VP's Coffee Hour 

Each month, Vice President Hawk holds a coffee hour with FAS Division employees as a way to encourage people to ask questions, share ideas, give feedback as well as enjoy their favorite Starbucks blend. The following are questions and responses from previous VP Coffee Hour Meetings.

If you have not attended a VP's Coffee Hour yet, keep your eye out for your coffee hour invitation!

1. Now that the budget was signed, how does that affect our campus?

There is good news for us and some disappointing news for us.  The Governor’s May Revise held with restores the 10% cut in the original January budget.  So the 0809 budget is the same as 0708— while we face the escalating costs of energy, added compliance and CSU initiatives, etc.  There is no enrollment growth funding.  We did plan out budget around the May revise.  There is no hiring freeze- there never was.  However, we must review all positions very carefully and strategically and set our own priorities.  I have asked the AVPs to do this.  Another piece of good news is that we have closed the permanent budget gap which positions us well for 0910.  However, 0910 is expected to be another extremely difficult budget year.  What is a little scary too is that the Governor wants to the authority to make mid-year budget cuts.  This is on money which could have already been spent.  We will move forward with resources what we have.

2. How has the budget affected the hiring of new faculty?

Academic Affairs hired 8-10 new faculty members for 0809.  Provost Cutrer is meeting with her leadership team to put together a 5-year strategic plan which includes hiring of new faculty and the impact on curriculum.

3. With the budget leading to flat enrollment, what is being done to retain students?

There are many initiatives focusing on first-year students including the Foundations of Excellence and several UVA initiatives.  Our enrollment is up in first-year students and down in transfers.

4. How is the nursing school doing?

The first class will graduate this spring.  This is a hot profession- the demand is huge.  The program is a very expensive, highly regulated program to offer.  SMACC needs one million in tenant improvements to provide the necessary equipment and materials this program demands.  The program is so popular, it has branched out and we are now offering classes through Extended Learning and at the Temecula site.

5. With the budget issues, are new buildings/development on hold?

McMahon House- 100% donor funded event center opening in spring 09.

Parking Structure/Extension of Campus View Drive- both paid for by parking funds.  The parking structure will be located where lot N is now, will be 6 stories and have a pedestrian bridge connecting to the main campus.

SBSB- a state funded building which will house faculty office, labs and classrooms.  The site work is under way now and bids are new mid-October.  Construction will start January 09 and is expected to be a 2-year project.

Parking/Police Services Building- is a non state funded building which will be next to the Sprinter station where the current EOC building is.   Are in the design face right now and will be able to decrease the size while still meeting the operational needs.

Student Union- the feasibility study is complete and we are proceeding with Phase I.  The student union fee will increase accordingly so expect to see a lot of buzz on this one in The Pride, public forums, etc.  It will be located across from the Clarke Field house- next to Chavez circle.

Student Housing- right now there is a 500 person waiting list.  Our students and their families want on-campus housing.  Phase II will go next to the current housing buildings and will be about 700-800 beds.

Student Health and Counseling Services- this needs to be on campus and not all the way at SMACC where it is now.  A feasibility study is starting and will be located near the student union and housing.

ESCO Projects- are facility upgrades in energy conservations.  We will pay back the loan to make these improvements in energy savings.  This project supports green initiatives and Chancellor's Office initiatives.

6. How are we going to support all of these additional buildings? We already have buildings which require a certain number of people to maintain them and do not have the necessary coverage to do so.

State funded buildings like SBSB will get an allocation for maintenance of the building. It is the President's discretion where to allocate this money.

7. We take our lunch breaks in the Dome?  It is very, very crowded at lunchtime, even all the outside tables.  I am concerned in the winter time because there is no space.  Are there any plans to expand this space?

The student union will help with an alternative food location, however, that is a few years out.  Improvements are being reviewed by Dora, Gary, Roger and PDC. 

8. We are in hard economic times and many employees would benefit from alternative work schedules - continuing the 9/80 year round. Is this being considered?

9/80s are popular with FAS, but not will all other divisions.  Senior management hears of one bad example and it can ruin it for everyone.  That being said, some employees are already doing it and it is working really well.  I support it as long as the services are being covered and encourage you to work with your manager.  It requires discipline to be there when you say you are going to be there and also to be flexible if you are needed for a meeting, event, etc. 

9. Will there be merit increases for confidential employees?

There is no funding for either MPP or confidential employees this year.  Now that the budget is finalized, all the collective bargaining units’ agreements are re-opened and up for negotiations with the CSU.

10. What is HR's role when it comes to new hires, classifications, and in-range progressions? Do they just advise, or do they make the decisions?

HR guides these processes and ensures that the University complies with the terms of the collective bargaining agreements, CSU regulations, and state and federal employment laws. Officially, the Director of HREO serves as the President's designee for non-faculty personnel actions and implements personnel programs. In practice, HREO serves in an advisory role and assists campus leaders in effectively managing human resources.   The campus annual training calendar includes workshops on these topics.

11. Concerning the range that is listed on job descriptions, why is it so hard to shoot for the higher salary?

Salaries for new employees are determined by management and are made after considering the following:

1.) the candidate's relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (demonstrated through the possession of job related experience and education) in relation to the minimum qualifications of the position;

2.) internal and external market salary equity considerations; and

3.) the hiring department's budget. HREO works with the Hiring Manager to determine the candidate's starting salary. A current employee's salary may change as a result of movement to a lower or higher classification or skill level. The change in salary is determined by the terms in the employee's collective bargaining agreement.

12. Why is the hiring process so cumbersome?

As part of the strategic business plan, HREO is compiling data on key recruitment metrics such as average time-to-fill a position and will be using this data along with feedback from Hiring Managers to improve the recruitment process. There are certain steps in the hiring process such as the fourteen day posting period that cannot be shortened because they are negotiated in the collective bargaining agreements. HREO has taken steps to speed up the process.  A typical recruitment process generally takes between 6 and 8 weeks, depending upon the length of the posting period, the volume of applications received, and the number of interviews conducted.

13. Employees want a chance of being able to work variable work schedules such as 9/80’s or 4/10’s. Will we continue to have an alternative schedule offered this summer?

I am in favor of alternative work schedules, and the research backs it. For example, the City of Escondido and the County of Riverside are huge and have successfully implemented alternate work schedules.  The University plans to continue offering 9/80 summer schedules as long as departments operational needs are met.  But continuing it year-round will require a culture change that may not work for all individuals or departments.  There are several issues to address including manager schedules and dealing with collective bargaining contract requirements.

14. Is telecommuting an option?

When it is in the best interest of the campus, telecommuting may be an option for certain positions that have limited customer service responsibilities. Since it is not available to all bargaining units and is only feasible for those jobs that can be effectively performed away from the campus, it is a difficult program to administer fairly.

15. Please explain the State of California budget process and current "budget crisis."

California is facing a projected 2008-09 $14 billion budget deficit. This is driving our campus’ current budget reduction discussion. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a $312.9 million cut to the California State University budget approved by the CSU Board of Trustees for the 2008/09 fiscal year. The proposed budget fails to fund access for 10,000 students as well as $36 million in mandatory costs, including employee health benefits and compensation agreements for CSU faculty and staff.    The overall process- from the Governor and State Legislature to the Chancellor's Office to receipt of the campus allocation- is a lengthy & complex process that takes about 15 months.   Please go to the Budget Central Web site (accessible from the CSUSM homepage) for detailed information on where CSUSM gets it funding, annual expenditures, the difference between fiscal and permanent, sweeps, benefits vs. compensation pool and reserves. 

16. How will the governor's budget cuts affect our campus?

It will slow down the growth of the campus: decreased enrollment, delays in capital projects, and delays in filling vacant positions.  It is business as usual but with some restrictions and a higher level of review on everything from hiring, contracts and each purchase down to office supplies. 

17. Will the budget cuts lead to employee lay-offs or reassignments?

There is not an official hiring freeze. Each vacant position is reviewed by the Vice President before the Hiring Manager is given the authorization to proceed with a recruitment. One of the first steps that campuses take when the CSU is facing possible budget reductions is to temporarily hold vacant positions.  One way to prevent lay-offs is not to fill vacancies.  There are possibilities of internal reassignment of duties with reclass.

18. With all the growth and new buildings, how can facilities be more involved in the checking of building plans before the buildings are built?  Can more departments be involved from the start?

We currently involve Facilities Management in review of plans for new buildings.   We will explore the possibility of creating a team of reviewers to see how we can involve more people from Facility Services to look at plans.  We have a Facility Services representative on committee as a technical advisor at the beginning of each project.

19. The campus home page is not user friendly - it's hard to navigate and find needed information.  What are the plans for improvement?

Currently, the University’s Web site is undergoing extensive changes. The Campus Web site along with all departmental Web sites will have a whole new look that provides unity to all of campus Web pages. IITS is currently working on how to best design the new campus Web to make it more user-friendly. Feedback was pulled from several Web site managers to find out what their needs are and what their needs will be in the future, and those suggestions are being considered with the redesign. The date for the launch of the new Web site is not known at this point in time.

20. Why are we out-sourcing certain services?  For example, landscaping,  buses. Wants to extend more in-house services to create revenue.

We are always looking at ways of improving in-house services. For example, the recent addition of a new lead electrician, and a future lead carpenter will hopefully provide these services to campus.  We will continuously look at how to provide better and more efficient services in-house.

21. Are we equipped for mass communication in emergencies?

Our campus is one of the best prepared campuses anywhere. Our campus has implemented an emergency notification system http://www.csusm.edu/em/NotRegistration.html which has the ability to provide critical information to Students, Faculty, and Staff during emergency situations through text messages, phone calls, and emails.  Our campus also has the ability to send out emergency notifications to all classrooms through a public address system built into our current telephone infrastructure. These emergency notifications can be initiated from University Police Dispatch and the campus Emergency Operations Center. We installed exterior public address equipment on the roofs of campus buildings so that emergency messages can be heard outside of the classrooms. Utilizing these mass notification systems in conjunction with our campuses high tech remote door locking capabilities will add to the safety of our campus community during an emergency.  In addition, University Police and emergency responders conduct ongoing trainings and exercises for responding to emergency situations.

22. How can we shorten the time to resolve issues (without stepping on toes)?

Recently, the BSCPC reviewed the 2006/07 Values Survey Results and found that one opportunity for improvement revolves around the Values Survey question: “Shift easily to problem-solving mode without blaming”. Because we realize this is an area that needs to be addressed, the Core Team will be pulling together focus groups to find out what we need to do to improve. Additionally, all of FAS will have the opportunity to attend a training by Sarita Maybin in which conflict resolution will be addressed.

23. Will parking fees triple?

The current student parking fee is $248.00 per semester.  In Fall 2009, the students parking fee is slated to increase to $338.00 per semester according to a 3-tier increase approved in 2002; however, with the most recent enrollment figures from the Chancellor's Office (02/25/08), it is in the best interest of the University to ask PATS to adjust its financial projections to align with the new enrollment projections.  This means that if there are fewer students on campus, the need to build additional parking spaces at an accelerated pace can also be reduced.  PATS is exploring other options to continue to build the revenues needed to qualify for a bond, meet the Chancellor's Office Debt Service Ratio, and provide sufficient parking spaces with the "reduced student growth"  enrollment projections for the next couple of years.  This most certainly can be accomplished especially as PATS launches several of the TDM (Transportation Demand Management) programs that may provide alternate modes of transportation for our CSUSM parkers.

24. Is the fee waiver applicable to  internet and Extended Learning courses?

The fee waiver is not applicable for extended studies classes.   However, contact Extended Studies as there are discounts.  In addition, the CSU e-learning program is $119 for a large selection of courses.

25. Will Lot L paved?   It would be better for the disabled and VIP’s and would give the Field house a more professional look.

Lot L is a temporary lot (added on after the paved spaces in Lot L), and is on Parking and Transportation Services list of parking lots to be upgraded this coming summer 2008.  Traditionally temporary lots have not been paved (for example Lots X,Y, and Z are considered temporary lots); however, because of the high visibility and external focus of this facility PATS will be upgrading this parking lot.  The paved portion of Lot L has a total of 9 paved parking spaces -6 Disabled spaces, 2 metered spaces, and one 15 minute space.

26. The signage on campus isn’t very good.  It's difficult to find buildings- students frequently stop by their office to ask directions.  What are the plans for improvement?

We currently have a request for proposals (RFP) to hire a signage consultant who will develop campus signage and way finding plans for this summer 2008.

27. One of the job-related highlights has been attending the Pacific Institute training, which greatly improved morale. Will the rest of the campus take the program?

VP advised that we are talking about finding ways to reinforce the training we received.  The course was recently taken by CUSP- which is made of up many campus AVPs, which was the first time it went outside of FAS, and they found great value in the course. It will also be offered as part of the new Leadership Academy, which will be offered through Extended Learning.

28. Any plans for Pacific Institute refresher courses?

More facilitators were recently trained and are brain-storming options to continue the curriculum.  I would like to encourage all FAS staff to sign up for the "Winner's Circle" http://www.thepacificinstitute.com/ and receive a daily message/refresher from Lou Tice.  I encourage continued review of the material and will encourage employee opportunities to do so.

29. What about van pools? Is there a central place where people can go to sign up for van pools?

Parking & Transportation Services (PATS) is reviewing and establishing a transportation demand management (TDM) timeline that will financially and programmatically provide the best program outcomes for our Parking customers and remain financially prudent during these budget "crunch times".  The last vanpool program was launched in 2003 and discontinued in 2004 due to lack of interest.  PATS is looking at re-introducing a vanpool program with an outside vendor in the near future; however, in the interim PATS would like to encourage faculty, staff and students to visit PATS website and refer to the current links regarding vanpooling.

30. We should consider adopting some type of vehicle assist program for students, staff and faculty on campus.  The company that ASI hired can no longer afford to service our campus.  Several other CSU’s have a service.  Can we take a look at the other programs and decide if we could offer even the least of the services?

PATS and UPD did re-consider this request to provide "some type" of vehicle assist program; however, we re-visited the reason why this program was ceased, and the numbers still indicate very, very  low numbers of requests reaching either the Parking Information Booth and/or the Communications Center.  An area that still concerns both units is the high risk that comes with this type of vehicle assistance service.  Another deterrent is the lack of trained CSUSM UPD and PATS staff to provide this type of specialized service.  PATS and UPD will continue to provide limited services for these types of requests such as make accessible to the faculty, staff, or student a telephone for them to make the necessary call to request vehicle assistance, provide an updated list of local tow companies that do provide this service, and to provide a list of businesses (key shops) that do vehicle unlocks with current pricing information for the requesting University member. 

31. Do we have something in place with Student Affairs to take care of students when they are in trouble (i.e., hospitalized)?  We need a liaison between SA and UPD to work with in these situations to be there in support of the student.

UPD currently has a number of mechanisms to help injured and sick students through close communications with Student Health and Counseling Services and the Dean of Students.  We frequently provide rides to Student Health Services for students who are unable due to injury or severe sickness to SHCS.  We are very limited in our staffing so rides to other health care facilities is not practical.   Police officers only have limited First Aid training, so transporting people to a health care facility in a patrol vehicle is often not a safe or appropriate action. 

32. Where does the VP want to take the division?  What is her vision?

First, to continue Vice President Hoss's work and achievements.  My vision is to empower employees to make decisions: to own them and carry them out.  To create an environment of trust & respect.  To be creative during budget cuts- be courageous and bold learning to say no.  I want to build on the Pacific Institute training and determine ways we can continue to use it.

33. The past VP had an open-door policy.  How do you feel about this, or do you prefer the "chain of command" approach?

VP answered she prefers the "chain of command."  Employees should go to their managers first, then if necessary, the  AVP.  The first thing she would ask if they came to her was if they had spoken to their manager.  It is important to assume good intent.  Often there are things going on behind the scenes you may not know about.