Staff Council questions long lines at payroll

Staff Council members voiced concern Tuesday over long lines unit assistants had to wait in to pick up checks for adjuncts and work-study students at the business office Feb. 12.

President Geraldo R. Guerra said that at a deans and directors meeting Monday, the directors were hoping to encourage more employees to use direct deposit as a way of reducing long lines.

District sent checks at 1 p.m. Feb. 12 rather than at 8 a.m. When the checks did arrive, they were not sorted by departments, so business office employees had to sort them.

Guerra said that at the deans and directors meeting, President Robert Zeigler and bursar Helen Bealer are figuring out a better system for distributing paychecks.

In an interview with Zeigler Wednesday, he said Bealer has some ideas on how to get things to run more smoothly, but nothing has been decided yet.

Zeigler also said, "I don't know the exact time when checks will be picked up. Ms. Bealer will work on that."

Council members said they would appreciate an e-mail explaining what is going to happen before the next payday.

Bealer was too busy to respond to questions from The Ranger Wednesday, but she said through a spokesperson, Diana Muñoz, accounts receivable assistant, that suggestions have been made for the next payroll Feb. 26, but the office does not have a plan yet.

In other business, Guerra said some St. Philip's employees are worried their jobs, which are funded by Title 3 grant money, will become budgeted positions and that the Title 3-funded employees would not be eligible to apply for the budgeted positions because the positions would be opened internally and Title 3 employees are not considered to be included.

Linda Boyer-Owen, assistant vice chancellor of human resources, said Wednesday she was not aware of this situation but that she does not think this would be something the district would do.

Denice Braziel, adviser-in-residence for the mathematics department at St. Philip's who is paid with Title 3 funds, said Wednesday that Title 3 employees are worried their jobs are in jeopardy.

"A lot of people are afraid to say anything. They feel as if they are going to lose their jobs, but they should fight for the jobs they are going to lose," Braziel said.

She said nobody has answers.

Dr. Adena Williams Loston, president of St. Philip's College, will discuss Title 3 grant issues at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Heritage Room.