Atlantic Cape Trustees Approve 2 Percent Raise for President

MAYS LANDING — Atlantic Cape Community College’s Board of Trustees met Oct. 27 at the Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City Campus and approved personnel matters, contracts and purchases, and awarded a raise to Dr. Peter L. Mora, college president.
Praising the president’s service to the college, Atlantic Cape’s Board of Trustees voted to increase Mora’s salary to $190,526 from $186,825, retroactive to July 1, 2015.
The increase follows the president’s annual compensation review and performance evaluation in which his performance was found to be “excellent.” The board also approved an unmatched pension contribution of $19,056 to Mora for 2015-2016.
In Personnel Action:
The board approved these appointments:
–Nicholas Alexander of Pleasantville, office assistant, disability support services, effective Oct. 28.
–Clifford Burns of Estell Manor, technician, information technology services, effective Oct. 28.
–Kasey Dunlap of Egg Harbor Township, office assistant, financial aid, effective Oct. 28.
–Michael Forest of Mays Landing, counselor I, student support services, effective Oct. 28.
–Shawn Gorman of Somers Point, graphic artist, college relations, effective Oct. 28.
–John Taggart of Northfield, working maintenance foreman II, facilities management, effective Oct. 28.
The board also approved the transfer of Dr. Ronald McArthur of Mays Landing from dean of liberal studies to professor of history, retroactive to Aug. 24, and the resignation of Michelle Bayard Gross, assistant professor of dance, effective Dec. 31.
The board recognized Angus Borders of Egg Harbor Township and accepted his retirement, effective Oct. 1. Borders joined the college in 1980 as a print shop employee and received numerous perfect attendance awards during his 35-year career. Former supervisor Therese Budd stated, “Angus will look for a timely solution to complete print jobs using his expertise. Quality is definitely important to Angus, and he does focus heavily on this aspect of the job.”
Board Approves Sick Leave Payment Agreement
The board approved memorandums of agreement (MOA) with the college’s four bargaining units that change, for a limited time, the sick leave payment offered to those who retire from the college by June 30, 2016. The agreement increases the payment for unused sick leave, from the $8,500 maximum level in the current contract, to $15,000. The change will be in effect from Oct. 28 through Dec. 4. 
Terms of the agreement, which was signed by Mora, and bargaining unit representatives after the meeting, include:
–Payment for unused sick leave will not exceed $15,000 or 100 percent of the employee’s accrued leave. For employees who meet the terms of the MOA, payment will be made in a lump sum no later than June 24, 2016.
–Employees who choose to take the payment must make an irrevocable written commitment under the MOA to retire from the college no later than June 30, 2016.
The board approved a separate resolution extending the sick payment benefit to exempt employees. Also eligible are employees who have not retired but who had made a written commitment to the college to retire on or before June 30, 2016.
The administration initiated discussions with the bargaining units on the sick leave payment as part of a comprehensive process to develop a projected balanced FY’17 budget. The college adopted a strategic finance model five years ago that calls for it to look at ways to contain costs and enhance revenues. Knowing how many employees plan to take retirement before FY’17 begins on July 1, 2016, will provide more precise salary and benefits projections for that year’s fiscal plan. Currently, those expenses comprise about 80 percent of the college’s budget.
According to data supplied by the Human Resources office, 117 Atlantic Cape full-time employees are eligible for the payment under terms of the bargaining unit contracts and under college benefit for union-exempt staff. To be eligible, employees must be over age 50 and have 10 years or more of full-time service. Atlantic Cape has a total of 329 full-time employees.
Purchases, Contracts Approved:
–Professional architectural services, Spiezle Architectural Group, Trenton, increased to $930,499, to accommodate change in scope of plans for the Student Success and Career Planning Center.
–Collection agency services, optional two-year renewal, commission rate of 19 percent and 22 percent, AR Resources, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and General Revenue Corporation, Mason, Ohio.
–IBM Remote Account Advocate, Windows/Linus Operating System support agreement, optional one-year renewal, Ocean Computer Group of Matawan, $35,915.
–Abatement testing for Buildings C and J, Brinkerhoff Environmental Services, Manasquan, $35,760.
–Laboratory casework, Kewaunee Scientific Corp., Branchburg, $19,775.
–Ellucian Software maintenance, Ellucian, Fairfax, Virginia, $61,394.
–Insurance, Borden Perlman, Ewing, annual premium of $446,465.
In Other Business:
–Trustees approved the Sept. 30, 2015, financial statement.
–Trustees approved the draft financial statement for the year ended June 30, 2015, as of Oct. 14.
–Trustees approved dropping the Electronic Business Professional Series due to lack of interest, effective spring 2016.
In the President’s Report:
–Mora introduced Israel Negron, the alumni representative to the board, to speak about the recent Association of Community College Trustees conference he attended with Jean McAlister, dean, resource development & president/Board of Trustees operations, and Dr. Richard Perniciaro, vice president of planning, research, executive support & facilities.
Negron said he attended several sessions on student success and that Atlantic Cape has implemented many of the initiatives discussed.
–Mora congratulated the college relations office for winning three Medallion awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 24, at the Mays Landing Campus, J-202. All are welcome to attend.