WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

President Joseph Chernisky officially welcomed and introduced new and returning Directors.  Recognized were Catherine Chan-Halbrendt (UH-Manoa), Leticia Colmenares (Windward CC), Robert Cooney (UH-Manoa), Vickery Lebbin (UH-Manoa), Michael Mottl (UH-Manoa), Sharon Rowe (Kapiolani CC), Cory Takemoto (Honolulu CC), and Ming-Bao Yue (UH-Manoa).  Returning Director Nandita Sharma was not in attendance.

MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Treasurer Ming-Bao Yue’s written report has been posted to the Board of Directors’ web folder.  Recommendations were made to transfer funds from two General Fund accounts to the PAC account that is within the budget.

UHPA CALENDAR

An Annual Agenda Calendar has been placed on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors’ web folders.  This
has been prepared to enable the Board of Directors to better prepare
for future activities, deadlines, and renewal of contracts.  The calendar will continue to be updated as new items and issues emerge.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Executive Director J. N. Musto made a Power Point presentation on the status of negotiations.  This presentation is being made at faculty meetings on all the campuses.  It
begins with a recap of the bargaining session and then discusses a
formal request made by the Governor to all public sector unions, and
consequences of the choices that the faculty will face over the next
eight months.  Updates on the bargaining can be found at a special website dedicated to these current negotiations: www.uhpacontract.org.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Directors met in Executive Session for
over an hour to consider the appeal of the Executive Committee’s
decision not to pursue arbitration of a grievance case.  While
the grievant may not have been treated well by the Dean, there is no
contractual language that supports the grievant’s claim.  In a roll call vote, there were 19 who voted in support of the Executive Committee’s decision, 1 who voted against, and 1 who abstained.  The grievant will be notified of the Board’s decision.

There was additional discussion of other claims or grievances that might be pursued.

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

The Nominations and Elections Committee,
who were appointed by the President to conduct the special Board of
Director election for Kapiolani Community College, requested the
Board’s approval of a candidate slate to fill the additional Director’s
seat for KCC established under the new UHPA Bylaws.  Active UHPA members may also be placed on the ballot by petition signed by not less than 20 UHPA members at KCC.  The
Nominations and Elections Committee recommended that the new KCC
Director be seated at the November 15, 2008 Board of Directors’ meeting.  The Directors unanimously approved the
nomination of Dennis Vanairsdale, Professor of Business Education, as a
candidate for the Kapiolani Community College Board of Director’s
election.

STANDING RULES OF ORDER

Directors received a request to adopt new Standing Rules of
Order, which led to a lengthy discussion as to the reasons for moving
away from using Robert’s Rules of Order.  After several motions were made, the discussion ended with no rules being adopted.

NEW BUSINESS

A motion was made to increase the Board of Directors’ meetings to eleven for the fiscal year.  Vote taken recorded 9 for the motion and 10 against; the motion failed.

Another motion was made and seconded
to increase the previously approved Board meetings by adding meetings
in each month immediately following the Faculty Forum meetings in the
fall and spring.  Vote taken indicated 11 for the motion and 8 against; the motion passed.

The Board of Directors will meet every month except for the months of July and December.

CARL DAEUFER APPOINTED AS NEW RETIREE TRUSTEE ON THE EUTF

Executive Director Musto, in his
written report to the Board of Directors, was pleased to announce that
Governor Lingle, upon the nomination of UHPA with the support of the
other public sector unions, had appointed Carl Daeufer as a Trustee on
the Hawaii Employer–Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF).  Carl Daeufer is a retired UH-Manoa Professor Emeritus, and past Treasurer and negotiator of UHPA.  Carl will join former Associate Executive Director John Radcliffe as a Trustee.  John’s term on the EUTF expires in 2010.  Carl will serve an initial four–year term.  This appointment does not require legislative ratification.

Carl’s appointment comes at a critical time.  The
State Department of Budget & Finance has indicated that the state
will not provide the EUTF with any additional funding for the public
employees’ health insurance.  This means that to keep the same benefits, premiums would be increased for both active and retired public employees.  The only way to increase the employer’s contributions for active employees is through the contract negotiations. 

Carl is knowledgeable, and he will be a forceful advocate for both retirees and active employees.