Boston University Advisory Committee on Employee Benefits & Plan Administration Committee

Advisory Committee on Employee Benefits:

About the Advisory Committee

Boston University has established an Advisory Committee on Employee Benefits which meets at least twice each year. The Advisory Committee’s functions are to review the operation and administration of every employee benefit plan maintained by Boston University, to request information concerning such operation and/or administration from appropriate officers or employees of the University, and to make nonbinding recommendations to the University concerning additions, deletions and/or changes to the University’s employee benefits program and/or to any specific plan or plans. The Advisory Committee has advisory responsibilities only.  Its members do not act as fiduciaries for purposes of ERISA as a result of service on the Advisory Committee and are not ERISA fiduciaries for any purpose.

Membership of the Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee consists of the Senior Vice President for Operations, the Vice President for Administrative Services, the Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, each of whom shall serve ex officio, and such other individuals as the President  of the University shall from time to time appoint.

Plan Administration Committee

About the Plan Administration Committee

The Plan Administration Committee is a three-member committee whose members serve as ERISA fiduciaries to the extent they have discretionary authority over the administration of the Plan. However, Plan Administration Committee members are not ERISA fiduciaries to the extent they exercise non-fiduciary ministerial or settlor functions such as deciding whether to establish or terminate a Plan. The Plan Administration Committee’s authority and responsibility includes: approving the establishment and termination of all employee benefit plans; adopting material amendments to plans; managing the operation and administration of all employee benefit plans maintained by the University, including delegating plan administration duties to the Executive Director of Benefits as appropriate; appointing plan providers such as actuaries, benefits consultants, legal advisors, investment managers, and record keepers; and hearing appeals.

Role of the Plan Administration Committee Regarding Benefit Appeals

The Plan Administration Committee hears appeals from adverse determinations affecting participants in the Boston University Retirement Plan, the Supplemental Retirement and Savings Plan, the Flexible Benefits Program, the Severance Pay Plan and, if requested by the Senior Vice President and General Counsel, the Tuition Remission Plan.  Information for plan participants regarding how to file an appeal for all plans, including those filed directly with the University’s carriers, can be found on the Appealing a Denial of Benefits webpage.

Membership of the Plan Administration Committee

Boston University’s Plan Administration Committee is appointed by the President and consists of the Senior Vice President for Operations, the Vice President for Administrative Services, and the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, each of whom serves ex officio.