About CUPA-HR

Our Mission

CUPA-HR provides dynamic leadership to the higher education human resources profession and the higher education community by delivering essential knowledge, resources and connections that enhance individual and institutional capacity and effectiveness.

Our Members

CUPA-HR members are higher ed HR. Our membership is institution-based and includes close to 90 percent of all U.S. doctoral institutions, around 70 percent of all master’s institutions, over 50 percent of all bachelor’s institutions, and almost 500 two-year and specialized institutions.

We also serve other organizations that are affiliated with higher education. We provide vital resources to more than 12,000 higher education HR professionals at over 1,700 institutions — every day.

Our Strategic Priorities

  1. Be the leading voice regarding higher education workforce issues.
  2. Identify and address emerging trends related to sustainability, growth, and transformation.
  3. Proactively impact legislative, regulatory, and higher education workforce issues.
  4. Cultivate relationships with those who impact the higher education workplace.
  5. Ensure that our governance structure meets and anticipates current and emerging needs of our diverse membership.

Our Work

We accomplish our mission by providing opportunities for professional growth, collaboration and outreach that are in line with our strategic priorities.

Focusing on Emerging Trends and Issues:

  • Emerging Issues Committee focused on exploring new sustainable models for the higher education workplace;
  • Knowledge Center news feeds and compliance updates;
  • Ad hoc task forces, such as the Economic Issues Task Force, assembled to gather intelligence and provide resources on a timely issue.

Offering Resources for Learning and Professional Development:

  • Learning and Professional Development Committee focused on developing essential programming for conferences, workshops and webinars;
  • An expansive online Knowledge Center featuring HR practices from institutions across the country, core HR learning opportunities and HR regulatory resources;
  • Leadership development in the form of the annual Association Leadership Program, resources for association leaders and support from the national office and board;
  • Publications including periodicals, books and video.

Making Connections Within the Higher Ed HR Community:

  • Communications, Outreach and Advocacy Committee actively seeking ways to foster engagement;
  • Face-to-face and online opportunities for exchange of ideas;
  • Opportunities to connect with other higher ed professionals;
  • Opportunities to develop collaborative working relationships.

Conducting Higher Ed HR Research:

  • The acknowledged authority on higher ed salary data;
  • DataOnDemand survey tools to meet your just-in-time needs;
  • Benefits research focused on higher ed;
  • HR and workforce metrics to help manage the higher ed workplace.

Providing Public Policy News and Advocacy:

  • Legislative Issues Committee charged with identifying key public policy and advocacy issues;
  • Timely legislative and regulatory updates;
  • Representation in our nation’s capitol.

Interested in learning more about our approach? Take a moment to read the Core Values of the association and our Code of Ethics.