Category: Leadership & Strategy

  • How AI Is Transforming Your Work: Insights from CUPA-HR’s Spring Conference – CUPA-HR

    How AI Is Transforming Your Work: Insights from CUPA-HR’s Spring Conference – CUPA-HR

    by Julie Burrell | June 4, 2025

    At the recent CUPA-HR Spring Conference in Seattle, artificial intelligence was a major topic of conversation, from session rooms to hallway discussions. AI has reshaped how many HR pros operate. It’s now being used as a daily tool, whether as a personal assistant for daily tasks or a strategic thought partner in decision-making.

    Here’s how higher ed HR is using AI now.

    Drafting communications and messaging. AI can help draft everything from emails to campus-wide communications. At her spring keynote, Jennifer Parker of the Colorado Community College System said she uses ChatGPT to rewrite her emails to be more formal in tone. She also recommends trying out AI to make internal communications more creative and tailored, like an inspiring message inviting specific groups of employees to review their benefits during open enrollment.

    Making meetings more productive and presentations easier. AI is helping HR pros compile, organize and summarize their meeting notes. AI can also make checklists and to-do’s following meetings. Use AI to create slide decks and scripts for presentations.

    If you’re looking to maximize your time, quickly make your longer meeting notes — like those from the recent CUPA-HR conference — into a conversational podcast using Google’s NotebookLM tool.

    Helping you with internal talent development or coaching for individual career paths. AI can help you create a training or professional development program in record time, like Jennifer Parker did with her civility training program. It can also act as a career coach when used with the right prompts.

    Assisting in talent acquisition. With AI, writing job descriptions has never been easier. For interviews, enter in a job description and ask AI to come up with applicable interview questions or ask for help in creating interview questions that are more neuroinclusive.

    Injecting some creativity throughout the day. Members also shared imaginative uses of AI, like using Doodly to create animated whiteboards, asking ChatGPT to turn selfies into Lego minifigures, or using Canva’s AI features to make eye-catching designs.

    Scaling Up

    AI can do amazing things when used on a larger scale. HR pros are tackling more extensive projects with AI, often in collaboration with other departments.

    Analyzing feedback and surveys. AI can process the results of open-ended survey questions and help identify themes to make surveys more effective than ever, with the partnership of survey experts and AI practitioners on campus.

    See how Harvard University’s Center for Workplace Development used AI in combination with HRIS data to create a strategic needs assessment survey.

    Brainstorming and researching for deeper insights. Proprietary software like Microsoft Copilot enables a deeper dive into existing institutional information and data. By uploading your institution’s mission and strategic priorities, you can accomplish any number of initiatives. Try creating recruitment materials, professional development programs, performance metrics and evaluations, or even a strategic priorities document specific to HR.

    During their presentation, the talent management team at Grand Valley State University shared how they integrated AI into their process for creating core competencies. AI assisted them in brainstorming key competencies, cross-checking those competencies with their institutional values, and transforming them into action-oriented language.

    Training Others on AI. Many HR leaders have been encouraging their employees to experiment with AI, including launching trainings or directing staff to existing trainings. For example, Microsoft offers general Copilot trainings and HR-specific trainings, all self-directed.

    While AI adoption is picking up speed, there are certainly challenges in incorporating it into your workflow. Spring conference attendees mentioned concerns ranging from legal compliance to ensuring truth and authenticity in communication. But used with safeguards, AI has the potential to free up time and allow HR to do what it does best: the fundamentally human work of caring for the people on your campus.



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  • Workforce Planning Meets AI: A Blueprint for Smarter Surveys – CUPA-HR

    Workforce Planning Meets AI: A Blueprint for Smarter Surveys – CUPA-HR

    by Christy Williams | May 21, 2025

    For HR professionals in higher education, workforce planning has evolved into a strategic discipline. Filling positions is no longer enough — leaders must anticipate talent needs, support professional growth and align development opportunities with institutional goals. A well-designed needs assessment gives HR teams the insight to take action with confidence and create lasting impact.

    In the CUPA-HR webinar, Survey Says! Using HR Data and AI to Maximize Analysis of Needs, presenters from Harvard University’s Center for Workplace Development shared how their team designed and executed a large-scale, data-informed, AI-supported needs assessment. The goal? To better understand learning needs and create targeted strategies for professional growth across a decentralized institution.

    Here are the key takeaways from their process.

    Start With a Strategic Why

    Before sending a single survey question, clarify what you’re hoping to learn — and why it matters.

    At Harvard, the team began their needs assessment with a clear objective to understand learning and development needs across various employee groups as part of a larger workforce strategy. This meant designing a survey aimed at uncovering more than surface-level training needs, asking instead: What do our employees really need to grow and thrive in their roles?

    Their advice to other HR teams is to anchor your assessment in your institution’s strategic goals and organizational context. Let that “why” guide your survey design from the start.

    Design a Survey That Reflects Your Workforce

    A successful needs assessment is tailored to the specific population it serves rather than one-size-fits-all.

    Harvard’s workforce includes individual contributors, supervisors and executives across many schools and units. Their team created targeted questions for each group and pre-populated some responses using data from their HRIS system to reduce survey fatigue and improve accuracy.

    Make sure your questions are relevant to different audience segments, and use the data you already have to streamline the experience for respondents.

    Boost Participation Through Targeted Communications

    Even the best survey won’t produce results without strong participation. Driving engagement was one of the biggest challenges for Harvard, as it is for many institutions. Their team addressed this by securing leadership support, crafting targeted communications and clearly communicating the value of the survey to employees.

    To boost response rates on your own campus, consider using champions across departments, timing your outreach thoughtfully and explaining how the data will be used to benefit staff.

    Use AI Thoughtfully to Analyze Large Data Sets

    If your survey includes open-ended responses, you’ll likely end up with more data than you can quickly process — especially if your institution is large. This is where AI can help.

    Harvard’s team used a combination of AI tools to analyze thousands of comments and identify themes. But they stressed that the human element remained critical. They invested time in crafting the right prompts, testing outputs and verifying results before presenting them to stakeholders.

    Their approach to AI offers an important lesson: AI can accelerate analysis and bring fresh insights, but it’s not a shortcut. You need to build a process that includes human judgment, data verification and transparency.

    Integrate HR Data for Deeper Insights

    One of the most impactful decisions the Harvard team made was linking survey responses to existing HR data. This allowed them to connect learning needs to specific job roles, departments and demographics — enabling more targeted follow-up and planning.

    By incorporating HRIS data, they were also able to personalize survey questions and reduce respondent burden. That integration enhanced both the quality of their data and their ability to act on it.

    If you’re planning a survey, consider how existing HRIS data can be used to sharpen your questions and deepen your analysis.

    Turn Results Into Action

    The final — and perhaps most critical — step is using what you’ve learned.

    At the time of the webinar, the Harvard team was in what they described as the “where are we now” stage and had begun implementing some of the recommendations from their survey analysis. They emphasized the importance of translating results into practical strategies that support learning and development, talent mobility and organizational effectiveness.

    To do the same on your campus, be sure to:

    • Share key findings transparently with stakeholders.
    • Identify priority areas for development or investment.
    • Use insights to shape programming, leadership development or change management strategies.

    Embrace Experimentation and Continuous Learning

    The Harvard team acknowledged that this process wasn’t perfect — and that was okay. They embraced experimentation, learned from trial and error, and remained open to improving their approach as they went.

    Their experience is a reminder that innovation in higher ed HR — especially when integrating AI — is a journey. Don’t be afraid to pilot new tools and adjust your process.

    Watch the Webinar Recording

    Interested in learning more about Harvard’s process? The full webinar recording and slide deck are available here.

    More CUPA-HR Resources

    Harnessing the Power of Big Data for Sound HR Decision Making — This article examines using workforce data to make good business decisions with confidence.

    Data Visualization and Storytelling Tips and Tools for HR — This on-demand CUPA-HR webinar covers practical tips and tools you can use to share compelling data stories and data visualizations.

    AI in Higher Education HR Toolkit — Best practices and tools for using AI technologies thoughtfully and safely.



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  • Creating Human-Centered Workplaces: Takeaways From CUPA-HR’s Spring Conference – CUPA-HR

    Creating Human-Centered Workplaces: Takeaways From CUPA-HR’s Spring Conference – CUPA-HR

    by Christy Williams | May 7, 2025

    At the 2025 CUPA-HR Spring Conference in Seattle, our keynote speakers shared their insights into the future of the higher ed workplace. They encouraged HR practitioners to step boldly into brave leadership, to investigate neuroscience’s insights into human behavior, to embrace advances in artificial intelligence, and to use data to enhance the employee experience.

    But the key message was that innovation should be people-centered and align with HR’s fundamental goal: creating workplaces where people feel safe, valued and free to thrive.

    The Brain Needs to Belong 

    The brain is a social organ, Dr. Jessica Sharp stressed in her opening keynote. Whether or not we’re conscious of it, we’re always searching for connection and belonging — for psychological safety.

    “Our brains need affirmation that we belong. Without it, we don’t feel safe,” Dr. Sharp said.

    Because our brains interpret emotional threats in the same way as physical threats, feeling unsafe at work can provoke a similar feeling to walking alone in a dark parking garage or seeing a snake on a hiking trail. But when we feel a sense of psychological safety and social belonging, our brains shift into connected mode. When we feel safe, we’re more likely to collaborate with our team, be less resistant to change and feel creative.

    Dr. Sharp invited higher ed HR to step into the future of work through neuroleadership. Neuroleadership is a model of talent management that understands the connection between the brain’s inner workings and people’s best work.

    Takeaway: The brain can’t be inspired when it’s in survival mode. Prioritize safety and belonging to encourage creativity.

    Further reading: Explore more ways to strengthen resilience and enhance psychological safety.

    AI Is Your Time-Saving HR Assistant

    AI is the future of work, said Jennifer Parker, the assistant director of HR operations at Colorado Community College System. While this may sound intimidating, it’s important to know that AI won’t replace you, but rather free up time and mental energy so that you can focus on strategy and long-term projects.

    Here’s how Parker uses AI to simplify routine HR tasks:

    • As a brainstorming partner. For example, you can say to AI, “help me write my leadership statement.” Provide context about your career to enhance the responses.
    • To write or revise emails. Parker’s communication mode tends to be folksy, so she has ChatGPT rewrite her emails to be more formal in tone.
    • As a software coach. Ask AI to give you step-by-step directions on creating an Excel formula.
    • To develop presentations, trainings and professional development sessions. ChatGPT helped Parker write microsessions for an online civility campaign, create slide decks and a video explaining benefits to employees.
    • As an employee engagement assistant. Tell AI the dynamics of your culture and ask how you can help foster a healthy workplace.
    • As an event planner. Ask AI to create a training calendar or other complex timeline. For events like open enrollment, ask it for an invitation to the health fair or to craft an inspiring message to remind employees to review their benefits.

    AI can also summarize complex information, break down survey results, act as a career coach or problem solver, offer advice, and more. Get creative! But always review what AI generates for accuracy, and make it your own.

    Takeaway: AI can simplify HR’s daily tasks and free up time for strategic thinking.

    Further reading: Read this step-by-step guide to learn how Parker used ChatGPT as her assistant in creating a virtual civility training program.

    Benchmark Your Employee Experience Using CUPA-HR’s Data 

    What does it take to attract top talent to higher ed? CUPA-HR’s new survey — the Benefits, Employee Experience, and Structure Survey — gives higher ed a snapshot of what it takes to be an employer of choice in a competitive employment landscape, explained Melissa Fuesting, associate director of research at CUPA-HR.

    Using the BEES Survey, colleges and universities can benchmark traditional benefits. And now, for the first time, explore data on:

    • Flexible work
    • Professional development
    • Campus and community engagement
    • Hiring metrics
    • Performance reviews
    • Institutional structure (such as where HR is housed)
    • Policies

    The BEES survey also allows you to take a deep dive on these topics. For example, when it comes to flexible work, you can find answers to questions such as: Which employees have the ability to work flexible schedules or flexible hours? Who determines the policies around hybrid and remote work? Which employee groups can be hybrid or remote?

    Takeaway: To enhance your employee value proposition, benchmark your benefits and employee experience using data from CUPA-HR’s new BEES Survey with DataOnDemand.

    Further reading: For more on attracting and retaining talent, check out the results of the 2023 Employee Retention Survey and stay tuned for the results of the 2025 survey coming this fall.

    “Who We Are Is How We Lead” 

    Cheryl Cofield closed this year’s spring conference with a compelling message: “Who we are is how we lead.” In her powerful keynote, Cofield challenged higher ed HR professionals to examine the leadership armor we wear — the protective behaviors that keep us from leaning into vulnerability and courage. Instead of avoiding difficult conversations or striving for unattainable perfection, brave leaders must be willing to get uncomfortable, speak honestly and model the values they profess.

    Drawing from Brené Brown’s research, Cofield identified four key skill sets that support courageous leadership: vulnerability, values, trust and learning. She described how emotional armor — such as perfectionism, detachment, or a need to always be right — gets in the way of connection, inclusion and growth.

    Through self-reflection and practical tools like emotional literacy, empathy and curiosity-based conversation cues, Cofield encouraged attendees to identify their own “call to courage.” She reminded us that courage in leadership is not only a personal practice but a collective force. When one person shows up bravely, others are more likely to do the same.

    Takeaway: Courage is contagious. When leaders remove their armor and lead with vulnerability, they create more inclusive, trusting and human-centered workplaces.

    Further reading: Learn why leadership development is essential in higher ed and how it strengthens engagement, inclusion and institutional resilience.



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  • Six Strategies for Supporting the Non-Exempt Higher Ed Workforce

    Six Strategies for Supporting the Non-Exempt Higher Ed Workforce

    by Julie Burrell | April 23, 2025

    Non-exempt staff make up more than a quarter of the higher ed workforce and provide frontline support to the campus community. They are the electricians, safety and security staff, custodians, office assistants, food service workers, and others who power higher ed’s day-to-day operations.

    This vital workforce has also been shrinking. New research from CUPA-HR has shown a 9% decrease in the full-time non-exempt workforce since 2017, and an 8% decrease in the part-time non-exempt workforce during the same period.

    It’s more important than ever to support your non-exempt employees by preventing burnout and bolstering work-life balance. Retention and recruitment must also remain a priority, with turnover rates for hourly non-exempt workers persistently high.

    Here are six ideas for strengthening your employee value proposition for this key segment of the higher ed workforce.

    Create Internal Career Pathways

    Career growth is a key factor in employee satisfaction. Review your learning, development and promotion opportunities to ensure they provide pathways for all employees and are accessible to those who work outside of traditional office hours.

    Upskilling non-exempt employees is also critical. Encourage managers and supervisors to identify who might step up to fill critical roles and who might need additional skills, certifications and competencies.

    Don’t forget to include non-exempt employees in succession planning. Particular attention should be given to skilled craft staff, an area where the decreasing number of employees over the age of 55 might signal a potentially critical pipeline challenge.

    Resource Spotlight: Hocus Pocus, Time to Focus: Innovative Career Development for Staff is an on-demand webinar detailing how the University of Tennessee Knoxville HR team built an innovative new career development unit. And learn how the University of Texas at Dallas’ BRIGHT leaders program uses a flexible model that encourages all employees to lead from where they are. 

    Prioritize Pay

    Continue periodic pay equity reviews and work toward pay equity for all employees. Our research into the non-exempt workforce has found that women of all races/ethnicities continue to be paid less than White men who hold the same non-exempt staff positions.

    Resource Spotlight: Reserve your spot in the upcoming CUPA-HR webinar Transitioning From a Broadband to a Market-Based Pay Structure to learn how University of Pittsburgh leaders replaced a 25-year-old classification system with a market-based job and compensation framework, including FLSA status adjustments. And learn about Maricopa Community College District’s strategic compensation plan in this two-part series on implementing a living wage strategy and establishing internal pay equity and market alignment.

    Provide Flexibility When Possible

    Many non-exempt staff need to be on campus to provide critical, in-person support to students and colleagues. But during the slower summer months, consider offering summer Fridays (either full or half-days off) and/or the option of longer shifts in exchange for fewer days per week worked.

    For office employees, no-meetings Fridays set employees up for a successful Monday, ensuring they can wrap up their week and head into their weekend with less stress.

    Last year, turnover was the highest among part-time hourly employees, at a rate of 25%. For this group, provide — and advertise — hours that support working parents and caregivers.

    Tout Your Benefits

    For both potential and current employees, benefits can be a key difference in recruitment and retention.

    Do you offer competitive matching retirement contributions? Tuition benefits for employees and their families? Competitively priced health insurance? Prominently feature these benefits in your job recruitment materials. And partner with educational consultants from your retirement and insurance plans to make your current employees aware of their benefits.

    Are outdated policies inadvertently causing turnover? Periodically review policies to increase benefits at no cost. For example, if your probationary period doesn’t allow sick leave, you may be losing recently onboarded staff.

    Prevent Burnout

    Because the non-exempt workforce is shrinking, it’s critical to avoid the overwork trap. Expecting non-exempt employees to do the work of multiple people can negatively impact job satisfaction.

    What work might be discontinued or altered to adjust to less availability of staff? What work might be outsourced to help close the gap between staff availability and required work? Reductions in staffing should always be reviewed to determine what ongoing work is feasible and what work must be changed or eliminated.

    Boost Culture

    In addition to good benefits, culture is higher ed’s competitive advantage in the labor market.

    Are both part-time and full-time non-exempt staff regularly being recognized for their work? Recognition is one of the lowest-cost retention tools that remains underused in higher ed overall. Examine how your HRIS and social media channels can be used to highlight consistently excellent employees.

    Consider incorporating budget-friendly employee get-togethers into your campus routines, such as ice cream socials or pizza parties.

    Resource Spotlight: Learn how to audit and boost your recognition program in Recalibrating Employee Recognition in Higher Education.

    Explore more recommendations and the full data on the non-exempt workforce in CUPA-HR’s report, The Non-Exempt Higher Education Staff Workforce: Trends in Composition, Size, and Pay Equity.

     



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  • Adapting With Heart | CUPA-HR

    Adapting With Heart | CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | April 14, 2025

    Editor’s Note: This is the conclusion of a three-part series by Maureen De Armond, chief human resources officer at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences, on adapting during changing times. The series begins with Adapting for Survival and Adapting With Purpose.  

    In Robert Pirsig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” the concept the main character — a professor — struggled with was identifying the essence of quality. Why did brilliant students sometimes turn in average work? How could average students sometimes produce brilliant work? He grappled with this riddle to the point of a breakdown, eventually concluding that the essence of quality is caring.

    If you want something to be good, you must do it with care. This is a similar answer to the question, “Why did grandma’s cookies taste so good?” The answer is because she made them with love.

    While caring is difficult to quantify, measure or predict, we know it when we see it, feel it and are on the receiving end of it. The employees we serve experience the same thing. As the saying goes, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

    There is no state or federal law, no executive order, no external action that can regulate — let alone limit — our ability to care about the work we do and the people we support. At the local level, on our campuses, in our offices and during face-to-face interactions, we are still fully empowered to serve with compassion, empathy and care. People will notice.

    Begin With Listening

    There are likely many employee engagement and retention efforts that can be explored or revived that can help offset some of the workplace angst, increase HR’s visibility, and help the HR team feel like they are contributing in a meaningful way.

    While below is a high-level list of ideas, HR teams should start by consulting with campus stakeholders. What would they love to see HR spend time and energy on? How can HR support them during these times of change and uncertainty?

    Institutional branches of shared governance may have ideas. Include student affairs, academic affairs, affinity groups, deans and department heads, and others. With summer approaching, a pulse survey or a few focus groups may be helpful tools to collect the voice of campus customers and let their responses inform HR’s plan for the fall.

    Some ideas to ponder:

    • Expand your emphasis on well-being and mental health. Offer more trainings, partner with campus experts, summarize and package benefits, and dig into your EAP provider’s resources to maximize that benefit.
    • Renew campus partnerships and collaborations in organizing employee events, such as bite-size topics for casual lunch and learns, book clubs, wellness events, and events that are just for fun and community-building (bingo, puzzles, drawing, afternoon walks, friendship bracelets, adult recess, etc.).
    • Consider offering more soft-skill trainings, with input from your campus stakeholders on topics. These can include emotional intelligence, navigating change, stress management and mindfulness.
    • Make a special effort to seek out ways to provide service to the institution, including attending student events, supporting student career services, and volunteering to be guest speakers in classes or student clubs.
    • Get to some of those “nice to have” ideas. It may be time to finally prioritize them: create a mentoring program, assign buddies for new hires, update onboarding materials, reimagine new employee orientation.
    • Tap into your campus experts who may also be hungry to contribute through informal brown bag lunch conversations, passion projects or hobbies. Pulling campus experts in engages them, acknowledges their talents and expertise, and demonstrates respect. These events also build community.
    • Offer community service leave, or explore community service projects employees can participate in. If you already offer this benefit, promote it.

    These ideas aren’t new or revolutionary, and they won’t solve all your problems or undo damage. But HR can make a difference when we are visible, caring and thoughtful in trying to engage all members of campus. Make a collaborative effort to contribute in a positive way — it matters.

    Make Time to Rest

    “When you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” – Banksy

    Helpers often tend to everyone else first and themselves last. Take care of yourself. Take inventory of what you need to rest and recharge. Make time to do the following:

    • Work with your team as soon as possible to hammer out rest days throughout the next year. Everyone can have days blocked off for intentional self-care.
    • Check on your team’s leave balances and usage if you are in a leadership position. You likely have people who do not take nearly enough time off. They may benefit from some encouragement to do so.
    • Lean into the HR community when you need the extra support, as many of us did during the pandemic. A community of helpers is a powerful force. CUPA-HR is an excellent place to connect with higher ed HR colleagues.

    Even though we are in boats of differing sizes, equipped with varying resources, a common storm binds us. I choose to find solace in Maya Angelou’s timeless wisdom. “Every storm runs out of rain,” she once said. We can make it through.

    Related CUPA-HR Resources

    Managing Stress and Self-Care: “No” Is a Complete Sentence — This highly rated webinar shows how and why setting boundaries is critical to thriving.

    Mental Health Toolkit — This HR toolkit includes resources on sustaining mental health programs on campus and addressing problems like burnout.

    Trauma-Informed Leadership for Higher Education — This webinar explores how to develop a supportive leadership style and how to create a culture where team members can depend on each other for support during times of hardship.



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  • Adapting With Purpose | CUPA-HR

    Adapting With Purpose | CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | April 14, 2025

    Editor’s Note: This is the second of a three-part series by Maureen De Armond, chief human resources officer at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences, on adapting during changing times. The series begins with Adapting for Survival and continues in Adapting With Heart. 

    While each institution’s situation is unique, there are common challenges that unite HR teams across state lines and between private and public institutions.

    Many of us may now be called upon to reevaluate the words we use in job postings, on our websites, within position titles, in trainings, and more. Some of us may be called upon to eliminate offices or positions. We may face losses of state or federal funding. We may have employees who feel particularly vulnerable. In some areas, there may be heightened retention challenges if people move or leave higher education altogether.

    In short, it is unlikely that any HR office will fully escape implementing changes and grappling with difficult responsibilities. Even so, opportunities abound to make a positive impact, to be true helpers and show we care. To quote Arthur Ashe, “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” Here are some ideas.

    Maintain Your Focus on People and Culture

    HR has an obligation to continue to be keepers of the work culture and cultivate an environment that is welcoming and respectful of all employees. It’s time to get creative.

    One area you can rethink creatively is language describing campus culture, both in your internal communications and in recruitment materials. One may draw some inspiration from these examples, both from Nintendo:

    Nintendo is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We offer a welcoming and inclusive environment in service to one another, our products, the diverse consumers we represent, and the communities we call home. We do all of this with kindness, empathy and respect for each other.

    Nintendo is for everyone. We believe that our results are better when our teams represent our potential consumers and fans. We’re actively building a culture where employees contribute their knowledge, ideas and perspectives so innovation and creativity thrive. We’re welcoming, approachable and respectful — we’re Nintendo. All characters welcome.

    Kudos to Nintendo for investing time and creativity into statements painting a vivid picture of warmth and kindness. Could a college or university channel its values and institutional culture into similar language while avoiding today’s live wires? I think so.

    University X is a place anyone can call home. We are always looking for talented, innovative and kind individuals to join our team and help us build a better tomorrow [or other mission language]. We know our campus and students are best served by faculty and staff representing a wide range of experiences, backgrounds and talents. If you are interested in joining and contributing to a welcoming, respectful and thriving organization, please apply. Anyone can be a/an [insert mascot]. Why not you?

    The reader can feel a welcoming culture, right?

    Wherever you talk about culture — in your employee value proposition, recruitment resources, internal policies, and websites — review the language and consider how you can paint the same picture of a welcoming and inclusive environment, even if you need to bust out a thesaurus to do so.

    Vet Applicants for Alignment of Values 

    Another way to adapt creatively may be to revisit interview questions. Institutions should still strive to recruit people who share their values and priorities, whatever those may be.

    Some questions that may provide insight into an applicant’s character could include the following:

    • Tell us about one of your favorite experiences working with a team and the contributions you made.
    • When you have had new employees join your team, what did you do to make them feel welcome and help them be successful?
    • Can you describe how your career has been enhanced by working with people who are different from you?
    • Tell me about a time when you were communicating with someone, and you felt like you were not being understood. What did you do?
    • What do you like most and least about your current work culture?
    • How would your current co-workers describe your strengths and weaknesses as a colleague?
    • What attracts you most to this job and our institution?
    • Which of our core values do you identify with the most and the least and why?
    • Our institution has students, faculty and staff who come from all over. Do you feel equipped to serve all campus stakeholders on day one, or do you think you would benefit from additional training?
    • What’s the ideal working environment to best benefit your working and personality style?
    • What soft skills are you interested in developing in the next couple of years?
    • Tell us about a time when you were challenged by a situation where others were behaving in an inappropriate or uncivil way. Describe the situation, the actions you took and the outcome.
    • What are your workplace superpowers?
    • Describe the most difficult colleague you’ve ever had to deal with at work. Why were they challenging? What did you do?
    • Most people want to work in an environment that is respectful and kind. Can you tell us how you try to create such an environment for others?
    • Describe a time when you needed to work cooperatively with someone who did not share the same ideas as you. Describe the situation, the actions you took and the outcome.

    Asking applicants a variety of questions that get to their character is nothing new. It may be a good time to review recommended questions to help protect the hiring process while also spending more intentional time assessing alignment with institutional values. There is no sense in hiring people into an organization who do not already share the institution’s values.

    Related CUPA-HR Resources

    Recent Executive Orders and Higher Ed HR’s Role in Creating and Sustaining an Inclusive Campus Community — A message from CUPA-HR President and CEO Andy Brantley.

    Update on DEI-Related Executive Orders: How Recent Developments Impact Compliance Strategies for Higher Education — This CUPA-HR webinar offers insights into steps institutions can take to ensure they are in compliance.

    Next Steps: A Practical Guide for Ensuring Access and Opportunity for All Employees— A brief guide to creating a welcoming workplace now.



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  • Adapting for Survival | CUPA-HR

    Adapting for Survival | CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | April 14, 2025

    Editor’s Note: This is the first of a three-part series by Maureen De Armond, chief human resources officer at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences, on adapting during changing times. The series continues in Adapting With Purpose and Adapting With Heart.  

    You have to change with the times.

    Roll with the punches.

    Go with the flow.

    This is just the new normal.

    These are not uncommon sentiments during times of change. They’re even reasonable bits of advice and encouragement. However, for many in higher education today, these words may feel inadequate.

    For many years, higher ed has been under pressure to adapt rapidly to change. From the COVID-19 pandemic to declining enrollment, technological advancements, and political and compliance demands, the pace of change seems unrelenting.

    How do we “adapt” when external pressures challenge our accustomed practices? How do we respond to the demands on our profession across the higher education landscape? How do we navigate the need to adjust without feeling like we’re compromising or settling? Where do we go from here?

    Adapt for Survival

    In 2022, as the worst of the pandemic seemed to pass, I wrote a piece about adaptability and referenced the Stockdale Paradox, as shared in Jim Collins’ management book “Good to Great.” Let us briefly return to that story to assess what additional insights it may provide during this new chapter of change.

    Admiral James Stockdale served in the military and was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for seven and a half years. During this time, he observed that there was a certain kind of soldier that did not tend to survive the ordeal. These were the soldiers who tried to muster up the strength to just make it to Thanksgiving, as, surely, they would be rescued by then. Thanksgiving would come and go, and they remained imprisoned. Then, they would convince themselves if they could just make it to the end of the year, surely they would be rescued by then. December would come and go, and they remained imprisoned.

    Admiral Stockdale referred to these soldiers as the optimists. Eventually, the optimists gave up.

    Admiral Stockdale, even if he did not use the terminology, recognized that resilience (a burst of energy or strength to help a person through a temporary crisis) was not the right tool for their predicament. Instead, to make it through captivity — with no end in sight and no idea what the next day may bring — what one needed to do was adapt.

    Make no mistake about it, Admiral Stockdale did not adapt with a smile on his face. He did not do it to settle, to compromise or to get used to being a POW. He did it with a mission in his heart — to endure. He adapted for survival. And he adapted not just for his own survival but also the survival of as many of his fellow soldiers as possible — men who looked to him for strength and guidance even while he, too, was powerless and wrought with despair.

    Admittedly, comparing higher education HR professionals to prisoners of war is a clear stretch. But the analogy reveals powerful insights into what tools may be most suitable to help us navigate these uncertain times. We should resist a mindset of trying to just make it through the summer term, through the fall semester, or to the end of the academic year. Wishing away time is a futile practice and with no guaranteed results.

    We should equally resist the temptation to pin our hopes on a miraculous rescue team to come and save the day. That is also wishful thinking.

    But we shouldn’t give up. Admiral Stockdale shared that he never lost hope — not even during the darkest days of captivity.

    Consider channeling the bigger picture, the one Admiral Stockdale never lost sight of: Survival is paramount. To survive, one must adapt. We have no way of knowing what lies ahead. We may feel powerless some days, like that poor animal in the experiment who gets shocked no matter what it touches. Other days, we may feel like we are busying ourselves with the deck chairs on the Titanic. But even in these moments, we cannot shut down.

    People count on us. They trust us to do our jobs to the best of our abilities. Our efforts matter and we still have work to do.

    Be the Helpers

    There is a Fred Rogers quote from his “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” days that resurfaces from time to time: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

    This is a reassuring view of humankind. No matter how dark or how frightening the world is, there will always be people wanting to help. But it is important to remember that Mister Rogers was talking to children when he shared this observation, not adults.

    When scary things happen, we are not supposed to just sit there and hope someone else comes around to help. Mister Rogers was talking about us. We are supposed to be the helpers.

    The good news is that the human resources field attracts helpers. The most dedicated among us are those who love to serve others. Whether we specialize in benefits, talent acquisition, training, leadership development, or any other facet of HR, we are drawn to this profession because we want our work to matter and because we enjoy helping people.

    Right now, there is a need for helpers — and we are the helpers.

    Related CUPA-HR Resources

    Resilience in the Workplace — This CUPA-HR webinar, recorded in 2021, was designed to serve as resilience training for attendees, as well as a model that could easily be replicated at your institution for HR teams and other employees.

    Why Psychological Safety Matters Now More Than Ever — This article offers practical advice for increasing psychological safety, specifically for the higher ed workplace.

    The Great Pivot from Resilience to Adaptability — This article explains how to move from resilience to adaptability and, ultimately, growth in challenging times for higher education.



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  • Your Work Counts More Than Ever: Lessons From a Lifetime in HR

    Your Work Counts More Than Ever: Lessons From a Lifetime in HR

    by Christy Williams | April 2, 2025

    With the constant flow of breaking news impacting higher ed recently, maintaining focus on your mission-driven work and its importance is increasingly difficult. That’s why taking a breather every once in a while — and reminding yourself (and your team!) that your work matters more than ever — is essential.

    As Cheryl Guerin, associate vice president of human resources at Dartmouth College, reminds us in Our Work Matters: Gems From a Lifetime in Higher Ed HR, “The work we do matters, and people matter more.” She emphasizes the relationship aspect of HR, insisting that the sometimes-intangible work matters most.

    In stressing the power of relationships, Guerin also asserts that our willingness to learn from those relationships is vital. Here are some of the lessons she has learned over her 30-year career in higher ed HR.

    Connection Is Key

    Higher ed HR professionals often handle sensitive and complex issues, but that doesn’t mean the workplace has to be devoid of camaraderie. In fact, fostering a positive and connected work environment can strengthen our teams, build trust and even improve problem-solving.

    • Keep It Simple — Offer time for connection — and food if you can. These two seemingly small things can make a huge impact. A workplace survey found that “three types of social opportunities were almost universally ranked highest on the list, no matter how we cut the data: free communal lunches, meetings that devote time to personal chitchat and happy hours.”
    • Recognize Employees — Recognition doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Your enterprise software might offer ways of sending customized thank-you notes, for example. If the budget allows, consider purchasing thank-you cards with your institution’s branding — a tangible way for colleagues and supervisors to show appreciation that also provides a lasting reminder of someone’s impact.

    The Power of Self-Reflection

    Not every workplace relationship is easy, and for higher ed HR professionals, navigating challenging dynamics can be emotionally draining. When tensions arise, you might feel frustrated or stuck. That’s why self-reflection is key to maintaining professionalism, resilience and personal well-being.

    Rather than reacting emotionally or feeling powerless, taking a step back — what Guerin calls “getting up in the balcony” — allows for a shift in perspective. This approach encourages curiosity over frustration, helping you assess situations more objectively and question assumptions rather than jumping to conclusions.

    • Develop a Reflective Practice — When workplace tensions arise, take a moment to assess your reactions. Ask yourself, “What else might be true?” to challenge assumptions and consider different perspectives.
    • Embrace Acceptance Without Complacency — Not every difficult relationship can or needs to be changed. Sometimes, the best approach is to acknowledge the situation as it is while focusing on what is within your control — your response and your mindset.

    Your Teammates Are Your Safety Net

    The most enduring and meaningful work relationships go beyond just collaboration — they become a foundation of trust, support and shared experiences. Whether you’re covering lunch breaks for one another, offering help in times of need, or simply being a consistent presence through years of change, connections with colleagues reinforce that, while the work is important, the people behind it matter even more.

    • Invest in Your Work Relationships — Make time to build connections with colleagues beyond daily tasks. Small acts of support and camaraderie can create a lasting foundation of trust.
    • Recognize the Human Side of HR — HR professionals spend so much time supporting others, but you also need a strong network. Cultivating relationships within your team and with your CUPA-HR colleagues ensures that when challenges arise, you have a reliable safety net.

    In higher ed HR, the work you do is critical, but the relationships you build along the way are just as important. By fostering connection, practicing self-reflection and supporting your teammates, you create a stronger, more resilient workplace. Investing in these relationships not only makes the challenges more manageable but also makes our shared journey more meaningful.

    Related CUPA-HR Resources

    Our Work Matters: Gems From a Lifetime in Higher Ed HR (CUPA-HR’s Higher Ed HR Magazine)

    Leading With Kindness: Characteristics of Caring Work Cultures (CUPA-HR’s Higher Ed HR Magazine)

    Organizational Culture & Climate Toolkit

    Recalibrating Employee Recognition in Higher Education (CUPA-HR’s Higher Ed HR Magazine)



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  • Best Practices for Facing Tough Budget Choices

    Best Practices for Facing Tough Budget Choices

    by Julie Burrell | March 19, 2025

    Navigating budget cuts — especially when it comes to personnel decisions — is one of the most difficult challenges HR professionals can face, both professionally and emotionally.

    As payroll is often an institution’s biggest budget line item, it’s often one of the first places to be impacted by cuts. Whether HR is considering instituting hiring freezes or moving toward a reduction in force (RIF), the path forward requires strategic thinking and compassionate implementation.

    Here are key takeaways from the CUPA-HR webinar Budget Reductions in Higher Ed: Strategies, Collaboration, Challenges, which detailed how one institution implemented a multi-step cost-reduction program and ultimately achieved $15 million in savings.

    Best Practices for Payroll Reductions

    Cultivate collaboration between HR and finance. A reduction in force requires a strong partnership between HR and finance. This partnership was brought to life by webinar presenters Shawna Kuether, the associate vice chancellor of human resources at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and Bethany Rusch, now the vice president of finance and administration at Moraine Park Technical College (previously of UWO). For actions like personnel reductions and severance packages, finance focused on cost control and supplying relevant metrics, while HR addressed risk mitigation by identifying legal and compliance implications.

    Their advice to HR: If you don’t already have a strong partnership with finance, begin building one now. A working relationship built on mutual respect is not only beneficial when difficult budgetary constraints arise, but also vital to the overall health of your institution.

    Meet a tight timeline if necessary. UWO was looking to improve its financial position within one year. That meant HR and finance had three months from the project approval stage to notifying employees.

    Here are the five broad strategies they implemented in that timeframe:

    • Offering voluntary retirement incentive options.
    • Freezing all personnel actions, including searches already underway.
    • Pledging to no new financial commitments.
    • Enacting graduated, intermittent furloughs for all non-academic employees, which provided the funds for the voluntary retirement incentives.
    • Implementing a reduction in force to reduce salary costs.

    Consider a workforce-planning workshop. In the webinar, Kuether and Rusch detail their five-day planning workshop, which was driven by their why (a set of five guiding principles); their who (such as subject matter experts who understood which critical skill sets were needed to ensure continuity of operations); and their what (such as key metrics to determine what staff-to-student ratios to use).

    Communicate early and often what criteria you employ — and document them. During an RIF, clear and transparent communication and documentation are fundamental to success. Criteria for layoffs followed the documented university policy, which is publicly available online, and these criteria were communicated clearly during the course of the RIF process, thereby minimizing liability, employee appeals, and potential litigation.

    Provide employee transitional planning and resources. HR’s work is far from over once RIF decisions are announced. At UWO, transition support to affected employees and their supervisors included:

    • Offering EAP resources, including onsite walk-in sessions with counselors.
    • Providing toolkits to managers handling difficult conversations.
    • Offering rapid-response sessions in collaboration with the Department of Workforce Development to provide training on filing unemployment and finding job opportunities in the state.
    • Contracting with an external vendor to provide outplacement services, including training and interviewing skills.
    • Hosting a job fair specifically for dislocated workers.

    Maintain the results after the RIF has concluded. Following through with a RIF is emotionally and operationally challenging — you want to ensure the results last. The webinar covered tips on maintaining proper guardrails to protect the results.

    Acknowledge the emotional toll. “This is heavy and oftentimes heartbreaking work,” Kuether and Rusch stressed. “But for us, and maybe for you, the financial realities of our university could not be ignored. You have to find your motivation in knowing you are making your college financially viable and able to focus on accomplishing its educational mission.”

    They say the two most important traits that higher ed leaders need during budget cuts are resilience and adaptability. Resilience allowed the HR and finance teams to stay focused in moments of stress, while adaptability helped them remove barriers as they came up and stay the course.

    Want to learn more about UWO’s work? Watch the webinar recording.

    Related CUPA-HR Resources

    Furloughs, Layoffs and RIFs — Best Practices in Policy Development in the Wake of COVID-19 — This on-demand CUPA-HR webinar covers the pros and cons of four main options for reducing payroll costs: furlough, salary freeze, salary reduction and RIFs.

    Layoff/RIF/Furlough Toolkit — A highlight of this HR toolkit is “You Can Get There From Here: The Road to Downsizing in Higher Education,” a comprehensive guide to all aspects of budget reductions.

    Change Management Toolkit — This HR toolkit includes resources ranging from change-management basics to best practices from higher ed institutions.



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  • Equal Pay Day Data: On Average, Women in Higher Ed Are Paid 82 Cents on the Dollar

    Equal Pay Day Data: On Average, Women in Higher Ed Are Paid 82 Cents on the Dollar

    by Christy Williams | March 5, 2025

    Since 1996, the National Committee on Pay Equity has acknowledged Equal Pay Day to bring awareness to the gap between men’s and women’s wages. This year, Equal Pay Day is March 25 — symbolizing how far into the year women must work to be paid what men were paid in the previous year.

    To help higher ed leaders understand, communicate and address gender pay equity in higher education, CUPA-HR has analyzed its annual workforce data to establish Higher Education Equal Pay Days for 2025. Tailored to the higher ed workforce, these dates observe the gender pay gap by marking how long into 2025 women in higher ed must work to make what White men in higher ed earned the previous year.

    Higher Education Equal Pay Day falls on March 8, 2025, for women overall, which means that women employees in higher education worked for more than two months into this year to gain parity with their White male colleagues. Women in the higher ed workforce are paid on average just 82 cents for every dollar a White man employed in higher ed makes.

    Highlighting some positive momentum during this Women’s History Month, some groups of women are closer to gaining pay equity. Asian American women in higher ed worked only a few days into this year to achieve parity on January 4 — an encouraging jump from January 14 in 2024.

    But the gender pay gap remains for most women, and particularly for women of color. Here’s the breakdown of the gender pay gap in the higher ed workforce, and the Higher Education Equal Pay Day for each group.* These dates remind us of the work we have ahead.

    • March 8 — Women in Higher Education Equal Pay Day. On average, women employees in higher education are paid 82 cents on the dollar.
    • January 4 — Asian Women in Higher Education Equal Pay Day. Asian women in higher ed are paid 99 cents on the dollar.
    • March 5 — White Women in Higher Education Equal Pay Day. White women in higher ed are paid 83 cents on the dollar.
    • March 29 — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Women in Higher Education Equal Pay Day. Native of Hawaii or Pacific Islander women in higher ed are paid 76 cents on the dollar.
    • April 4 — Black Women in Higher Education Equal Pay Day. Black women in higher ed are paid 75 cents on the dollar.
    • April 11 — Hispanic/Latina Women in Higher Education Equal Pay Day. Hispanic/Latina women in higher ed are paid 73 cents on the dollar.
    • April 24 — Native American/Alaska Native Women in Higher Education Equal Pay Day. Native American/Alaska Native women are paid just 69 cents on the dollar.

    CUPA-HR research shows that pay disparities exist across employment sectors in higher ed — administrators, faculty, professionals and staff — even as the representation of women and people of color has steadily increased. But with voluntary turnover still not back to pre-pandemic levels, not addressing pay disparities could be costly.

    CUPA-HR Resources for Higher Education Equal Pay Days

    As we observe Women’s History Month and Higher Education Equal Pay Days for women, we’re reminded that the quest for equal pay is far from over. But data-driven analysis with the assistance of CUPA-HR research can support your work to create a more equitable future.

    CUPA-HR’s interactive graphics track the gender and racial composition of the higher ed workforce, based on data from CUPA-HR’s signature surveys. The following pay equity analyses control for position, indicating that any wage gaps present are not explained by the fact that women or people of color may have greater representation in lower-paying positions:

    *Data Source: 2024-25 CUPA-HR Administrators, Faculty, Professionals, and Staff in Higher Education Surveys. Drawn from 707,859 men and women for whom race/ethnicity was known.



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