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STAFF RESPONDS TO NEW HR SYSTEM-THE CAVALIER DAILY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2007

Posted: Thursday September 27, 2007

Staff responds to new HR system
Meetings provide forum for employee concerns after ’05 legislation prompts new HR system

Kate Hartmann, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

As the result of 2005 legislation, the University is gaining autonomy from the Commonwealth in employee management; however, University employees expressed concerns at yesterday’s Town Hall meeting about whether the University’s new system will be more effective than the Commonwealth’s strategy.

At the meeting held in Newcomb Ballroom, Susan Carkeek, vice president and chief human resources officer, discussed positive and negative responses from an recent employee survey, which revealed both employee loyalty to the University as well as dissatisfaction with current policies under the state-controlled system.

The survey was distributed in the spring “to ask questions about portions of the human resources department that could be affected by restructuring,” said Alexandra Rebhorn, human resources communications coordinator.

Restructuring has been in the works since higher education restructuring legislation passed in 2005, giving several Virginia public universities more autonomy from the Commonwealth. The restructuring process will take about another year to be fully implemented, said Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the University, who opened the meeting for Carkeek. Colette Sheehy, vice president for management and budget, also spoke, reporting the benefits of restructuring. Under the Commonwealth’s system, the University was required to go through a lengthier approval process for projects or the payment of fees. Sheehy added that restructuring will also save money, citing, for example, that the Commonwealth used to keep the interest from tuition payments, an amount of about $2 million annually.

Restructuring has the potential to also directly benefit employees, according to Carkeek. Results from the spring survey will be considered while designing a new system to better address the needs of employees.

The survey revealed that while 88.1 percent of employees rated the University as a good, very good or excellent place to work, only 46.1 percent were satisfied with the compensation system and 66.6 percent had a positive opinion of the current human resources system.

Carkeek discussed these results and thanked employees who filled out the surveys for being candid.

“Meaningful impact is what I’m looking for,” she said. “You’ve given us lots of things to work on.”

Later in the meeting, Carkeek asked employees to voice their opinions at an open microphone.

University computer systems engineer Brad Sayler expressed his lack of faith in the human resources department.

“What are you doing to make us deserve your trust?” he asked.

Sayler emphasized that he enjoys his job, but said the way staff members are treated needs improvement. He also expressed a desire for staff and faculty to have a forum in which they can express their views.

After the meeting, Carkeek said she wants to provide that forum in the form of more Town Hall meetings and e-mail feedback.

Despite being given an opportunity to influence the design of the University-operated employee-management system, another employee voiced frustration at the task of choosing between the current system that has proven problematic and a new, untested system.

Despite employees’ doubts and concerns, Sandridge expressed optimism about the benefits of restructuring.

“Restructuring has already proven to save time and money,” he told employees, “We’re trying to do what we promised — an HR system that meets your needs.”

Two more Town Hall meetings are scheduled to be held today for those unable to attend yesterday’s meeting.

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STAFF RESPONDS TO NEW HR SYSTEM-THE CAVALIER DAILY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2007

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