Announcement of the Division of Human Resources

The name change is effective today and will be updated in the appropriate systems as soon as possible.

As with all cabinet-level positions, we will utilize the services of a search firm to identify and evaluate qualified candidates. A search advisory committee made up of representatives from across the university will be heavily involved in the evaluation, interviews, and selection of a VPHR.

The search process for a new Vice President for Human Resources has already begun with the hiring of a search firm. The following is a rough timeline we anticipate:

• October 1: Job profile finalized and recruitment of candidates begins
• October 15: Advisory search committee
• December 1: Identification of candidates for initial interviews completed
• January 17: Sole finalist
• March 1: VPHR begins

Ms. Amy Browder will continue to serve in an interim role leading the office until the VPHR is hired and will report to Dr. Brett Powell, CFO and Executive Vice President of Finance & Administration.

The VPHR is not a new position. The university previously employed an Associate Vice President in this role. We are replacing the existing AVPHR position with the VPHR.

As we evaluate needs of the Human Resources office in light of the growth in size and complexity of our workforce, we may determine that additional staff are needed. If so, staffing needs will be considered through our normal budgetary processes and will be communicated through those channels.

The Hanna Group gave us valuable insights into how we can transform our Human Resources function to effectively support the university today and into the future. In some cases, these recommendations will be dependent on hiring the VPHR who will establish appropriate strategies for implementation. However, a number of recommendations are already being evaluated and will be completed or underway prior to the VPHR beginning.

• Onboarding: We are examining opportunities to make the onboarding experience for new employees more welcoming and informative.
• HRIS: We have repurposed a vacancy in the office and begun the process of hiring a Human Resource Information System Analyst who can assist with identifying, and training on, more efficient processes within the Workday environment and can develop and deliver HR-related data and analytics. An assessment of Workday recruiting processes has already begun with the intent of identifying efficient practices that we are not currently utilizing.
• Employment Law Compliance: A review of the Human Resources website is underway with a goal of a better organized and more user-friendly site. Through this review, we will address several recommendations, including updating affirmative action plans and revising a faculty and staff handbook.
• Benefits: We are in the process of developing materials that maximize the visibility and marketability of the rich benefits package available to faculty and staff.

Compensation:

• Salary offers: The 75% of midpoint compensation philosophy has already been replaced with a process to evaluate salary offers between established starting salaries and midpoint salaries based on qualifications of the candidate.
• We are currently exploring available compensation statements in Workday with a goal of delivering a comprehensive salary and benefits statement to faculty and staff by early October.