She said also heard that the task force was disbanded because the university went from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan for healthcare benefits. There will be another benefits task force appointed when United Academics negotiations are complete. Kastelic said all the excellent work of the previous benefits task force would form the basis of discussion and deliberation. Some of the options for cost sharing from the original task force could still be implemented before January 1, 1999. Kastelic said there are tremendous adminstrative savings by having one plan for all university employees, union or not.
Phone calls are better than public opinion messages.
Legislators only read public opinion messages from their own constituents. Public opinion messages are only important for key legislation. Redman asked that faculty, staff, student and alumni legislative activities not be bunched up solely around Board of Regents meetings, but rather, spread them out over the session so there is a constant stream of communication. There should be one or two letters to the editor of every newspaper in the state about the university every week. There should be university supporters at every legislator's constituent teleconference every week.