07/02/12 jgm

HAYS, Kan. -- Randy Kitzman, building maintenance carpenter, and David Storer, facilities maintenance supervisor of the Memorial Union, were recently elected to president and vice president respectively of the Fort Hays State University Classified Senate for the 2012-2013 academic year.

The Classified Senate provides a voice to the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas Legislature for FHSU classified staff.

Kitzman started working for FHSU in 2001 as a carpenter in the cabinet shop. He works closely with the construction crew on small remodeling projects.

"We try and go to Topeka in January every year and meet with Senate and House members, along with members from the other Regent schools," said Kitzman. "We try and remind them how classified employees are usually overlooked in the area of pay raises. This year they passed the continued funding of the market adjustments for classified employees after two years of not funding it, so hopefully we are doing some good."

Market adjustments for classified employees is a program started six years ago when the state compared classified employee salaries with those in the private sector. What they discovered was that state employees were paid much less.

The program was a five-year plan to boost state classified employee salaries to match that of the private sector. During the budget crunch, the state did not fund it for two years.

This is Kitzman's second term as president.

Storer, vice president, has been working at FHSU since 1996. He started in the custodial department before moving to the grounds crew.

"My hopes for the upcoming year on the Senate are to have the Legislature fund a cost-of-living increase and continue to fund the last year of the market adjustments for classified employees," said Storer. "I look forward to the challenges and the meetings of the Classified Senate."

Storer served as a senator representing the University Police, Memorial Union and the Senior Companion/Foster Grandparent program during the 2011-2012 academic year.