays, generics, retirement, and vesting as examples of how the state also could trim costs and prevent such a large deficit.   Another area that has been eating away at education is the Corrections budget. Close to $20,000 is spent annually on incarceration costs per inmate. Because there is no room in some prisons now, some inmates are being housed at local jails. The intention is not to be soft on crime, but also not to be soft on education. UK’s base budget has been cut 25 million dollars in the last two years. The budget has increased from 1.2 billion to 2.6 billion since his term began, yet funding has been reduced by the state from about 25 per cent to 13 per cent. Therefore, tuition increases were necessary. 

The president commented that he and Provost Subbaswamy are looking at ways to give salary increases. The only sources are state money, tuition money, and donations. An announcement will come out soon on a $150 to $200 million scholarship campaign to offset some of the expense that comes out of the general fund for need-based and merit-based scholarships. If tuition rate hikes can be offset, then that money can be used for salary increases. Generating revenue at the hospital and securing competitive federal grants are two areas over which the university has control and are also areas in which the institution has done very well. However, teacher and operating money are controlled by the state. 

President Todd then turned to the agenda for the legislative session and announced that operating money is the top priority, but that there are some capital requests. No public position will be taken on gaming, considering its political nature. 

One question addressed by the president was on the naming of Wildcat Coal Lodge. The university currently has 72 million dollars worth of research funding in energy. A lot of efforts at improving the environment are ongoing in various departments at UK and are being paid for by various coal and energy companies because they need an environmental solution. The president stated that coal is controversial, but that donors have some say-so in naming and that the university needs to play a role in solving the energy problem.

Another question posed was on how incentives can be given to employees to keep morale and productivity high, during a time of no raises. He welcomed suggestions and replied that being kind to people and thanking them as much as possible is appreciated more than one thinks. 

In reference to keeping up morale, President Todd said that he and Chair Back talked about having an evening event for families that he thinks is a wonderful idea. He has one-time money from Keeneland that he can use for such an event because families make sacrifices as a result of the time that employees spend at work. He also suggested that managers think about where their employees move up or are promoted and maintains that it is a supervisor’s responsibility to encourage their employees to move into better jobs, to train, and to take classes, adding that managers should think of things that can be done to help people to grow at this time.

In response to cliff vesting comments, President Todd stated that he is not sure it is the best investment to allow people to take the match before giving five years to the university, but instead to reward employees that commit five years and to allow current employees to retain the benefit. Five million dollars over time can be saved from using a cliff vesting schedule. 

Moving on to the Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative, the president said it is the right thing to do and that the tobacco farmers have been taken care of with subsidies. Change has to be made, and everyone’s help is needed with the cultural change. 

In response to a question on the tobacco-free initiative versus personal choice, President Todd stated that it is well documented that tobacco use leads to cancer and that the choice to ban tobacco is timely and that it may change habits. 

In response to a question on what happens to grant money that cannot go back into the general fund, President Todd deferred to Associate VP for Human Resources Kim Wilson who stated that it has to do with how the benefits are rolled together into an account so that they can be redistributed; it is not going directly back to the grants, but the funding should reduce the benefits rates everyone would pay overall. She added that it would be very difficult to go back to a specific grant and offered to forward the wording.

In response to a question on how to reduce the carbon footprint by working with the city to provide better public transportation for students who live off campus and to encourage public transportation use, President Todd stated that a grant ran out that provided free transportation and that those types of grants are continually sought. The university has supported the use of bike lanes, too. 

In response to a question on what UK can do to win mid-level income jobs as they are lost to minimum-wage jobs, President Todd responded that $68 million of new investment capital was invested in 69 start-up companies in this area, and 39 had intellectual property from UK. If people are allowed to generate wealth by having their companies to start up here, many of them will go back to their home communities, if they are Kentucky natives, and take some of those jobs with them. He then stressed that we must create our own jobs, adding that UK is the lead investigator on a $6 million grant looking at how to use agricultural plants to create therapeutic products. 

In response to a question on where hemp plays a role, President Todd stated that it seems to get caught up in the political game and that he did not have much to contribute to that conversation.

In response to a question on whether there is discussion on mining coal in Robinson Forest, President Todd stated that a decision was already made not to mine that coal, although a subplot was mined in the past to fund the Robinson Scholars Program.

In response to a question on hiring more faculty, President Todd stated that when the Business Plan of 2005 was funded, 60 new lines were created. However, with funding taken away, it has not been possible. 

In a response to a question on how to create a climate conducive to producing faculty from promoting advanced education of our own staff, President Todd replied that creating an attitude of cultivation is necessary and asked for more information on specific issues.

In response to the final question taken that was on what happened to the idea to set up an endowment for retiree health costs that would include partial contributions by employees, President Todd stated that VP Wilson could make a note. He went on to say that something has to be done about health care in America and stated that figures would have to be reviewed by any ideas for such funding at UK.