December 4, 1996

November 22, 1999

To: The University Senate

From: Contractual Arrangements Committee

Re: Semi-Annual Report of the Activities of the Contractual Arrangements Committee

In October the committee began work on a long list of agenda items. Thus far the committee has:

Consulted with Provost Liberty on the multi-year faculty salary initiative.

The committee appreciates Acting President Anna and Provost Liberty’s efforts to document and address, with significant university resources, external salary inequities. We look forward to working with the Provost in the development and implementation of this program.

The committee briefly reviewed the results (summary attached) of the spring survey of the Bradley faculty and staff on TIAA-CREF.

In the coming months the committee will give more in depth consideration to the implications of the survey’s results for resolving Bradley University’s below average retirement compensation. The committee thanks all those who participated in the survey for it addressed some very important retirement issues. For example, in order to meet IRS regulations, an institution’s retirement plan must have specific levels of participation by the employees. Thus, the survey sought to identify the reasons some Bradley University employees are not currently participating. The survey also sought to elicit faculty and staff preferences on plan changes. Consistent with the committee’s prior survey, the most frequently recommended change was for the university to increase its contribution to TIAA-CREF.

Reviewed the administration's proposed language changes in the Faculty Handbook on medical insurance.

These are minor changes caused by changes in federal law.

Reviewed the administration's proposed parking regulation language for the Faculty Handbook.

This is a comprehensive document on motor vehicle and parking regulations at Bradley University.

Decided to review the tuition remission issues raised by the staff

Respectfully Submitted

Larry Aspin, Chair

Pratima Gandhi

John Haverhals

Lisa Gardner

Bob Wolffe

Major Findings of the 1999 Retirement Plan Survey

Principal Finding

A significant majority of faculty and staff said that they would prefer that Bradley University increase its contributions without requiring employees to increase their matching contribution. This response was a write-in response to the following question:

"5. Which of the following changes in Bradley's TIAA-CREF retirement plan would be acceptable to
you (check all answers that apply):

--- reducing the match requirement from 5% to a smaller percentage (e.g., 1%)

--- other (please explain): ______________________________________________"
Specific Findings
Response Rate: 38%

Respondents by Category:

111 faculty

109 salaried non-faculty staff

76 hourly non-faculty staff

Participation in TIAA-CREF by Category

106 out of 111 faculty

92 out of 109 salaried non-faculty staff

62 out of 76 hourly non-faculty staff

Among the non-participants (36 in total):

2 of 5 faculty would participate if the match requirement were lowered

5 of 17 salaried non-faculty staff would participate if the match requirement were lowered

5.5 of the 14 hourly non-faculty staff would participate if the match requirement were lowered

2 of the 5 faculty will participate after working here for more than one year

9 of the 17 salaried non-faculty staff will participate after working here for more than one year

4 of the 14 hourly non-faculty staff will participate after working here for more than one year

What changes would be acceptable?

Faculty

52 said increase BU contributions

14 said reduce the match requirement

11 said both increase the BU contribution and reduce the match requirement

Salaried Non-faculty Staff

41 said increase BU contributions

18 said reduce the match requirement

8 said both increase the BU contribution and reduce the match requirement

Hourly Non-faculty Staff

20 said increase BU contributions

19 said reduce the match requirement

8 said no change