OA Personnel Policy Initiative Overview
Background
In 1996, the Oregon University System merged management service employees with officers of administration. Prior to this change, employment policies and practices for management service were governed by State of Oregon rules and statutes under what is now the Department of Administrative Services. Officers of administration historically have been covered by OUS unclassified employment policies and administrative rules that also apply to officers of instruction and research.
UO employs approximately 800 officers of administration that work in diverse occupations on campus, including first-line supervisors, business and office managers, counselors, physicians, coaches, managers and executives, to name only a few. The policy structure that governs their employment is driven by OAR created for instructional and research faculty and is not easily or consistently applied to the widely varied jobs held by officers of administration. In recent years, the need to examine and address the special employment and professional needs of officers of administration has become increasingly evident.
Purpose and Scope
To address these needs, the Senior Vice President and Provost and the Vice President for Finance and Administration have authorized an initiative to comprehensively review Officer of Administration personnel policies and have appointed a committee to carry out this work. This committee will propose modifications to current policies and the addition of new policies for officers of administration that serve the following objectives:
- Promoting officer of administration employment efficiency and effectiveness and appropriate stewardship of university resources;
- Providing useful tools for managerial decision-making;
- Ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and accountability to stakeholders;
- Ensuring transparency and consistency of the employment policies and practices at the university;
- Planning for and providing appropriate and meaningful professional development and career growth;
- Strengthening the university’s ability to adapt and respond to change;
- Promoting the highest ethical principles and standards.
Tasks and Timeline of Review:
Specific tasks of the Officer of Administration Personnel Policy Review Initiative include:
- Identifying current university policies and practices that apply to officers of administration;
- Reviewing existing OUS, state, federal, and other policies and regulations governing officers of administration;
- Researching other institutions’ policies on similar employment categories;
- Communicating and consulting with managers in University operating units to assess the effect of current policies and practices on operations;
- Communicating and consulting with the Officer of Administration Council and other employee groups as appropriate;
- Synthesizing information, reporting findings, and making recommendations to senior management regarding officer of administration policies;
- Preparing a detailed implementation and communication plan for approved actions.
Timely notice will be one of the first policies and practices to be reviewed. Examples of others include sick leave advance, performance appraisal, and grievance process.
The committee is expected to present findings and recommendations during the 2007-08 academic year, with implementation of new policies as soon as feasible. Policy recommendations will be forwarded in phases, with ongoing communication about the committee’s work with the President’s Small Executive Staff (PSES) and others as appropriate.
Officer of Administration Personnel Policy Review – Committee Members:
The membership of the committee conducting the review is made up of representatives from university vice presidential areas and campus units who work with unclassified employment regularly. In addition, other administrators with expertise in unclassified employment and who bring diverse perspectives to the discussion will be asked to participate in the review as appropriate. Initially, Linda King, associate vice president for human resources, will chair the group with the understanding that this role may later rotate to another committee member based on the specific issue or policy under review. Sonia Potter, administrative director of personnel and budget, will serve as vice chair.
Proposed committee membership:
Linda King, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Chair
Sonia Potter, Administrative Director of Personnel and Budget, Vice Chair
Penny Daughterty, Director of Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity
Moira Kiltie, Assistant Vice President for Research, on leave
Susan Brown, Budget Manager/Executive Assistant, interim
Kathie Stanley, Interim Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President, Student Affairs
Greg Stripp, Assistant Vice President for University Advancement
Terri Gureno, Assistant Vice Provost for International Affairs and Outreach, International Programs
Shelley Elliot, OA Council representative
Renee Irvin, Coordinator of Finance and Operations, Architecture and Allied Arts
For questions, please contact Linda King at 346-2966 and llking@uoregon.edu.