Alternative Service Committee
Alternative Service Committee seeks input on University Support Staff Handbook
(November 25-December 24, 2013)
University Support Staff Passes
(November 22, 2013)
Welcome to the Alternative Service Committee's (ASC) home page. This website has been designed and developed by the committee to provide information and resources concerning Alternative Service (University Support Staff Administration) and to establish an open dialogue with the classified employees at Kansas State University regarding such.
The Alternative Service Committee (ASC) is a University Committee whose charge is to research and develop a proposal (plan) for a new system of administration for employment at Kansas State University for classified positions. Under a Kansas law, originally SB74 and passed as SB21, the Board of Regents (BOR) may authorize any educational institution to convert any or all classified staff employee positions to unclassified service of state employment. These unclassified positions will not be the same as the state unclassified positions since the system for employment administration will be authorized at the university level, not at the state. These converted positions will be designated as university support staff. Those classified staff employees whose positions are converted shall retain all health and flexible benefits, leave and retirement benefits provided to them under the state civil service system, and the implementation of a plan shall not cause a salary reduction or layoff of any classified employee under the law. The committee will look at the best features of the current state system and how, or if other features can be improved through a new system of employment administration.
The proposal (plan) for employment administration must contain all aspects of employment for university support staff including personnel policies and procedures. These shall include a disciplinary and grievance process which provides for the right to appeal and due process procedures. The development of a proposal (plan) shall also be subject to input from affected classified employees as well as require Kansas State University Administration approval and a majority vote by the classified employees at Kansas State University. If the plan receives Administration approval and a majority vote, the plan will go to the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) for final approval.
Originally, the committee decided to suspend the work in 2008 with the expectation that “at such time that the committee feels the new pay plans are not being implementing properly or there has been a lack of funding for the new pay plans by the legislature, the committee will reconvene to discuss the next steps concerning alternative service.” On September 18, 2012 the Alternative Service Committee reconvened to discuss the direction of the ASC. Since the legislature passed the new pay plans, but has not funded or implemented the pay plans as intended, the committee voted to resume the committee's work and move forward with the development of a proposal (plan) for Alternative Service (University Support Staff Administration).
As the committee moves forward, we want to hear from you, the classified employees, about all issues concerning classified employment. A proposal (plan) will be developed so the classified employees at Kansas State University will have the opportunity to say “yes” or “no” to Alternative Service (University Support Staff Administration). Without a proposal (plan) the classified employees of Kansas State University will never have that voice to make a choice. It’s important to this committee (ASC) with the support of the Kansas State University Administration that every classified employee at Kansas State University has a voice in their own future as an employee of this University.
The Alternative Service Committee (ASC) looks forward to providing you the opportunity to follow the committee’s progress, provide input, become educated about the new plan, and when it is time, make an informed decision.
Carol Marden
Chair, ASC
