Faculty Senate changes benefitss process
Utah State University employees receiving benefits can now have their voices heard.
Members of the Faculty Senate approved a new model Monday, designed to re-configure USU’s benefits decision-making process.
“Basically it’s a way for the employees to voice their opinions, preferences and concerns relative to all of their benefits programs,” said Renee Payne, USU benefits manager.
Throughout the summer, the Employee Benefits Advisory Board compiled a 10-step model in which they work with the employee shareholders, employee representatives and benefits experts to design a plan that aims at meeting the requests of individual employees.
“I think the model, the way it has worked up to this point in time, it seems to be working infinitely better than it has in the past,” said Stephen Bialkowski, advisory board member, who answered questions from Faculty Senate members about the model.
In the past, the advisory board met randomly throughout the year to decide on benefits requests that they would present to the legislative council. Sufficient time was not being given for new plans to be vetted properly, Payne said.
With the new model, the board meets twice a month, year-round. Employees can talk to their representative to voice any problems, concerns or suggestions about their benefits.
“The plan will reflect employee preferences,” said Payne. “It’s just an american model – it’s the way we do business in this country.”
The board has already begun conducting surveys with USU employees to receive their input about benefits and the new model. They are also considering designing a blog to receive input from faculty members.
Now that the board has approval from the Faculty Senate, they are waiting on approval from President Stan Albrecht to begin using the new model.
“Now the real work lies ahead and we want to encourage all of our employees to contact their employee benefit representatives,” said Payne.
For more information about the model, go to www.usu.edu/fsenate/.
-mmackay@cc.usu.edu