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POLICY #13.17 
SUBJECT: Bylaws of the University Benefits Committee

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is to establish bylaws for the Benefits Committee which is charged with evaluating options and making recommendations to the President’s Cabinet on behalf of University employees for health (medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, Health Savings Account/Flex Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Programs, etc.), life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement offerings of the University.

II. REFERENCES

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III. DEFINITIONS

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IV. POLICY

  1. Responsibilities
    1. Review, prioritize, and recommend to the President’s Cabinet benefit plan design changes each year based on changing circumstances and available funding.
    2. Review and evaluate insurance performance (claims versus premiums) and make recommendations for plan adjustments based on results.
    3. Review and recommend benefit providers based on Requests for Proposal (RFP) responses when necessary.
  2. Membership
    1. This committee is an advisory committee of the University and will consist of seven (7) voting members and four (4) non-voting members.
    2. Voting Members:
      1. Committee Chair appointed by the University President;
      2. President of the Faculty Senate (or designated representative);
      3. President of the Staff Association (or designated representative);
      4. Two (2) full-time faculty members selected by the Faculty Senate; and
      5. Two (2) benefited staff members selected by the Staff Association Board.
    3. Non-Voting Members:
      1. Director of Human Resources;
      2. Assistant Director of Human Resources;
      3. Assistant to the VP Finance & Administration (serves as Secretary to the Committee); and
      4. A representative from the Purchasing Office (ad-hoc based on RFP and other purchasing-related issues that require advisement).
  3. Founding Board
    1. Initial appointments staggered to serve for one-, two-, or three-year terms to provide continuity to the Board.
    2. Qualifications of Membership:
      1. Following the initial appointment of the Founding Board each appointment of an advisory committee member shall be for a minimum of three (3) years, except when the appointment is to fill an unexpired term, OR in the case of the President of the Faculty Senate and Staff Association who may serve for only one (1) year during their tenure as President/elected representative of their respective organization.
      2. One (1) faculty and one (1) staff member will be retained each year with none serving more than two (2) successive terms.
      3. The term of a new committee member shall begin on July 1.
      4. Members may be replaced mid-term should circumstances warrant.
  4. Officers and Their Duties
    1. The officers shall be: Chair and Secretary.
    2. The Chair duties shall be:
      1. To preside at the meetings of the advisory committee; and
      2. To appoint special subcommittees, which may include persons other than advisory committee members.
    3. The Secretary shall:
      1. Keep records of the attendance of members at meetings;
      2. Keep a record of discussion and recommendations;
      3. Maintain a permanent record file of advisory committee activities; and
      4. Distribute minutes of advisory committee meetings and copies of other committee documents to committee members and others.
  5. Meetings
    1. There will be at least three (3) meetings of the advisory committee annually, with one (1) being held each January and others scheduled as needed.
    2. Additional meetings may be required during the plan evaluation process or when reviewing requests for proposals.

V. RELEVANT FORMS/LINKS

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VI. QUESTIONS/RESPONSIBLE OFFICE

The responsible office for this Policy is Vice President for Finance. For questions about this Policy, contact the Office of Human Resources.

VII. POLICY ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT DATES

Date Approved: March 20, 2015

Amended: December 2, 2020