University administrators updated the campus community on the implementation of the new Human Resources design plan at a forum Monday, amid concerns from attendees over supervisor accountability, employee category transitions and changes to compensation and benefits.
The plan was mandated in the last state biennial budget to allow the university additional flexibilities in recruiting, retaining and compensating its employees. The plan’s September release sparked controversy on campus and prompted a semester full of discussion in university governance groups, all of which eventually voted to approve the plan.
The largest change under the plan will be the creation of the “university staff” category, which will consist of all employees paid by the hour, to replace classified staff. All salaried classified staff will have a choice between becoming university staff or transitioning into the academic staff category. As current salaried staff leave the university, their positions will automatically become academic staff positions.
Many campus stakeholders have expressed concerns over the difference in benefits given to classified and academic staff, as well as changes made to job security provisions, some of which were addressed in earlier revisions of the plan. The plan also calls for the flexibility to pay employees based on performance.
According to HR Design project team leader Bob Lavigna, the Office of Human Resources has begun work on an implementation strategy which includes drafting new operating procedures and training programs.
Lavigna added the formation of the university staff governance group will begin this month, with the creation of an advisory committee of classified staff and labor union representatives to oversee the process.
Multiple attendees questioned how supervisors would be held responsible, as performance evaluations will carry additional weight under the new plan.
Lavigna said while OHR is creating training programs, the main solution is accountability.
“It’s not just about new policies and procedures,” Lavigna said. “It’s about accountability, leadership and culture change.”
Lavigna also said OHR will provide advising services to help classified employees understand the decision between becoming a university or academic staff member.
He added all governance bodies, including the new university staff group, will be involved in the project’s implementation.
