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By Julie Rausch

During the Kansas Council of Classified Senate’s annual meeting Oct. 22 at WSU, a joint position paper was drafted to be presented to Kansas legislators in January.

The position paper addresses priorities set by senate presidents and representatives on behalf of all state university classified employees.

The top priorities include an increase for cost of living, continued funding for regular step increases with no ceiling on steps, and funding and timely implementation of a reclassification job rate study.

The KCCS representatives voted to create a President’s Council of the six senate presidents, who will meet on a regular basis and designate officers and a spokesperson for the group. The council’s purpose is to have a united and cohesive team representing the concerns of classified employees.

To extend the notion of teamwork and enhanced communication among classified employees at state universities, there is a new Kansas classified employees listserv. To sign up, send the message "subscribe kanclass" in the body of an e-mail to majordomo@majordomo.twsu.edu.

The classified position paper calls for:

• a 6 percent cost of living increase to catch up to inflation increases, in addition to step increases

• continued funding of 2.5 percent step increases and add one step for each year of qualified service

• continued funding of longevity pay

• funding and timely implementation of a comprehensive reclassification and job rate study

• a return of health care costs and coverage to calendar year 1999 levels. In 2000, the state will switch to paying about 95 percent of an employee’s health insurance instead of a set amount, which will result in some increased employee costs. Dependent coverage is also going up. Under a new prescription plan, employees will pay 25 percent.

• total repeal of a Kansas law that reduces positions based on classified retirements.