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September 13, 2024 UNC-Chapel Hill Employee Forum minutes

Delegates Attending: Caley Allen, David Barnette, Randall Borror, Sharron Bouquin, David Bragg, Shane Brogan, Shavon Carey-Hicks, Tiffany Carver, Matthew Chamberlin, Warren Chui, Kelsey Dillon, Chassidy Dixon, Elizabeth DuBose, Alicea Easthope-Frazer, Paloma Eddowes, Shayla Evans-Hollingsworth, Adrianne Gibilisco, Sarah Green, Shayna Hill (ex-officio), Keith Hines, James Holman, Rebecca Howell, Samara Howell, Stacy Keast, Paige Krier, Daysia Mardré, Torri Mason, Amber Meads, Arlene Medder, Mandy Melton, Vanessa Mitchell, Katie Musgrove, Natiaya Neal, Katherine Neer, Ken Nesbett, Joseph Ormond, Lisa Petersen, Allana Smith Potts, Charlissa Rice, Drexel Rivers, Janny Sanchez, Audrey Shore, Theresa Silsby, Paige Simpson, Greg Smith, Jake Stallard, James Stamey, Mathew Steadman, Annetta Streater, Charles Streeter (ex-officio), Matthew Teal, Marianna Tilley, Susse Toro, Tiesha Williams, Tyrone Williams, Jacob Womack

Excused Absences: L. E. Alexander, Gabriela De la Cruz, Megan Harvell, Brigitte Ironside, Sara Kelley, Haydeé Marchese

Chair Katie Musgrove called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. She kicked things off by welcoming Chancellor Lee Roberts to the Forum’s monthly roundtable session. Roberts hoped that listeners were having a good semester so far. He mentioned the undefeated football team, field hockey team, and men’s soccer team. He noted that women’s soccer and women’s volleyball each have one loss, and he encouraged everyone to come out to support the Tar Heels.

Roberts was at the Old Well for the first day of classes with all of the freshmen. As a freshman himself, he enjoyed speaking with the other students. Roberts commented that he learned a lot about students’ hopes and fears while waiting in line with them to take that first sip.

Roberts continues to do a lot of outreach around campus, recalling that the previous evening the alumni committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity had visited the Chancellor’s house. He had also visited with the Muslim Student Association yesterday as well as Hillel earlier in the week.

The prior month, Roberts spoke about working groups on four topics to update the strategic plan. Those four groups have now reported back and stand ready to execute their plans. Those working groups deal with 1) enrollment: whether and how the university grows given the rapid growth of the state; 2) engineering: given current programs in physical science, biomedical engineering, data science, and environmental engineering, how should the University grow and should it add to these programs to meet demand and workforce needs; 3) the physical master plan: including physical projects, the translational research building, prospects for a new basketball arena, as well as significant dormitory and dining space needs; and 4) Artificial Intelligence (A.I.):  perhaps the most important effort looking at how best to incorporate A.I. into operations and the classroom, and what research priorities should be surrounding A.I.

Roberts then outlined that UNC-Chapel Hill has reported back to the UNC System Office on the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy, which was due September 1st from all UNC System schools. Earlier this week the university completed an initiative on faculty hiring to streamline that process, with one group of pain points intended to be resolved by November 1st, with a second set resolved by January 1st.

Roberts cited additional time spent on athletics, namely conference realignment, name-image-license (NIL) considerations and legal questions. Finally, Roberts noted the beginning of budget season, with the Student Fee Advisory Subcommittee finalizing fee adjustment proposals this month.

The Board of Governors, UNC System Office, and Board of Trustees will put up guidance this month on fees, with UNC’s Task Force on Tuition and Fees reviewing that guidance and making recommendations to Roberts in October.

Roberts anticipated that the Board of Governors will review and approve UNC System budgets in the January to March timeframe, leaving a great deal of work to be done in the interim. He offered to take questions from the Forum. He noted that Forum Chair Emerita Shayna Hill had spoken to the Board of Governors in her capacity as UNC System Staff Assembly Chair. He commended her remarks and appreciated her service to the UNC System in this context.

Arlene Medder asked a question related to campus growth, noting the balancing act between addressing deferred maintenance and ensuring that facilities are in place to handle an increasing student population. Medder asked if Roberts had any feedback on how this balancing act will occur or whether the outlines of a plan were already in place. Roberts said that the working group had looked at enrollment growth and the fact that UNC-Chapel Hill used to enroll 5% of North Carolina’s graduating high school seniors, a figure that has declined to around 3.5%.

Roberts said that if the university does nothing, that number will continue to fall. He said that the university will not keep pace with North Carolina’s population growth but can at least try to grow incrementally so that number does not continue to fall. The working group proposed a scenario of growing by 5,000 undergraduate students over a ten-year period. Any year in that ten-year period would not be especially impactful, Roberts said, but overall will impact the campus greatly for the reasons Medder mentioned, most notably the significant implications for faculty and staff workload, facilities, classroom and laboratory space.

Roberts said that these changes would need to take place organically and slowly over time to give campus infrastructure across the board an opportunity to keep pace. There are significant implications to this effort. For example, in the area of housing, the university has a great deal of older housing stock that it will not be able to keep online indefinitely. Thus, the university will need to invest in new housing even without enrollment growth. Adding the enrollment growth targets on top of this need makes the endeavor even more significant.

Audrey Shore asked a question about the incoming class’s student diversity, with similar data coming in across the country. She asked that as the percentages in different minority groups change, what conversations are happening in South Building around those drops in minority populations knowing that will be likely to be a longer-term trend?

Roberts said that the university is seeing a change in the demographics of incoming students. Some minority groups saw dips in their student population for the new incoming class, while some groups have had their numbers rise. Across the country, he thought that what was happening at Carolina is roughly similar to what was happening at other schools across the country.

However, Roberts said that admissions professionals are emphasizing that one year’s worth of data is not enough to start drawing long-term conclusions, especially because of dynamics creating significant noise in the numbers, most notably the ostensibly upgraded FAFSA process. Roberts said that everyone agrees that this upgrade was terribly mishandled, with the new rollout requiring Carolina and most peer institutions to delay enrollment deadlines several times this year.

This misstep meant that thousands of students nationally did not know what their financial aid package would look like, even in some cases with extended deadlines before Carolina required an enrollment decision.

Thus, Roberts said that no one really knows the degree to which the FAFSA complication is affecting numbers overall, and that it seems too early to draw any conclusions about the impact of the Supreme Court decision. Roberts said that at least another year is required to draw any conclusions from the data. He reiterated that what Carolina saw is broadly similar to what has occurred at peer institutions across the country.

Jacob Womack asked about the administrative implementation of the after-action report associated with the August 2023 shooting incident, most notably centralizing security camera work across multiple facilities. He said that the Carolina Union, the building he has responsibility for, has been taking steps but he is not certain what steps the university is taking. He said this gap in knowledge makes doing these things in sync with the university difficult.

Roberts thanked Womack for his question and said that the after-action report did indeed feature specific recommendations, including more cameras in more locations and a better back-end platform allowing officials to see camera data in real time and in one place. He said that the university welcomed a legislative appropriation for this purpose but given the lack of short session action on the budget, the university has had to act.

Roberts said that license plate readers are being installed on campus now along with an update of camera infrastructure. He said that observers will note more cameras on campus than were in place in the spring. Still, the university is continuing work getting cameras installed and onto a common platform.

Womack noted that numerous campus units have decentralized security cameras. He also noted the quick deployment of cameras around Polk Place. He asked if there is a committee in charge of these changes to which he could raise questions. He said that the Union has funds appropriated within its budget to upgrade and improve security systems. He did not want the Union to work at counter-purposes with the university’s efforts in this concern. At Chief of Staff Christi Hurt’s suggestion, Roberts directed Womack to Associate Vice Chancellor for Risk Management Derek Kemp’s work with his team on the camera project. He advised Womack to coordinate directly with Kemp’s group.

Sarah Green mentioned that safety and security cameras are a reactionary force that merely watch what happens, allowing officials to make decisions after the fact. She asked if there are similar funds or efforts towards mental health support, such as increasing opportunities for faculty and staff to take preventative steps to manage stress. She said that these stressors will likely increase during the upcoming election season. What is the plan for preventative measures for campus in this area?

Roberts responded that the university continues to invest in mental wellness resources in its ongoing effort which began prior to the August 28 incident. He said that the after-action report emphasized the importance of this effort. The second part of his answer touched on the coordination of units around campus. He said that the after-action report asserted that the university could have done a better job of connecting the dots that led to the incident.

In particular, different parts of the university’s infrastructure heard different things about the situation beforehand. Unfortunately, the university did not do as well as it could have to ensure that everyone knew what there was to know.

Roberts added that community members must work to publicize resources that are available. He said that the university has made extraordinary investments and a significant funding priority in prevention of these incidents for a while now. He was uncertain whether campus communications has necessarily caught up with this work.

Following this point, Roberts said that his discussions with students revealed that they are generally not aware of the extent of resources available in this regard. He encouraged everyone, faculty, staff, and students to avail themselves of what is available.

Sarah Green asked in response about the graduate and professional student population who continue to earn below a living wage for the local area. She asked if there is something specific for graduate students that is being changed or implemented. Green also asked if the university will add to its funding in mental health as current efforts have been seen as insufficient.

Roberts said that the university continues to add to its mental health resources as an investment priority. Regarding graduate student pay and resources, he recalled conversations with the Dean of the Graduate School, Beth Mayer-Davis, who has developed a comprehensive plan to increase graduate student compensation. Roberts said that some of this work has been done already but more remains. He said that the university is investing resources in this endeavor.

Regarding paying a living wage and obtaining affordable housing, he said that this is a crucial problem here in Chapel Hill. He said that Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson had run on an affordable housing platform. The university has had good dialogue with the Town about how it can help encourage more affordable housing, a significant priority for both entities.

Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and Compliance Becci Menghini posted the following in the meeting’s chat feature: “The Graduate School under the leadership of Beth Mayer-Davis is undertaking a very wide-ranging, comprehensive effort with lots of committees and partners to address grad-student well-being—that term being inclusive of funding, support, and broader understanding of rights.”

The Chair said that she had perused reports from other UNC System schools related to the new DEI policy implementation. She realized that some schools took different routes than others. She recalled that several schools had observed an impact to various identity centers across their campuses. She had read in UNC-Chapel Hill’s Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) that our identity centers will be maintained and programming currently provided will continue. She asked if Roberts or his team could reiterate that commitment. In addition, she asked if there had been any movement on finding a permanent director for the university’s LBGTQ Center.

Roberts said that he has not undertaken a comprehensive review of reports from every UNC System school. He had discussed the implementation of the new UNC System policy with a number of other chancellors. He urged listeners to recall UNC-Chapel Hill’s standing as easily the largest, most complex institution in the UNC System. As an example, the Kenan-Flagler Business School is the campuses third-largest academic unit, but it is larger than half of the campuses in the UNC System.

Thus, implementation of any UNC System-wide policy will always look more involved and complex here at Chapel Hill than at other UNC System schools. He observed that other UNC System schools had made moves in anticipation of the UNC System’s DEI recommendations, but UNC-Chapel Hill waited until it could review the policy and see the guidance. Regarding the second question, Menghini said that she would undertake a search to find if there had been any progress in making a permanent hire for the LGBTQ Center director position.

Ken Nesbett provided a moment of levity, asking Roberts’ favorite flavor of La Croix. Roberts said that the Raz-Cranberry flavor is his favorite.

Sarah Green asked if Roberts could provide an update on the working group associated with the Campus Y. She asked what the group’s goal was and what it decided. Roberts said that this group was co-chaired by Richard Stevens, former chair of the Board of Trustees and former Chancellor James Moeser. He said that the group included many alumni who were involved with the Y when they were students, as well as students themselves. The group has submitted a draft report, and Roberts’ office is evaluating the recommendations. He invited those interested to stay tuned.

Caley Allen said that she was surprised by the elimination of the Office of Rural Initiatives, an office which she thought was aimed to educate, train, and retain primary care physicians. Becci Menghini noted that the Medical School has downsized or eliminated some programs while creating others that were more broadly focused. She recalled that the initiative will remain but would be part of a bigger office. However, she would go back to confirm her understanding. Allen commented that it can be difficult to understand the fate of programs from these very detailed reports. She noted that it can be hard to find how a program is reabsorbed or repurposed in another office.

Menghini said that university officials including herself sat down with every dean of every school and college to talk about how to ensure compliance with the new regulation, but also that Carolina continues to be a place where everyone can bring their full selves to teach, learn, and work. She said that according to the regulation, programs that are educational or research-based in purpose would not change or be impacted by the regulation. She praised the deans and their teams for thinking thoughtfully about how to ensure that their offices both meet the expectations of the regulations and also embrace a broader definition of diversity than perhaps was previously in place.

Elizabeth Dubose said that her department, Ophthalmology, has already had two pre-med students who want to serve their home communities. She thought that the fate of the Rural Initiatives program is worth tracking. She wanted to attract the talent to the program, make it a safe and diverse place for learners, and support them as they graduate as a resource for the state.

Menghini said that the university wants to ensure that it is providing opportunities for people while they are here and as they graduate and go on to contribute to the state and beyond. She noted Mathew Steadman’s chat comment stating that he understood that the office had been moved to the UNC Health umbrella of programs. She thought that this comment was correct.

Roberts said that there is an initiative among the five healthcare deans to provide more coordinated response to rural health needs in North Carolina. He said that this effort will allow coordination of resources and capacities much more effectively. The university has discussed this effort with legislators and foundations, Roberts said. However, the initiative will not yield results overnight. Still, Roberts thought that the initiative has the potential to be really significant over time.

Jay Eubank noted that the GOP is suing the university to keep UNC students from using their mobile OneCard as voter ID. He asked what the university will do in response, given the general expectation to ensure that students are not disenfranchised. Roberts said that he had learned of this issue just last night from UNC General Counsel. He has not had a chance yet to consult in depth concerning a response but said that he was certainly aware of this concern.

The Chair thanked Roberts for taking the time to speak with the Forum. She looked forward to having him return soon. Roberts said that he appreciated everyone involved with the Forum for volunteering their time. He wished all a terrific weekend.

The Chair then introduced Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Justin Miller to discuss the emergency preparedness festival occurring the following week. Miller thanked the Forum for its continual support of his office’s mission. He shared a link with festival details: https://go.unc.edu/pirates. The festival will occur Thursday, September 19th, which falls on International Talk Like a Pirate Day. He noted the 2022 Zombie Preparedness Festival and said that arrangements would be very similar.

Twenty-four campus, local, state, and federal partners will all attend the festival to share a range of emergency preparedness information. Several demonstrations will be available, including a DWI and distracted driving simulation and the state’s sprinkler trailer on Polk Place. Miller said that volunteers will dress as pirate actors at the festival. He said the rain location would be in the Great Hall of the Student Union.

The Chair said that she was excited about the festival. She suggested that next year the festival adopt a Barbie theme. Miller said that he would work on this suggestion. The Chair appreciated Miller’s time and work. She also appreciated Miller inviting the Forum to provide feedback regarding developing staff training related to the August 28 after-action report.

The Chair then welcomed Ombuds Officer Dawn Osborne-Adams to discuss the work of the Ombuds Office, along with former Forum delegate Victoria Dowd. Osborne-Adams thanked the Chair for her warm welcome, noting that fellow Officer Joshua Canzona was absent due to work. She introduced a slide deck entitled “A Trustworthy Resource for Challenging Moments”, which really stands at the heart of the Ombuds Office’s work. Building trust requires being trustworthy and requires effort. Others decide whether or not to give this trust, Osborne-Adams said.

Osborne-Adams said that the Ombuds Office serves everyone on campus with any issue related to the university. She said that this universality of care is important although very demanding for the office. The office follows a set of ethical principles, being confidential, informal, and a place at which one can share almost anything without worrying about it being repeated or triggering some response.

Osborne-Adams reminded the Forum that the Ombuds Office is a confidential resource and is both independent and impartial. This independence, regardless of the office’s connection to the Chancellor’s Office, means that it is not aligned budgetarily or operationally with any other unit or division. She hoped that this fact helps the office remain impartial on behalf of those seeking help. She said that the office does workshops on things like conflict management, communication, navigating problems, and engaging in important conversations.

The office facilitates discussion, conversation, and communication among small groups in which Ombuds officers act as designated neutrals who help to structure conversations to help parties hear one another a bit better. Finally, the office tries to support everyone at every level.

Osborne-Adams recalled that the office originated from Chancellor Moeser’s Task Force for a Better Workplace. She said that the office has developed a charter in writing its authority and its expectations. She was proud of the university’s steadfastness with regards to the office which has now been committed to writing.

Employees with issues coming to the office hear the professional ethics of Ombuds officers as soon as possible, as a matter of informed consent. She said that Ombuds officers will listen as long as necessary to understand what life looks like from the petitioner’s point of view and will help frame their issue in light of what is important to the petitioner and what their goals are. Ombuds officers will help think about every possible option for addressing whatever issue emerges and moving towards the petitioner’s goals. At the end, petitioners will decide what, if anything, makes sense to do about their concern. Osborne-Adams reiterated that the office does not represent, advocate, or make decisions for individuals or for the university.

Regarding utilization of the office, Osborne-Adams said that since the beginning of the year, the office conducted 236 case consultations. She said that the annual average is usually about 500 consultations. Forty-five percent of these consultations are for staff and 22 percent are for faculty, with the rest for students and others such as postdocs, alumni, and parents. She said that the office conducts 32 outreach events and educational workshops a year and touches every single division and school.

Osborne-Adams was proud of this scale of work. She praised her fellow Ombuds officer, Joshua Canzona, and Office Manager Victoria Dowd for their continuing efforts to deal with these extensive commitments. She said that the office must at times meet with people outside regular business hours, if needed. She encouraged employees to see the office as a free and voluntary resource and benefit provided by the university.

Osborne-Adams said that the office will turn 20 years old in May 2025 and will feature a party to celebrate the office’s longevity and impact. The office is also undergoing a website refresh and will soon feature a resource library for people who may not want a consultation, but still require resources.

Osborne-Adams asked delegates to spread word about the office to their areas. She offered to do a presentation to units, available via the website. Dowd can even provide a poster depicting the work of the office for display. Ombuds Day will take place October 10th, a global day dedicated to raising awareness of the Ombuds role.

Osborne-Adams then shared a video of Toni Morrison speaking about the conflicts and obstacles that everyone must figure out how to get through. The video is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xvJYrSsXPA. Osborne-Adams liked the video because it reminds us of our work to make the organization better and of our personal power in a given moment.

Keith Hines asked about the office’s confidentiality pledge. Osborne-Adams said that confidential resources, when acting in their capacity as an Ombuds or counselor, are confidential employees. An example of an exception to that would be her relations with Canzona or Dowd, as she could not be a confidential resource for those working in her office.

Rebecca Howell asked what Ombuds officers do to ensure confidentiality and independence while talking with a member of the broader community about a concern with someone. Osborne-Adams said that this question goes to the tightrope of Ombuds as kind of insider-outsiders, who are in an organization and part of it, but in a different way than is typical. She responded that Ombuds officers take their ethical responsibilities very seriously, being very conscious about actual and perceived conflicts of interest. Personally, whenever on campus, Osborne-Adams remains conscious that she is always the Ombuds. She thanked Howell for this question as it addressed boundaries.

Audrey Shore recalled a direct report who was struggling to deal with her role and place in the university. She hoped to get some clarity on the types of conflicts and concerns handled, because she was uncertain about the Ombuds as a resource in this situation. Osborne-Adams said that the office’s work often helps people untangle and frame their concerns, assisting them to find a plan to get needed help either inside or outside the university. She said that part of the office’s role is to help people connect to others who would be helpful to them. She hoped that supervisors will offer the Ombuds Office as a resource to help make the most of other resources available.

The Chair noted several chat comments regarding the orange utensil set that the office distributed a few years ago. Osborne-Adams said that this item was the best purchase that the office has made. The Chair thanked Osborne-Adams for her presentation.

The Chair then welcomed Vice Chancellor Becci Menghini to present the Forum’s customary Human Resources update. Menghini noted the very long preventing discrimination training that had come through to employees that month. She said that it is an important part of our responsibility as a community to ensure that people understand how to report discrimination and harassment. It is also a requirement under the university’s federal obligations.

Menghini recalled that previously the university worked with an outside company to provide this training over the last several years. She said that the university will likely move to an in-house solution next year, meaning the training will be a bit shorter and more tailored to Carolina. She asked everyone required to complete the training. The Chair asked if the new training meant that there would be new scenarios for consideration. Senior Associate Vice Chancellor Linc Butler for Human Resources said that there would likely be new scenarios.

Menghini had to jump to another meeting. She invited listeners to the Employee Appreciation Fair October 18th. Butler noted the 25+ Year Service Appreciation Banquet occurring October 9th at the Carolina Club. The deadline for RSVPs for this event is September 16th.

In addition, Butler noted the Employee Appreciation Day on Friday, October 18th, which will feature various departments and local businesses showcasing goods and services. The event will feature a taco bar as the lunchtime meal.

The Carolina Tar Heel Tribute will take place October 30th and will honor the contributions of staff, faculty, and students who have served our country or who are currently serving in the military in the Carolina community. The event will feature a POW-MIA tribute, lunch, and keynote address by Secretary Grier Martin of the NC Dept of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Butler said that the OHR organizational professional development team will present soon, possibly next month, to discuss Leadership and Manager and Supervisory Training (LEAD) that will launch this fall. The aim of this program is to build skills amongst managers and supervisors rather than reacting in terms of the trainings provided.

Butler welcomed Senior Director for Benefits and Leave Administration Joe Williams to talk about open enrollment. Williams shared his screen, directing listeners to the hr.unc.edu homepage. The open enrollment period will occur between September 30th and October 25th. He noted that this is the once-a-year opportunity to make changes to benefits. One can add or delete family members without any kind of qualifying life event during the open enrollment period. Changes made take effect on January 1st.

Williams moved on to the open enrollment website, the product of review with the HR communications team. He reminded listeners that his team will do two Zoom sessions to discuss the open enrollment process, as well as the conversion to Aetna, on Sept. 16th and 20th.

Next, Williams noted a general anxiety about the switchover from Blue Cross/Blue Shield to Aetna. First of all, he said that the State Health Plan itself is not changing. The Plan is a self-funded health insurance plan with its own board of trustees, under the purview of the State Treasurer’s Office. The board set the reimbursement rates for everything covered in the plan as well as determining what is covered and not covered.

Thus, concerns about the new plan administrator may be misplaced. For example, Aetna will not be responsible for how well it will pay out for a State Health Plan claim. That is the responsibility of the Plan itself. Aetna will handle all claims processing and member ID cards, as well as the network of providers.

Enrollees will decide between the 70/30 and 80/20 plan, with the default being placement into the 70/30 plan. Enrollees must take action to obtain the 80/20 plan during enrollment. In addition, enrollees will need to do the tobacco attestation, stating that they do not use tobacco products. If they do use tobacco products, they will pay $60 more a month due to the tobacco use surcharge. Tobacco users can also answer that they are willing to undertake a tobacco cessation visit with a primary care provider by November 30th to avoid this charge.

Under Aetna, enrollees will complete the health insurance aspects of enrollment by using the State enrollment portal through ConnectCarolina self-service under My Benefits. A critical aspect of health insurance enrollment this year entails selecting a primary care physician in the new network. Selecting a primary care provider will help the enrollee save some money through a much less expensive copayment. Over 98% of all providers in the Blue Cross/Blue Sheild network are already in the Aetna network, with more becoming members every day.

Williams was pleased that there were no rate increases for the State Health Plan copays or deductibles for the seventh year running. Enrollees will receive a new ID card with Aetna branding. He noted that CVS Caremark will continue to run all the prescription drug coverages in the plan, separate from the Aetna administrative piece.

Preventative wellness type visits will remain free as well with no copayment or deductible on either the 70/30 or 80/20 plan, as will insulin. Williams noted the Clear Pricing Project, which is a narrow band of the wider network. Providers who are a member of the Project feature a much lower copayment for State Health Plan patients. He recalled a personal case in which a procedure that normally would have cost thousands of dollars only cost $87 through a Clear Pricing Project provider. Williams noted that the plan offers a great joint replacement program which covers costs for a minimal copayment. Williams said that enrollees will need to upload dependent documentation as well during enrollment.

Finally, enrollees can access NC Flex benefits through the UNC System enrollment portal through ConnectCarolina. He said that the dental plan will have a slight rate increase in 2005. Enrollees must re-enroll in flexible spending accounts.

OHR will feature walk-in hours from 10-2 p.m. on Fridays during open enrollment. Audrey Shore asked about a reimbursement from Blue Cross to compensate for an out-of-network therapist’s charges. She wondered if Blue Cross will still process claims in spite of the changeover. Williams said that Blue Cross/Blue Shield have said that they will continue processing claims for one year, for claims incurred through December 31, 2024.

Keith Hines asked about employees who have better insurance than the State Plan through their spouse. Would they need to actively go into the website and refuse State Plan coverage? Williams said that employees in this situation must proactively decline Plan coverage. He noted that when an employee has two insurance companies, their primary insurer is always their employer’s insurer.

Hines then asked if there is a way to drop a plan mid-year. Would they need a qualifying life event? Williams said that the IRS has a list of qualifying events, like birth, death, adoption, spouse job loss, and marriage. Employees experiencing these changes are eligible to end their coverage mid-year.

Arlene Medder asked if a flexible elder care spending account was a likely possibility for the future. Williams said that the State of North Carolina is responsible for decisions about flexible accounts. He offered to share a possible solution with Medder via email.

Rebecca Howell asked if there would be two separate phone numbers to address separate claims in 2024 and 2025. Williams confirmed that would be the case. He noted that Aetna is moving to a concierge service, meaning that one person will handle everything on a particular phone call for support for new 2025 claims.

Howell then noted that she had doe a great deal of research to understand gender affirming care coverage for minors and others. She said that this information is buried in the 80/20 Benefits booklet, on page 45, listed under the section describing what is not covered. This section has a footnote stating that in response to a federal court order, the following exclusion will not be excluded so long as the order is enforced: “Treatment or studies leading to or in connection with, sex changes or modifications, and related care.” This change became effective June 12, 2022.

Howell added that there is another case for minors working through the courts now. However, the case in question refers to the 4th circuit panel en banc decision. This decision means that this coverage must remain in effect because denying gender-affirming care is considered discriminatory. She cautioned that this decision deals with coverage for adults. Coverage for minors will need further inquiry.

Howell asked if the Supreme Court decides to reverse this decision, would this reversal qualify as a life event that would allow her to change her child to another provider. Or, in anticipation of this decision, would she need to proactively move her child now? Williams said that the issue of coverage for a particular course of treatment is almost certainly not considered a qualifying life event within the IRS definition. Given that, he advised to move the minor to a different plan during the open enrollment period.

Jay Eubank asked about the deficit in the State Health Plan budget, which will likely grow to $200 million in the next couple of years. He said that the legislature has not seen fit to appropriate any additional money for the Plan. He asked if Williams could comment. Williams said that his office is currently monitoring this situation, noting the status of retiree health insurance as well. He thought that preserving the solvency of the Plan will require action from the General Assembly.

Eubank then asked if the university is concerned enough about this situation to ask its lobbyists to push the legislature to deal with this issue. Williams did not know if that issue is on the current legislative agenda. He said that issues typically roll up from system institutions to the UNC System, then to the General Assembly.

Tiffany Carver asked about a seeming denial of medications and treatments by Blue Cross/Blue Shield, which seems retaliatory because of the switchover to Aetna. She has a colleague experiencing this denial and has been in touch with others experiencing similar situations. She asked what avenue or channels people have to challenge this situation.

Williams replied that Blue Cross/Blue Shield has nothing to do with drug coverage, which is handled by the State Health Plan through CVS Caremark. CVS Caremark is the pharmacy manager for the Plan, no matter which pharmacy one may use. He directed listeners’ attention to the State Health Plan website, and the corresponding page displaying the comprehensive formulary drug list.

The State Health Plan will quarterly review this list and make changes. So, there are occasions when a medication falls off the formulary drug list. Williams encouraged attendees to check out this list, which has a preferred drug list of generic versions of drugs with lower co-payments.

Williams noted an employee whose asthma inhaler had recently discontinued coverage. He encouraged this person and others in the same situation to discuss possible equivalent medications with their health care provider. Carver followed up by noting her coworker had been hospitalized in-network and her doctors prescribed a medication that was the only thing that seemed to fix this issue. However, the Plan or whoever refused to cover the medication, leading to weeks in the hospital because of this refusal to cover the medication that an employee could not afford otherwise with their state job. She asked if this person has any way to push back against this practice?

Williams said that there are some formal appeal processes with the State Health Plan through the appeals and grievance link on the website. He said that CVS Caremark could be contacted for more information. He noted that appeal processes which are reviewed by a Medical Review Board as they come up.

Sarah Green asked whether drugs that fall off the formulary list are tracked anywhere. She thought that the Plan offers little recourse other than specific one-on-one grievances. She asked if the Forum was looking at this issue and determining how it affects the community. Williams thought that the university is not monitoring this issue because of its dauntingly large nature. He added that there is not a lot of recourse available when a popular medication falls off the list. He thought that action through the UNC System was the best bet in these situations. He offered his email, benefits@unc.edu or joe_williams@unc.edu  to share concerns and seek possible escalation.

The Chair thanked Williams for his extensive update. She welcomed Senior Work/Life Manager Jessica Pyjas to present her monthly updates. Pyjas directed listeners’ attention to the WorkWell newsletter that went out last week that featured a total well-being employee interest survey. She encouraged delegates to fill out the survey, which closes September 27th.

The next well-being day will occur on Monday, September 23rd, branded as a no-meetings day for employees where possible. Pyjas ran down a list of personal and professional learning opportunities. She reminded listeners about the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available to employees, with three free sessions per issue with a counselor available at no cost.

Pyjas said that the Mental Health First Aid training is still being offered by the School of Social Work. Training schedules are available through the Carolina Talent or the HR Events calendar. She then outlined benefits available through the Perks Connect program, which has recently moved to a mobile application.

The Chair thanked Pyjas for her remarks. She took a moment to recognize Victoria Dowd’s 30-year anniversary here at Carolina and thanked her for her service. She moved to the approval of the consent agenda, which included the August minutes of the Forum. Rebecca Howell made this motion, seconded by Arlene Medder. The motion was approved by acclamation.

The Chair then moved on to New Business, namely the consideration of Proclamation 24-01, Concerning International Housekeepers’ Week. She read the draft, and then noted that proclamations only take one reading for approval. She called for a motion to approve the proclamation. Elizabeth Dubose made this motion, seconded by Lisa Petersen.

Sarah Green asked whether the proclamation would be helpful or important or valuable to these employees. She asked if someone on the Housekeeping staff could provide some perspective as to whether the Forum’s actions match this appreciation.

The Chair noted that she and the Chair-Elect plan to read the proclamation at the upcoming celebrations next Friday. James Stamey responded as a 3rd shift manager, saying that he felt that some of the university lives up to the ideals expressed in the proclamation. He said that he found the response to the proclamation over the years has been pretty positive. He recalled that Athletics and other departments will make donations to the celebratory event, and students in dormitories will write letters to the housekeepers thanking them for their service. He would not say that everyone knows about the proclamation, or whether everyone shares in the sentiments expressed. He typically prints out copies to be distributed in his buildings.

James Holman said that as a 20-year housekeeper, he thought that his fellow employees appreciate the recognition from the Employee Forum. The Chair added that resolutions and proclamations are one of the only ways that the Forum formally speaks as one voice. She thought all of the work done through the year in advocacy on behalf of housekeepers and other employees requires this recognition. She thought it important that delegates lend their voices in a public way and fashion to share appreciation in this way.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations Wendy Halsey wished that there were a way to appreciate housekeepers’ work every day. Still, she thought that the proclamation is a nice way to highlight their work and would be nice to share during the ceremonies next Friday, timed for the three different shifts. She urged delegates to remember to appreciate their building’s housekeeper over the next couple of days.

The Chair noted that James Holman had been honored with the President’s Award at the recent State Employees’ Association of North Carolina (SEANC) meeting. She praised Holman for this statewide recognition and for all of the work he has done.

In the absence of further discussion, the Chair called for a vote on the proclamation. The motion was approved with no delegates voting against or abstaining.

The Chair noted that the upcoming Staff Advisory Committee to the Chancellor meeting will take place November 5th Vice Chancellors’ representatives’ meeting will take place on November 14th. She asked for highlights and kudos from delegates in the “It Takes a Village” portion of the agenda.

Elizabeth Dubose praised Keith Hines and Tiffany Carver, the main organizers of the football tailgate the previous Saturday. She said that she and her family greatly appreciated the event and thanked the organizers, once again. The Chair also recognized Bubba Cunningham and Michael Beale from Athletics for the amazing idea and for their recognition of the Forum. She noted the opportunity for delegates to socialize and cheer on the Tar Heels.

David Barnette shouted out the Chair for her work. The Chair thanked Barnette. The Chair also thanked Shayna Hill for her amazing job speaking to the Board of Governors at their recent meeting. Hill recalled a story about former Forum delegate Alan Moran and his work on the new apprenticeship program in Facilities, which grew from a question raised in a Forum meeting several years ago.

In the absence of further discussion, the meeting adjourned by acclamation at 11:11 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Matt Banks, Recording Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

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