Karen Chamberlin, CSC Docket No. 2023-471

BackgroundKaren Chamberlin appeals the determination of the Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) which found that, per the substitution clause for education, she did not meet the experience requirements for the promotional examination for Software Development Specialist 2 (PS8202S), Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

The subject examination announcement was issued with a closing date of March 21, 2022, and was open to employees in the non-competitive division who were serving in the titles Information Technology Specialist and Software Development Specialist 1 and who met the announced requirements. These requirements included graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree, and and two years of programming, system analysis, or computer analysis experience. Applicants who did not possess the required education could substitute experience as indicated on a year for year basis with 30 semester hour credits being equal to one year of experience. A Master’s degree in an information technology field could be substituted for the one year of required experience. The appellant was found to be below the minimum requirements in experience per the substitution clause for education. One candidate appears on the eligible list, which has not yet been certified.

Appellant's argumentThe appellant indicated on her application that she possessed 65 college credits, which prorates to two years, two months of experience. As such, she was required to possess three years, 10 months of qualifying experience. The appellant listed two positions on her application, Information Technology Specialist, and Vice

President of Administration for Princeton Nurseries. None of this experience was accepted, and she was found to be lacking three years, 10 months of qualifying experience.

On appeal, the appellant provides a revised set of duties for her Information Technology Specialist position.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.6(a)2 states that applicants for promotional examinations must meet all requirements by the announced closing date.

AnalysisAt the outset, in order for experience to be considered applicable, it must have as its primary focus full-time responsibilities in the areas required in the announcement. See In the Matter of Bashkim Vlashi (MSB, decided June 9, 2004). The amount of time, and the importance of the duty, determines if it is the primary focus. As an Information Technology Specialist, the appellant listed the following duties:

Exchange Email Server Administrator. Troubleshoot issues with employee Microsoft Outlook client. Perform email system updates and upgrades. Add and delete email users as requested. Administer

Barracuda Spam/Virus firewall appliance. Monitor incoming and outgoing messages and maintain block lists. Monitor and configure

Barracuda Archiver and Barracuda Cloud Protection layer. BlackBerry server administrator and mobile device administrator. Responsibilities as BlackBerry Administrator include running utilities to manage and optimize BlackBerry servers. Perform monthly backup of the

BlackBerry user database. Perform system upgrades to BlackBerry server programs as required. Point of contact to add, delete and manage BlackBerry mobile devices and users as necessary. Monitor and respond to email requests from internal and external users in the

Help Desk mailbox. Record all support tickets in NJHESAA’s Dell

KACE ticketing system when internal or external requests have been completed. Maintain inventory records in the Dell KACE system for all desktops, laptops, printers, BlackBerry mobile devices and assigned users. Deploy software and patches to desktops/laptops using the Dell

KACE utilities. Use RealVNC to provide remote access assistance to

HESAA employees. Dispatch support tickets to other technicians using the Dell KACE system. Provide phone support for students and borrowers requiring assistance with access to their online accounts.

Provide phone support for College Financial Aid Administrators requiring assistance with online access to NJHESAA systems to manage student records. Provide phone support for NJHESAA employees requiring assistance with access to web functions and mainframe systems. Provide end user support for VM, laptops and software applications. Setup computer systems (virtual and physical) for new employees and assist them with first logon procedures.

Add/delete users in mainframe and NJFAMS. Volunteer as Corporate

Photographer.

As these duties are primarily help desk related, they did not have programming, system analysis, or computer analysis experience as the primary focus. On appeal, the appellant provides descriptions of projects wherein she describes herself as the software subject matter expert and project coordinator, and where she mainly made software modifications and enhancements, migrated software, provided training, made updates, provided resolutions to connectivity issues, and maintained software code. In this regard, each position has only one primary focus, and positions cannot have two primary foci. See In the Matter of Julio Vega (CSC, decided November 21, 2018). A significant addition of information would not be considered clarifying information, which may be allowed, but rather, amended information, which is not permitted after the closing date of an examination under N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.1(f). See In the Matter of Annemarie Brahan and Dick Norris (MSB, decided September 22, 2004) (Training experience not presented on original application was determined to be a significant addition to application and therefore amended, not clarifying, information). The appellant’s description of duties on appeal is amended information, as they are significantly different from those originally submitted.

As to her position as Vice President of Administration for Princeton Nurseries, this experience has some aspects of the announced requirement; however, the primary focus of the position was supervising daily operations of various departments. This position is therefore, inapplicable.

An independent review of all material presented indicates that the decision of Agency Services that the appellant did not meet the announced requirements for eligibility by the closing date is amply supported by the record. The appellant provides no basis to disturb this decision. Thus, the appellant has failed to support her burden of proof in this matter.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be denied.

ClosingThis is the final administrative determination in this matter. Any further review should be pursued in a judicial forum.