Tag: CUPAHR

  • CUPA-HR Welcomes a New Board of Directors for 2022-23 – CUPA-HR

    CUPA-HR Welcomes a New Board of Directors for 2022-23 – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | June 28, 2022

    As we prepare for a new year at CUPA-HR, we want to take a moment to introduce our board of directors for 2022-23 and thank those who have served on the board over the past year. The board, which guides the association’s strategic priorities, is an incredible team of higher ed HR leaders who are dedicated to supporting and advancing the higher ed HR profession.

    Returning Board Members

    The chair of CUPA-HR’s board of directors for 2022-23 is Jay Stephens, vice president for human capital services at Kansas State University.  Jay has worked in human resources for nearly 20 years and has served on the CUPA-HR national board since 2018. Prior to joining Kansas State University, he was the associate vice president of human resources at Boise State University.

    Also returning to this year’s board are:

    Executive Committee Members

    • Jami Painter, Chair-Elect – Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, University of Illinois System
    • Jeff C. Herring, Past Chair – Chief Human Resources Officer, The University of Utah
    • Kelli Shuman, Treasurer – Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, Elon University
    • Andy Brantley, Ex-Officio – President and CEO, CUPA-HR

    Regional Directors

    • Kristi Yowell, Eastern Region – Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Goucher College
    • Renee Hiller, Midwest Region – Director of Human Resources, Michigan Technological University
    • Theresa Elliot-Cheslek, Western Region – Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer, Washington State University

    At-Large Directors

    • Amanda Bailey, Vice President for Human Resources, Boston University
    • Heather Hart, Executive Director of Human Resources, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana-Lafayette
    • El pagnier Kay (EK) Hudson, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Vice Provost, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Florida International University
    • Robyn Salvo, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Monmouth University

    New Board Members

    In addition to our continuing board members, CUPA-HR is pleased to welcome six new members to the board:

    Thank You!

    As we conclude CUPA-HR’s 75th anniversary year, we also want to celebrate the outstanding leaders who are rolling off the board. They have invested countless hours of their time and energy in leading our profession and our association, and we are so grateful for their wisdom and guidance.

    • Susan Norton, Past Chair – Senior Associate Vice President for Human Resource, University of Alabama
    • Leanne Fuller – Director, Human Resource Services, Auburn University
    • Sheraine Gilliam, formerly with the University of North Texas System
    • Carl Sorensen, Senior Associate Vice President for Human Resources, University of Richmond

    We couldn’t accomplish our mission without our leaders. Thank you for your dedication and commitment!

    CUPA-HR’s  2021-22 Board of Directors



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  • Department of Education Releases Title IX Proposed Rule – CUPA-HR

    Department of Education Releases Title IX Proposed Rule – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | June 23, 2022

    On June 23, the Department of Education released the highly anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to amend Title IX. The NPRM proposes to replace the Trump administration’s 2020 Title IX rule and establishes safeguards for transgender students by proposing a ban on “all forms of sex discrimination, including discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation and gender identity.” The proposal will be open for public comment for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register.

    In March 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) titled, “Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” The EO directed the secretary of education to evaluate the Trump administration’s Title IX regulations and to “issue new guidance as needed on the implementation of the rule.”

    Of significance, the NPRM proposes to repeal the Trump administration’s requirement for live hearings for Title IX investigations. It also proposes to change the definition of sexual harassment back to “unwelcome sex-based conduct” that creates a hostile environment sufficiently severe or pervasive that it denies or limits a person’s ability to participate in a school’s education program or activity.

    CUPA-HR will be conducting a deeper analysis of the 700-page proposal in the days and weeks to come and will be partnering with other higher education associations to ensure the department receives meaningful feedback on its proposal.

    For additional information on the proposed rule, the department has provided a summary of the major provisions and a fact sheet.



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  • DOL Secretary Testifies in House and Senate Committee Hearings – CUPA-HR

    DOL Secretary Testifies in House and Senate Committee Hearings – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | June 22, 2022

    On June 14 and 15, the House Education and Labor Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held hearings on policies and priorities of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), as well as President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for DOL. In both hearings, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh testified and answered questions about DOL’s regulations and actions, as well as potential future funding for programs under DOL.

    In both hearings, Walsh pointed to the accomplishments DOL has achieved during the Biden administration. He discussed efforts to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 and to protect workers’ organizing rights as some of the highlights of the department’s work during the Biden administration thus far. In addition to these accomplishments, he also called for increased funding and investments for workforce training and development.

    During the House committee hearing, Walsh was asked several questions about the anticipated overtime regulations. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) began his question period by restating his request for DOL to increase the minimum salary threshold to $82,732 by 2026, and asked Walsh his opinion on the current level and whether it was too high or low. Walsh responded saying he had no opinion on where the current level stands at this time, but that the department recently concluded listening sessions to hear from stakeholders about their opinions on updating the salary threshold. Additionally, Takano asked Walsh if there was a timeline of when the anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) would be released for the overtime regulations, but Walsh responded that there was no set timeline at the time of the hearing.

    Many representatives and senators also discussed DOL’s workforce development and training programs. In the Senate hearing, Walsh explained that the current disconnect between youth and job openings is an opportunity for DOL to reach out and connect with those workers, better preparing them for the jobs available. Walsh also expressed his support for a wide range of apprenticeships in different, untraditional industries, and he stated DOL should partner with community colleges, existing workforce development programs, and other organizations to expand apprenticeships.

    CUPA-HR will keep members apprised of any developments that arise as a result of these hearings.



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  • CUPA-HR Participates in DOL Overtime Regional Listening Sessions – CUPA-HR

    CUPA-HR Participates in DOL Overtime Regional Listening Sessions – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | June 14, 2022

    In May and June, CUPA-HR participated in five regional listening sessions hosted by the Department of Labor (DOL) on the anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update the criteria for the “executive, administrative and professional” exemptions for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The listening sessions provided regional employers the opportunity to discuss their support or concerns with changes to the minimum salary level required to be exempt from overtime payments under the FLSA.

    CUPA-HR joined each of the five sessions to express concerns with the timing of the proposed increase to the minimum salary threshold to qualify for exempt status under the FLSA. Specifically, we raised concerns with the timing of such changes, as they would come while institutions, employees and students are still grappling with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a tight labor market and historically high inflation. Additionally, several CUPA-HR members joined the calls to raise similar concerns and discuss issues more specific to their individual institutions.

    Though many in higher ed and other industries are expressing similar concerns about raising the overtime minimum salary threshold level at this time, labor unions and worker advocates have led efforts to both raise the minimum salary threshold and expand coverage of overtime regulations to workers currently not covered under the FLSA. Notably, the National Education Association sent a letter to DOL urging the agency to remove the teacher exemption that currently exempts teachers from the FLSA requirements to receive overtime payments regardless of how much they are paid.

    The overtime NPRM that was targeted for release in April 2022 is now expected to come anytime within the next couple of months, though more information on when it will be released may be included in the anticipated Spring 2022 Regulatory Agenda. CUPA-HR will continue to monitor for the NPRM and will keep members apprised of any updates to the overtime regulations.



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  • HR and the Courts – June 2022 – CUPA-HR

    HR and the Courts – June 2022 – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | June 7, 2022

    Each month, CUPA-HR General Counsel Ira Shepard provides an overview of several labor and employment law cases and regulatory actions with implications for the higher ed workplace. Here’s the latest from Ira.

    Supreme Court to Determine Scope of Highly Paid Executive Employee Exemption Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

    The U.S. Supreme Court will review a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision in favor of an employee who was granted overtime status for his non-executive position that paid him $200,000 a year. This oil industry case will have application to all U.S. employers. The executive employee salary exemption threshold is currently $100,000 a year. At issue is whether compensation alone, absent executive/managerial status will exempt employees from the FLSA’s overtime requirements. The employee was a non-executive toolpusher on a drill rig and was paid $200,000 a year, twice the $100,000 executive salary exemption minimum.

    There is a split in the circuit courts on this issue leaving the Supreme Court to decide the issue. The 6th and 8th Circuits have ruled that non-executive employees should not be exempt from the FLSA no matter how much money they make. The 1st and 2nd Circuits allow an exemption for these workers under the salary exemption test.

    Women’s Basketball Coach Can Proceed With Title VII Sex Discrimination Lawsuit — Not Required to Arbitrate Discrimination Claims Under Her Employment Contract

    A U.S. District Court judge rejected the University of Montana’s summary judgement motion to dismiss a sex discrimination lawsuit and enforce mandatory arbitration under its former women’s basketball coach’s employment contract. The sex discrimination claims related to her performance evaluations, criticisms, and decision not to renew her employment agreement. The employment agreement had a general arbitration clause which covered contract disputes. However the court pointed out that the arbitration clause did not mention sex discrimination or bias claims. Therefore, the court concluded that the arbitration clause lacked the “requisite precision” required by the 9th Circuit for an individual to waive their rights to pursue Title VII claims in court (Schweyen V. University of Montana-Missoula (2022 BL 156392, D. Mont No. 9:21-cv-00138, 5/5/22)).

    The court concluded that the arbitration agreement, at most, was an agreement to arbitrate contract disputes as a basketball coach. The court pointed out that the clause did not mention giving up her right to file suit in court over non-contract issues such as sex bias.

    Federal Court Enjoins EEOC and HHS From Requiring Christian Employers and Healthcare Providers to Cover Gender Transition Surgery 

    A U.S. District Court trial judge in North Dakota has barred the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from requiring Christian employers and healthcare providers, under either Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Affordable Care Act, to cover the cost of or provide gender transition surgery. The judge granted the injunction requested by the plaintiff, the Christian Employers Alliance, to prevent the EEOC and the HHS from requiring the group’s members to provide gender transition surgery until the case is tried on the merits and it is decided whether such a requirement violates the Christian employers’ First Amendment rights or rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (Christian Employers Alliance V. The EEOC, et al  (Case no. 1-21-cv-00195 D.N.D. 5/17/22)).

    The judge concluded that the plaintiff businesses must either violate sincerely held religious beliefs or face monetary losses, fines or civil liability. The judge concluded that the plaintiff’s likelihood of prevailing at trial on the merits, “weighed significantly in favor of granting the injunction.” The judge also enjoined the EEOC and HHS from enforcing the requirement to plaintiff employers’ insurers and third party administrators.

    Court of Appeals Reverses NLRB’s Decision Holding That the Employer’s “Back to the Salt Mine” Tweet Was an Unlawful Threat

    The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision holding that the The Federalist magazine violated the National Labor Relations Act when, during the union’s organization campaign, the magazine’s publisher tweeted that if the magazine’s employees unionized he would send them “back to the salt mine.” The appeals court ruled that no reasonable employee could actually interpret the publicly available tweet as a veiled threat. The court concluded that Twitter posts are often exaggerated and sarcastic, as Twitter encourages such approaches.

    The court also concluded that the publisher sent the tweet to 80,000 followers, which made it publicly available rather than directing it to the six magazine employees who were subject to the union organization drive.

     



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  • HEERF Funds Can Be Used to Support Mental Health Resources – CUPA-HR

    HEERF Funds Can Be Used to Support Mental Health Resources – CUPA-HR

    by Lakyn Whaley | June 7, 2022

    On May 19, the U.S. Department of Education released an FAQ document which confirms that Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) monies can be used to support the mental health of faculty, staff, and students. The document addresses commonly asked questions and provides specific examples on how some institutions have already used HEERF funding to improve their mental health programming and support.

    While the document notes that institutions generally have “broad flexibility” to use these funds to create and maintain mental health resources, it does offer several ideas for acceptable use of HEERF grants to help your campus get started. These include:

    • In-person mental health professionals
    • Telehealth
    • Wellness activities
    • Suicide prevention training
    • Peer support programs
    • Mental health hotlines
    • Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment

    The performance period for the HEERF grants has also been extended and will now continue until June 30, 2023.

    CUPA-HR will keep members apprised of any updates related to HEERF grants.

     



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  • HR and the Courts – May 2022 – CUPA-HR

    HR and the Courts – May 2022 – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | May 11, 2022

    Each month, CUPA-HR General Counsel Ira Shepard provides an overview of several labor and employment law cases and regulatory actions with implications for the higher ed workplace. Here’s the latest from Ira.

    Anxiety and PTSD Driving Increase in Both Accommodation Requests and Mental Health Discrimination Bias Claims Under the Americans With Disabilities Act

    The EEOC recently reported a substantial increase in the number of mental health-related accusations of employer discrimination in the workplace filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mental health-related discrimination claims in the past year accounted for 30 percent of all of the ADA claims filed. That is a 20 percent increase in mental health ADA claims filed over the past 10 years. The rise is partially attributable to the pandemic. Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related claims appear to be driving the increase and account for nearly 60 percent of all mental health ADA claims filed in the past year. Anxiety and PTSD claims now amount to 17.6 percent of all ADA charges filed in fiscal year 2021 according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

    The EEOC will likely be ramping up its publicity efforts emphasizing employer obligations to enter into the interactive accommodation request process with regard to employee requests for accommodation for mental health ADA claims.

    Maryland Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto and Becomes Tenth State to Mandate Paid Family Leave Through a State Funded Program of Employer and Worker Payroll Taxes

    Maryland, plus the District of Columbia, recently became the tenth state to mandate paid family leave among all private sector employees through a program funded by employer and worker payroll taxes. The program will guarantee all workers up to 12 weeks of paid leave benefits annually (up to a maximum of $1,000 per week) for care for the birth of a new child, their own medical issue, a family member’s serious illness or military deployment. The benefits will begin January 1, 2025. The payroll tax to fund the program is split between employers and workers and is scheduled to begin October 1, 2023. The tax rate will be determined through a Maryland Department of Labor study. The state of Delaware is also considering similar legislation.

    Gay Married Couple Files Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination From Employer’s Denial of IVF Benefits

    A former gay male employee of the City of New York has filed a class action lawsuit alleging that the City of New York illegally discriminated against gay male employees in its denial of in vitro fertilization (IVF) benefits available to other employees. The plaintiff, who was an assistant district attorney, and his husband, filed the charge with the EEOC alleging a Title IV violation as well as violations of applicable city and state civil rights laws. They allege that the city has unlawfully denied IVF benefits to 100s of gay males who work for the city and have been denied the insurance coverage for these benefits (Benefits Law 360 4/13/22).

    California Legislature Considers Law to Protect Workers’ Off Hours Marijuana Use

    The California Assembly will consider passing a law protecting employees’ off hours marijuana use from the workplace or applicant discrimination. California lawmakers may fill in the gap that exists in 37 states plus the District of Columbia that have legalized medical marijuana use, and 18 states plus the District of Columbia which have legalized recreational use of marijuana. California and other states have long legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use but have not added its legal use to a protected class under the applicable state employer non-discrimination statute. This could be the first state to do so and the beginning of a growing trend.

    Second Opinion Not Enough to Discontinue Family and Medical Leave Act

    Discontinuing Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) solely on the basis of a contrary second opinion rendered by a doctor chosen by the employer is not enough under the FMLA to terminate intermittent leave status. A federal judge in Pennsylvania denied summary judgment to Pennsylvania State University and held that the employee may present evidence at her upcoming FMLA interference trial that the university unlawfully subjected her to a second opinion rendered by a doctor of the university’s choosing. The court held in such circumstances where there is a difference of opinion between the claimant’s doctor and the doctor chosen to review the situation by the employer, a third doctor acceptable to both parties must review the situation (Wert v. Pa. State Univ. ( 2022 BL 132451 M.D. Pa. No. 4-19-cv-00155, 4/15/22).

    The plaintiff had been on intermittent FMLA leave for about four months as her doctor certified she had been suffering from migraines and needed one day of leave per week. When her doctor upped her authorized medical leave to as many as four days a week the university consulted its own physician who disagreed with the employee’s doctor. The court held that in such situations the FMLA does not allow the employer to simply disregard the original doctor’s conclusions but requires the parties to agree on a third doctor to review the situation.



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  • CUPA-HR Participates in Hill Meetings With House Ways and Means Committee Member Offices – CUPA-HR

    CUPA-HR Participates in Hill Meetings With House Ways and Means Committee Member Offices – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | May 10, 2022

    Over the last month, CUPA-HR’s government relations team joined the American Council on Education (ACE) and other higher education organizations in virtual Capitol Hill meetings to discuss tax priorities for the higher education community. Meetings have been held with staffers of Members of the House Ways and Means Committee to advocate for tax policies and proposals to alleviate various burdens placed on students, employees and institutions alike.

    Specifically, the meetings have allowed the higher education community to encourage members’ action on the following issues:

    • Supporting the extension and expansion of the universal, non-itemizer charitable deduction;
    • Repealing the taxability of scholarships and grant aid, specifically for the Pell Grant and other scholarships for graduate and medical students;
    • Enhancing higher ed tax credits like the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit;
    • Repealing the endowment tax;
    • Expanding and modernizing tax-free employer-provided educational assistance as granted under Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC);
    • Reinstating advance refunding of tax-exempt bonds and expanding debt issuance with a Direct Pay Bonds program;
    • Creating “lifelong learning and training accounts” to provide workers and employers the opportunity to make tax-free contributions to pay for future training and credentials; and
    • Repealing the unrelated business income tax “basketing” provision.

    In June 2021, ACE sent a letter to House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee leadership requesting these proposals and others be included in the American Jobs and American Families Plans. CUPA-HR signed onto this letter, along with several other higher education groups.

    CUPA-HR joined the most recent meetings specifically to advocate for the Section 127 expansion and modernization. Section 127 of the IRC is an educational assistance program that allows employers to pay or reimburse an employee tuition or student loan repayments on a tax-free basis up to $5,250. CUPA-HR previously advocated for the program to include student loan repayments, which was granted under the 2020 CARES Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, as well as to increase the annual exclusion cap of $5,250 to an amount closer to $12,000, to expand coverage to employee’s partners and dependents, and to expand coverage to gig workers and independent contractors, all of which were a focus during the meetings.

    CUPA-HR will continue to participate in these meetings and will keep members apprised of any legislative proposals that result from these meetings.



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  • DHS to Temporarily Increase the Automatic Extension Period of Work Permits for Certain Visa Applicants – CUPA-HR

    DHS to Temporarily Increase the Automatic Extension Period of Work Permits for Certain Visa Applicants – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | May 4, 2022

    Effective May 4, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) to increase the automatic extension period of expiring employment authorization documents (EADs) for certain renewal applicants from 180 days to 540 days.

    Specifically, the TFR applies to three groups of applicants in EAD categories currently eligible for the previous 180-day automatic extension of employment authorization and EAD validity. They are as follows:

    • Renewal applicants whose renewal Form I-765 application remains pending as of May 4, 2022, and whose EAD has not expired or whose current 180-day auto-extension has not yet lapsed.
    • New renewal applicants who file Form I-765 during the 18-month period following the rule’s publication to avoid a future gap in employment authorization and/or documentation.
    • Renewal applicants with a pending EAD renewal application whose 180-day automatic extension has lapsed and whose EAD has expired will be granted an additional period of employment authorization and EAD validity beginning on May 4, 2022, and lasting up to 540 days from the expiration date of their EAD.

    Categories that are eligible for the lengthened automatic extension can be found here and include refugees and asylees (a3 and a5), spouses of certain H-1B principal non-immigrants with an unexpired I-94 showing H-4 non-immigrant status (c26), and adjustment of status applicants (c9), among others.

    The TFR is part of a trio of efforts USCIS announced on March 29, 2022, to address the agency’s major backlogs and crisis-level processing delays. According to USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou, “as USCIS works to address pending EAD caseloads, the agency has determined that the current 180-day automatic extension for employment authorization is currently insufficient,” and this temporary rule is necessary to “provide those non-citizens otherwise eligible for the automatic extension an opportunity to maintain employment and provide critical support for their families, while avoiding further disruption for U.S. employers.”

    CUPA-HR will continue to monitor the implementation of the new auto-extension period and keep members apprised of further developments.



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  • Award-Winning Work in Higher Ed HR – 2022 HR Excellence Award and Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award – CUPA-HR

    Award-Winning Work in Higher Ed HR – 2022 HR Excellence Award and Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | May 3, 2022

    From creating diversity efforts and development initiatives to leading change, human resources teams and HR practitioners across the country are doing great work every day.

    CUPA-HR’s regional Higher Education HR Awards program recognizes some of the best and brightest in higher ed HR and honors HR professionals who have given their time and talents to the association.

    Here are this year’s regional award recipients:

    HR Excellence Award

    Honoring transformative HR work in higher education and recognizing a team that has provided HR leadership resulting in significant and ongoing organizational change within its institution

    Office of Human Resources Management, Fordham University (Eastern Region)

    Fordham University’s office of human resources management has transformed from a primarily transaction-focused department to a strategic partner that is relied upon throughout the university. The department has demonstrated its strategic strength on multiple fronts including the management of the university’s COVID-19 shutdown and reopening, return-to-work policies, customer service, technology, communication with employees that resulted in increased engagement and trust, anti-bias training, professional development initiatives and the performance management process. Additionally, in keeping with and living Fordham’s Jesuit mission of Cura Personalis, “caring for the whole person,” the office developed and implemented programs to help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. Some health and wellness services that were developed include back-up childcare support, on-site and virtual physical fitness classes, and behavioral health services, such as a registered dietician available to employees. In doing so, the HR team has distinguished itself as a trusted advisor to employees, managers and senior leaders alike.

    University Human Resources, Iowa State University (Midwest Region)

    In 2019, Iowa State University implemented a new financial management and human capital management system. In conjunction with the new system, finance and HR service delivery teams were developed, pulling distributed customer-facing finance and HR roles into two centralized teams. University human resources’ performance through this significant and ongoing organizational change has been positive for the entire campus community. The HR delivery model has led to increased consistency and standardization in delivery of services across the university. It has also created a more well-trained and cohesive team of professionals that work together up and down the chain to find creative solutions to HR challenges and opportunities. HR support for leaders across the institution has significantly improved through better access to accurate data, streamlined processes for workforce and position planning, compensation adjustments, support addressing low-preforming employees and behavioral issues, large-scale employee movement and reorganizations, and professional human capital consulting. The new HR delivery systems have resulted in a much more efficient, collaborative and cohesive HR unit that is better equipped to serve employees and supervisors. At the same time, employees and supervisors have benefitted from HR’s reliability, transparency, accountability and consistency in its efforts to support them.

    Talent and Culture Department, Broward College (Southern Region)

    Recognizing that HR alone cannot create culture but that it plays a critical role in ensuring the infrastructure is in place to support the cultural aspirations of an organization, the talent and culture department at Broward College has worked over the last several years to spearhead significant organizational change. Beginning in 2019, the university launched its three-year culture transformation plan. An integral step in the transformation process was the implementation of information-gathering discussions between the HR leadership team and employee groups comprised of administrators, faculty and professional technical staff, which provided substantive feedback on areas that needed the most attention. This organizational change, led by the talent and culture department, has resulted in more substantive collaboration; stronger relationships among faculty, staff and administrators; and greater trust and communication between employees and their supervisors. It has also served as a catalyst for innovative projects throughout the organization designed to maximize the experience of employees, students and the community. Some major initiative highlights include the creation of talent business partner roles, Leadership 360 Assessments, psychological safety workshops, employee resource groups, employee onboarding, and a leadership development program called BC LEAD that educates and empowers managers at all levels to rise to leadership excellence.

    HR Campus Climate Liaisons, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Western Region)

    After implementing a strategic action planning process, led by an internal HR workgroup called Campus Climate Liaisons, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley saw double-digit improvements in climate survey results within three years, all amid a pandemic. The liaison group consists of individuals from various HR areas, such as talent development, organizational development, employee wellness and employee relations/business partners. The group was trained to provide support to assigned departments with result-sharing, action-planning and ongoing progress-reporting. This method ensured that all departments received the same level of support and helped the HR team better track progress toward climate goals. It also helped empower all department leaders to have conversations about campus climate and department climate. The biggest improvements were seen in areas of faculty, administration and staff relations; senior leadership; and facilities. The campus climate liaison model has been so successful that it will continue to be used for future campus climate initiatives and to provide ongoing support to all departments.

    Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award

    This award recognizes an individual who is serving in the first five years of a higher education HR career who has already made a significant impact.

    Audrey Davis, Assistant Director of Personnel, Texas Tech University (Western Region)

    With her enthusiasm and inspirational demeanor, Audrey Davis has built strong and trusting relationships with each department she works with, not only within university student housing, but within each auxiliary services area at Texas Tech University. Since taking over the personnel team, Audrey has demonstrated continuous innovation and creative thinking, which has completely changed the way the student housing personnel team operates and provides services. After only two years in her role, she has identified and eliminated major gaps in the onboarding/offboarding processes. She has also developed a collaborative hiring system that allows hiring managers to communicate efficiently with the personnel team to discuss new hires, promotions and terminations. Audrey’s initiatives have resulted in university student housing being named a center for excellence for human resourcing by the assistant vice president for auxiliary services. Audrey continues to make a positive impact with her role and demonstrates her passion through advocacy, by fostering a welcoming work environment and by building confidence in her team to serve as a one-stop shop for personnel services.



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