Concurrent Sessions 1: Monday, June 8 • 10:30-11:45 a.m.
1A: Building a Successful Health and Prevention Program: What Works, What Doesn't
HR Strategies/Leadership, Employee/Labor Relations
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This classic concept is being recognized by universities around the U.S. with the adoption of a variety of campus or other worksite health, prevention and disease management initiatives. University administrators, in response to escalating health care costs, have answered back with health and prevention programs that have reduced costs, lowered absenteeism, improved productivity and created happier staff and faculty (all of those positive results contributing to better financial results for universities).
Laura Kenerson, Director of Human Resources, University of Rhode Island; Anne Marie Ludovici, Hewitt Associates
1B: Immigration Enforcement: Academic Institutions Caught in the Middle
Legal Issues, Employee/Labor Relations
This presentation will guide key "front line" institutional managers through the complex maze of immigration regulation and enforcement. We will begin with an overview of current enforcement trends and how these trends have impacted immigration compliance in practice. We will then address current federal and state legislation affecting the intersection of employment and immigration law, state E-Verify requirements, the federal contractor E-Verify regulation, the current status of the Department of Homeland Security's no-match safe-harbor regulation and best practices to help the institution avoid liability.
Russell Ford, Attorney, and David Whitlock, Shareholder, both of Littler Mendelson, PC
1C: Strategies for Human Resource Leadership During an Economic Downturn
HR Strategies/Leadership
Participants in this interactive session will build a repertoire of programs, approaches, tactics, policies and practices that have been successful and resulted in sustained employee commitment, engagement, performance and reward/recognition. Current practices such as talent management and investment in building internal leadership succession planning will be discussed so we can discover the contribution these practices can make during times of limited resources. When determining the strategies to which HR can contribute, it must select those with a positive outcome and must be willing to measure and be accountable for the results. Participants will practice this investment/measurement capability.
Barbara Butterfield, Senior Consultant, Sibson Consulting, a Division of Segal
1D: CUPA-HR's Downsizing Resources Toolkit
Organizational Development
All of our institutions are facing difficult times because of the economic downturn. This session will provide you with information about CUPA-HR's Downsizing Resources Toolkit to assist higher ed HR professionals to tactically and strategically address the effects of budget decisions as well as to help "shape the institution for continuity." Join your colleagues for an interactive session that will give you tools and generate ideas that you can take back to use at your institution.
Wendy Davis, Human Resources Officer, Central Wyoming College; Ken Tagawa, Chief Learning Officer, CUPA-HR
1E: Recruiting Online With a Human Touch: Strategies for Effective Hiring
Recruitment/Retention, HR Strategies/Leadership
Get practical advice for bringing the human touch back to the recruiting process — and landing great hires even as you take advantage of the efficiency of online recruiting. Learn how to make the information in your job database really work as advertising (think online dating, not online tax filing). Discover the three absolute no-no's of online recruiting and take an inside look at one institution's successful online recruiting practice. You'll leave with lots of simple, effective ideas for improving your online recruiting efforts — and the quality of your hires.
Maria Cole, Recruitment Manager, The University of Montana; Clint Tanner, Account Manager, Inside Higher Ed
Concurrent Sessions 2: Monday, June 8 • 2:30-3:45 p.m.
2A: Not Just Ramps
Training and Development, Employee/Labor Relations
Not Just Ramps is a theatrical documentary about physical, emotional and societal access issues for a diverse group of people with disabilities. The actor/playwrights portray people as they tell vivid stories about themselves and their experiences in the workplace and their communities. The stories have been interspersed with comic scenarios on how to deal with people who are "abled." These humorous reversals allow us to laugh at some of our own fears and the stereotyping that has long been associated with people who are different. Attendees will meet people throughout the play who will elicit a wide variety of emotional responses and thoughts designed to create awareness, empathy and new ways to respond to people who are different from them. At one point in our lifetime, we each have the distinct possibility to become a part of the "disabled" community. Experiencing "Not Just Ramps" can be the most effective way for all of us to explore inclusion and fight bias and bigotry in the workplace and in our lives.
Carrie Gibson, Founder, and Tony Curry, both of Had To Be Productions
2B: Strategically Effective, Easy-to-Learn Survey Research for HR
Organizational Development, HR Strategies/Leadership
This interactive presentation will discuss easy-to-learn and cost-effective techniques for using survey research to improve HR functions. Topics include using survey research to streamline training and development initiatives and assisting with determining causes of voluntary turnover. Learn simple and practical methods for survey design, delivery and analysis that can be connected to the strategic objectives of the HR department within your institution. Finally, some best practices of survey research will be presented that involve outsourcing, which can be a time- and cost-saving option. Participants will be provided with sample surveys that can be modified for use at their institutions.
Mark Lakatos, Associate Director of Institutional Research, National University
2C: What Makes a Great College a Great Workplace?
Recruitment/Retention, Employee/Labor Relations
Learn from The Chronicle's partner in the "2008 Great Colleges to Work For" program. Interact with fellow participants in an engaging discussion about best practices, common traits and differing methods of creating and sustaining a great workplace. Review benchmark data on great colleges designed to help HR professionals build a great workplace.
Richard Boyer, Senior Partner, ModernThink LLC
2D: UTemps to the Rescue: Developing an Internal Temporary Labor Pool
Organizational Development, Recruitment/Retention
"Don't reinvent the wheel." Learn firsthand about the benefits and obstacles of a temporary labor program and how to develop one for your institution. This session addresses workforce shortages; economic loss/inefficiency due to employee absences; excessive costs associated with external temporary employee agencies/fees; workplace continuity; community outreach/community investment; and the benefits and obstacles of creating such a program.
Anita Seraina, Human Resources Recruiter; Jason Hoggan, Human Resources Operational Logistics Representative; Stacie Kulp, Human Resources Customer Service Representative, all of the University of Utah
2E: Creating and Maintaining a High-Performance Culture (In Today's World)
Training and Development, Organizational Development
Learn how organizations can keep employees engaged and performing at high levels when tough economic times are resulting in frozen budgets, staff reductions and open positions are closed. Explore the use of practices such as aligning individual contributions to the organization’s goals; recognition programs; talent mobility; exposure to new internal opportunities; and targeted training and development. The session will include an active discussion among participants on performance management techniques they have used, both successfully and unsuccessfully at their institutions.
Charlene Moore Hayes, Vice President for Human Resources, Johns Hopkins University; Dermot O'Brien, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, TIAA-CREF
Concurrent Sessions 3: Monday, June 8 • 4:00-5:15 p.m.
3A: Disability and Life Coverages for the Highly Compensated: Trends and Opportunities
Compensation/Rewards, HR Strategies/Leadership
The impact of the limitations within group long-term disability and group life insurance plans are discussed, along with solutions for overcoming these limitations. These types of programs are excellent tools for providing broad-based coverage for most employees. However, due to plan provisions including coverage limits and lack of portability, they may not be effective for attracting and retaining the top talent needed by today's colleges and universities. Fortunately, solutions exist that have long been in use within the corporate world and are growing in popularity among academic institutions. Case studies will be provided that demonstrate trends and opportunities on the subject.
Lisa Malloy, Vice President, Aon Consulting
3B: How to Maximize Your Recruitment Efforts With a Shrinking Budget
Recruitment/Retention
Discuss how colleges and universities can get the most out of their recruitment efforts, even as their advertising budgets shrink. As the economy continues to falter, many colleges and universities are trying to reduce expenses, including how much they spend on employee recruitment advertising. Yet, the challenge to hire the best talent remains. Learn from The Chronicle of Higher Education and HigherEdJobs.com, the two leading experts in higher education recruitment, what techniques your institution can use to hire the best candidates with a limited budget.
John Ikenberry, President, HigherEdJobs.com; Eric Zack, Director of College & University Relations, The Chronicle of Higher Education
3C: Update on 403(b) Compliance — Industry Roundtable
Benefits
This session will recap the U.S. Treasury's decision to move the required date for plan documents to January 31, 2009 and examine those regulatory elements that were not delayed and must be in place today to insure plan sponsors are acting in compliance with the new rules. The panel will also update attendees on new retirement plan proposals being considered by Congress and the new Administration. Part of this update will look at issues such as fee disclosures, appropriate target date methodologies and the mandatory purchase of annuities for all or a portion of a participant's balance in retirement.
VALIC, TIAA-CREF, ING, Aon Consulting
3D: Operationalizing a Women's Health Care Initiative in Higher Education
HR Strategies/Leadership, Benefits
Women's health care issues and costs are on the rise. Consider steps that can be taken to improve the health and well being of female employees. Learn how to either start or advance an engaging and productive women's health care initiative at a college or university.
Rebecca Jackson, MD, Director of the Women's Health Center, Ohio State University
3E: A Guide to Human Resources Web Site Accessibility
Technology (HRIS), Legal Issues
Have you ever wondered if your HR Web site is compliant with the latest federal and state accessibility requirements? Join us as we review current regulations and web design standards in a way that is easy for everyone to understand and apply. During our discussion, we will review a number of sample sites to identify common mistakes and best practices relating to accessibility.
Kevin Wilson, Director of Higher Education Sales, PeopleAdmin
Concurrent Sessions 4: Tuesday, June 9 • 10:30-11:45 a.m.
4A: Dude! Where are My Benefits? Leveraging Social Media for HR Communications
HR Strategies/Leadership
Presidential blogs? Open enrollment tweets? Proprietary social networks? Don't scoff — if your college or university hasn't embraced social media yet as a means of communicating with faculty and staff, it probably will soon. Social networking sites have changed the ways in which people interact with and stay connected to their "friends." Businesses are also starting to explore the commercial potential of social media to communicate with both their customers and their employees, and academic institutions are not likely to be far behind. Understand what social media is, how it works and how it's being used in organizational settings. Learn about specific ways in which social media can be used to support various HR initiatives and services at your institution.
Jennifer Schuster, Senior Consultant, San Francisco, Sibson Consulting, a Division of Segal
4B: Moving to an Online Performance Management System
Technology (HRIS)
Examine the issues and interests leading to the decision to adopt an online performance management system. Consider the risks and rewards of engaging university partners throughout the research, selection, implementation and evaluation stages of a new system adoption. Learn how to successfully make the case for your own process transformation projects and how to effectively implement new HR information systems in a higher education setting.
Sharon Gabel, Associate HR Director of Organizational Effectiveness; Dick Gartrell, Human Resources Director; Amy King, Associate HR Director of Employee Services, all of the University of Denver
4C: How to Say Anything to Anyone: Onboarding and Setting Expectations for Powerful Working Relationships
Recruitment/Retention, HR Strategies/Leadership
Attendees in this session will learn how to establish trust in working relationships, laying the foundation for future performance discussions; set expectations with employees, colleagues and direct supervisors, paving the way to long term success and commitment; identify the key drivers of employee engagement, retention and performance; determine what motivates employees; and establish relationships throughout the organization that will help deliver results.
Shari Harley, Founder, The Harley Group International
4D: Zero to Metrics – How the University of North Texas Measured Up
HR Strategies/Leadership
In this session, you will learn how to design and implement initiatives and programs that address HR needs within your organization that are based on data instead of assumption. Find out how to creatively utilize the information you gather to determine gaps and be proactive in partnering with business units. Incorporate business practices in HR that help identify areas in need of an "overhaul" to allow for more value-add involvement with your organization.
Marci Bailey, Human Resources Director; Donna Keener, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources; Shaureece Park, Human Resources Manager, all of University of North Texas
4E: Creating a Comprehensive Management Development Program to Achieve Strategic Change
Training and Development, Organizational Development
The key to comprehensive change within an organization is through education, starting with its leaders and managers. As they learn new approaches to manage employees and achieve goals, real organizational change can take place to achieve key strategic goals. Over the past two years, North Idaho College has sought to revitalize itself to become more effective as an organization. This has included several stages of assessment and actions geared toward proactively changing the performance and culture of individuals and departments within the organization to achieve strategic goals. This session provides a case study of the tactics and strategies used by North Idaho College to achieve organizational change through comprehensive management development.
Wade Larson, Human Resources Director, North Idaho College
Concurrent Sessions 5: Tuesday, June 9 • 1:00-2:15 p.m.
5A: 10 Steps to the Perfect Job Match
Compensation/Rewards
This session will focus on the fundamentals of matching jobs to salary survey benchmarks. Participants will learn 10 practical steps to facilitate quality job matching and reduce potential for errors. Drawing from these concepts, participants will have the opportunity to discuss how they would approach case study situations within their respective organizations.
Christy Drake, Senior Compensation Analyst, The University of Arizona: Kirsten Randolph, Compensation Manager, Raytheon Missile Systems
5B: Managing Compensation Change – Process and Culture Implications
Compensation/Rewards, HR Strategies/Leadership
In an effort to ensure that the University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB) was competitive in its management and senior professionals (MSP) salary structure, a project was approved to conduct a "fresh" competitive compensation study and determine what elements of salary and classification administration required changes. The proposed approach, presented to senior managers from across the campus by consultants, led to a recommendation for two design teams: external research and analysis and internal pay structure and administration. Since budget constraints were already well understood, early communications to the affected population attempted to set very modest expectations. The lessons learned were about culture, staff and management values, and the psychological implications, or intrinsic value, of pay grade and pay levels. Learn about the critical points of the project, the importance of managing the project and the process in and outside of the primary work, and the ultimate value of a highly participative process.
David Insler, Senior Vice President, Sibson Consulting, A Division of Segal; Cynthia Cronk, Director of Human Resources, University of California-Santa Barbara
5C: HR & EEO Merging to Face the 21st Century
Legal Issues, Recruitment/Retention
Utilizing case studies and interactive exercises, this panel discussion will provide the audience with techniques and methods drawn from the fields of law, conflict resolution, marketing and sales that will assist in achieving diversity with excellence within their work forces.
A.G. Monaco, Associate Vice President; Becky Hoover, Director of Employee Relations; Gaston Reinoso, Director of EEO and Employee Selection, all of University of Akron
5D: Preparing For and Surviving an IRS Retirement Plan Audit
Benefits, Employee/Labor Relations
This session will provide defined contribution plan sponsors with practical tools to successfully navigate the IRS retirement plan audit process. Attendees will gain an understanding of the current audit selection process, become familiar with the plan-related information and documentation the IRS will expect plan sponsors to provide, and examine current actions a plan sponsor may take to prepare for and facilitate a painless future audit.
Kim Solecki, Compliance Consultant, ING
5E: Is a Consumer-Directed Plan Right for Your Campus?
Benefits, Worklife/Wellness Issues
Review how consumer-directed health plans work and how faculty and staff can use them. Learn how a CDHP can save your institution money and how to successfully introduce one on your campus.
Bob O'Brien, National Practice Lead for Higher Education, Aetna
Concurrent Sessions 6: Tuesday, June 9 • 3:00-4:15 p.m.
6A: Finding Fun in Your Fast-Paced Day
Worklife/Wellness Issues
In the high pressure of our busy and fast-paced world, it is often easy to lose sight of what really makes life and work enjoyable. Together, we'll explore the meaning of fun and its influence on our interactions with others, formulate a personal strategy for incorporating fun into your work, predict barriers that limit fun in the workplace and identify the benefits of incorporating appropriate fun to our work/life integration. In the end, this presentation will help energize and engage your desire to find the fun in what you do, both personally and professionally.
Mark Wiesenberg, Associate Director of Human Resources, Utah Valley University
6B: Immigration: Legal Compliance in the Age of E-Verify and Worksite Enforcement
Legal Issues, Employee/Labor Relations
It seems that every month brings new immigration-related federal government reporting requirements … and news of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on employers! The agencies are clearly focusing on enforcement with their E-Verify and "No-Match" programs, which seek to root out unauthorized employees. I-9 penalties have been drastically increased. But every U.S. higher education institution strives to attract the best talent in the world and at least occasionally hires foreign-nationals. This session will consider best practices ensuring compliance with complex immigration and labor laws and reporting requirements.
Elaine Kimbrell, Attorney, David Ware & Associates
6C: A Move Toward Transparency: 990 Reform and the IRS Compliance Questionnaire Initiative for Colleges and Universities
HR Strategies/Leadership, Legal Issues
This session will address the recent IRS not-for-profit compliance initiative that examines executive compensation and other practices within institutions of higher education in the context of earlier IRS initiatives for health care providers. We will also discuss the issues posed by the expanded executive compensation disclosure requirements of the new IRS Form 990 within this context. Additionally, we will explore the value of an independent review of executive compensation, benefit and expense reimbursement practices and board-established policies to support a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness and avoid excess benefit transaction classifications that trigger excise taxes. Join us and learn more on these new IRS initiatives.
Richard Smith, Senior Vice President, and David Nygard, Senior Consultant, both of Sibson Consulting, A Division of Segal
6D: Transitioning HR to a Strategic Consultative Role
HR Strategies/Leadership
Learn how to transition your HR department from a traditional silo-function organization to that of a more closely engaged, high-impact and strategic value-added partner. The consultative model approach provides for a better understanding of the operational needs, the business of higher education and future needs of the organization that HR serves. Through this model, which significantly enhances the level of partnering with stakeholders and leadership, HR creates a higher level of visibility with demonstrated results that tie directly into meeting the university's goals and objectives.
Marci Bailey, Human Resources Director; Donna Keener, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources; Shaureece Park, Human Resources Manager, all of University of North Texas
6E: Using Collaboration to Solve HR Problems: A Case Study of 500 Campuses
Organizational Development, Recruitment/Retention
Examine the ingredients for creating successful collaborations. Learn collaboration techniques that really work. Take home ideas to share in your own HR office and with the broader community.
Nancy Aebersold, Director, National Higher Education Recruitment Consortium
This Preconference Workshop has been canceled.
Preconference Workshop: Sunday, June 7 • 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Collective Bargaining Preconference Workshop
Prepare for collective bargaining now! Collective bargaining is on the Congressional agenda — the Employee Free Choice Act — and may soon become a reality for many organizations.
Attend this workshop and learn the essentials of collective bargaining and what your institution needs to do to prepare for bargaining, including establishing relationships and communications with employees now; what to expect as unions solicit your employees; what can be bargained; components of negotiation preparation; and bargaining at the table.
Attendees will:
- Learn the background, history and impact of unionization, collective bargaining and right-to-work in the United States, with a focused emphasis upon unionization of faculty, adjuncts, graduate assistants, non-exempt staff and NLRB decisions.
- Develop an understanding of the recognition process – what management needs to know (both before a union is on campus and after you have been notified that an organization drive has begun); strategies to implement before discussions of unionization have started; bargaining unit determination and community-of-interest doctrine; rules of conduct and appropriate communication efforts with employees.
- Develop an understanding of the bargaining process and its challenges, rules of conduct/communications at the table and communications with employees.
- Develop initial bargaining positions with a focus on obtainable goals and objectives as well as supporting data and documentation, review what a first contract might look like, and what to expect at the table and on campus.
- Develop strategies for changed management-employee relations.
Case studies and role-playing will be used to prepare participants for the challenges confronting today's organizations. Attendees will also have opportunities to receive analysis and bargaining ideas/strategies from instructors as well as through discussions with other attendees.
Keith Groty, Former Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and Labor Relations, Michigan State University; Bill Neff, Former Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and Labor Relations, University of California San Francisco
There is a $25 cancellation fee for the preconference workshop.
