Program Information

Sponsored by: ING

Session 1

Monday, March 22 • 10:30-11:45 a.m.

1A: Economic Issues on Campus — In the Eye of the Storm

Review the challenges and opportunities the economic crisis has created on campuses around the country. Identify best practices developed by colleagues and corporate partners. Learn about the results of an economic issues survey conducted by CUPA-HR in January 2010. Share ideas and best practices through small group discussion about strategic restructuring, communications with employees, retention practices, morale on campus and other challenges.

Warren Tolley, Director of Human Resources, Flathead Valley Community College; Amy King, Associate Director of Human Resources, University of Denver

1B: Social Media for Recruitment and Brand Building in Higher Education

This interactive session will provide an overview of the impact of Web 2.0 technologies such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn on staffing and recruiting, focusing on the specific needs of higher ed and identifying areas that require a unique approach to social media use. You’ll learn how leading institutions are using social media to enhance their employment brand and improve their ability to attract the high-caliber candidates.

Brandon Phipps, Vice President of Sales and Speaker Development, PeopleAdmin

1C: Designing Effective Retiree Incentive Programs in a Down Economy — A Case Study at University at Buffalo (SUNY)

Many institutions are struggling with employees — especially faculty members — who, because of the downturn in the economy, are not retiring at the typical retirement age. The log jam at the top of these departments keeps up-and-coming, successful faculty from reaching their full potential. Designing an early-retirement incentive program tailored to employees who had planned to retire but have not, requires a delicate balance of solid terms and fiscal responsibility. Learn how one institution is achieving that balance and learn about the methods used to diagnose, predict and deliver the appropriate mix.

Scott Nostaja, Vice President of Human Resources, University at Buffalo (SUNY); Dean Hatfield, CEBS, Senior Vice President, Sibson Consulting, A Division of Segal

1D: Is It Over Yet? Managing 403(b) Compliance

Now that the 403(b) regulations have finally arrived, what can we be doing to simplify plan administration and manage plan compliance? This session is designed for benefits administrators and technology officers and will explore the various ways 403(b) compliance can be achieved, even in a multi-vendor environment. The presentation will include an overview of the challenges related to compliance and a case study about how those challenges were met.

Don Harris, Senior Vice President, VALIC; Brian Dickens, Executive Director for Human Resources, Texas Southern University

1E: Rewards of Effectively Engaging the Employee Community

At many institutions, staff organizations focus on the negative — grievances, complaints about management practices, protecting poor performers. This session will explore how HR at the University of San Diego led the transformation of the staff organization by offering positive opportunities for employee involvement in all aspects of campus life — social, cultural, athletic, community service and academic — thus changing the limited, negative focus of the staff organization to a positive, engaged, committed and productive contributor to campus life.

Nina Sciuto, Director of Employee Relations, and Janie Carolin, Director of Compensation Services, both of University of San Diego

Session 2

Monday, March 22 • 1:00-2:15 p.m.

2A: Who’s Hiring? National Trends in Higher Education Employment

Most people are familiar with employment trends at their own college or university. But how do those trends compare with other institutions in the U.S.? In this session, we’ll examine the findings from the most recent Higher Education Employment Report published by HigherEdJobs. We will also examine data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and HigherEdJobs and discuss how these trends may affect the future of higher education.

Lynley Brinkman, Account Manager, HigherEdJobs; Andrew M. Peña, Director, Human Resource Services, The University of Texas at El Paso

2B: Finding Solid Ground

This “doing” workshop will explore in depth the practices Dr. Jeremy Hunter spoke about during his Monday morning keynote presentation. You will learn useful tools for creating greater internal balance and stability, and can easily take the methods you will learn back to your own workplace to help others from your institution.

Dr. Jeremy Hunter, Co-Founder, CoreWorks Consulting

2C: Retiree Healthcare Funding in the “New Normal” Economic Environment

This session will focus on tax-advantaged retiree healthcare solutions that allow plan participants to accumulate funds to pay for qualified medical and health-related expenses in retirement. The presenters will offer solutions that can reduce the unfunded liability of defined benefit retiree health plans and still provide healthcare benefits to retired employees and will also discuss options that give employees the opportunity to save and plan for retirement healthcare expenses while still working.

Carolyn Barbee, Managing Consultant, and Linda Robinson, Director of Institutional Development, both of TIAA-CREF; BrandE Faupell, Executive Director, Human Resources, Utah State University

2D: Making Better, More Strategic Staffing Decisions Utilizing the HR Benchmarking Survey

CUPA-HR’s new HR Benchmarking Survey was developed at the request of members and is intended to provide HR departments with important benchmark information on structure, size, responsibilities and performance. This session will showcase how your colleagues in other institutions are using the results of the survey to complement their planning processes to make better and more informed decisions. Learn what types of metrics other institutions have developed for the workforce and the HR function and how they use them — and how you can develop a metrics scorecard at your institution.

Karen Hutcheson, Senior Vice President, Sibson Consulting, A Division of Segal; Warren Tolley, Director of Human Resources, Flathead Valley Community College; Janet May, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, Texas Tech University; Andy Brantley, President & CEO, CUPA-HR; Amy King, Associate Director of Human Resources, University of Denver

2E: Boot Camp: Employer Obligations and Employee Rights Under Military Leave Laws

Federal and state laws provide strong protection for employees in the National Guard or Reserve components of the military. This presentation will explain the legal obligations and arising issues for organizations faced with requests for military leave. Specifically, the discussion will focus on the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which has multiple, often complicated, requirements. This interactive session, including state law discussion, will provide real-world scenarios and a friendly quiz-style competition.

Michael Griffin, Senior Associate, Jackson Lewis LLP

Session 3

Monday, March 22 • 3:00-4:15 p.m.

3A: Creating a Safe Zone Program for GLBTQ Faculty, Staff and Students

This session is designed to increase cultural awareness and openness to issues facing those of the GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning) community. This interactive session takes you through Truckee Meadows Community College’s Safe Zone training program. The presenters will provide tools to help you set up this type of initiative on your campus so that all students, staff and faculty, regardless of sexual orientation or other social “labels,” feel safe and valued.

Michele Meador, Director of Human Resources, and Manuel Becerra, Web Support Technician, both of Truckee Meadows Community College

3B: Student Health Insurance — Collaboration Saved $7 Million Dollars

Learn how to resolve difficult organizational challenges by applying the principles of intelligent collaboration.

Maria Blandizzi, Special Projects Coordinator for the Office of the Vice Provost, University of California, San Francisco; Doug Grabham, Senior Health Management Consultant, Hewitt Associates

3C: Where Have All Your Employees Gone? Optimizing Your Leave of Absence Program

Learn how to implement a best practices approach to leave management, thus alleviating the frustration associated with managing and tracking multiple leave programs. Investigate the shortcomings of traditional leave of absence programs, and learn how a comprehensive and integrated absence management program can help reduce costs.

Stan Kulesa, Assistant Vice President for Benefits, and Patsy Herzog, Manager of Absence Management, both of The Standard; Al Daniels, Consultant, The Baker Benefit Group, LLC; Kirsten Williams, Benefits Data Analyst, Northwestern University

3D: Workplace Disputes & Violence — Recognition, Prevention, and Mediation

Hear from experts and discuss with your colleagues ways to prevent violence in the workplace and how you can mediate and resolve disputes amongst employees that if left unchecked can lead to decreased productivity or violence. Using real-life cases, a panel will provide ideas on how to avoid hiring disruptive and violent employees and how to deal with those that get by the screening.

Gaston Reinoso, Director of Employee Selection and EEO; Dr. Becky Hoover, Director of Employee Relations; and Dr. A.G. Monaco, Associate Vice President, all of University of Akron

3E: Wellness Initiatives: Effectiveness, Strategies and Measures

How is your wellness program working? Are you getting value and are the rewards worth the effort? Do your employees understand the different programs and features you have implemented? This session provides the most recent facts around wellness programs from implementation to communication with employees and much more. Hear how other employers are fairing with their programs and learn from a higher ed human resource management peer as they describe their innovative approach and direction for their wellness initiatives. Finally, see the latest in web-based and other tools used to engage and track the success of your comprehensive suite of initiatives.

Jon Joss, Senior Vice President, and John Kunowski, Vice President, both of Fidelity Consulting Services; Debby LaRocco, Benefits Manager, Gonzaga University

Session 4

Tuesday, March 23 • 10:30-11:45 a.m.

4A: Are We Finished Yet? Wrapping Up a Major Classification Study

Follow a major classification study from the initial communication of the study to employees to the implementation of new classifications and an innovative pay structure.

Linda Charlip, Director of HR Analytics, and Christy Drake, Senior Compensation Analyst, both of The University of Arizona

4B: Health Care Reform — What Is It and What Should You Know

This session will help you gain an understanding of the new healthcare reform legislation that has been passed and how it will affect the benefits you offer your faculty and staff in the short term and the long term.

Bob O’Brien, National Practice Lead for Higher Education, Aetna Inc.; Mary Maher, Vice President for Human Resources, University of Texas Health Science Center

4C: Handling a Reduction in Force

This session will examine the ins and outs of one university’s campus-wide RIF. You’ll learn about the different approaches presented to the executive level officers and the board of trustees and how the university managed the two phases — voluntary and involuntary — of the RIF. You’ll also hear about the risks involved with a reduction program and how HR examined and reported on the climate on campus immediately after the RIF and as it continues to develop.

Amy King, Associate Director of Human Resources, University of Denver

4D: Blood, Sweat and Tears — Surviving a HRIS Implementation

A decision has been made to implement a new HR Information System on campus, and now you are responsible for making the implementation smooth and worry free. This session will help you get on the right track for surviving a HRIS implementation and offer tips on reducing the blood, sweat and tears during the implementation.

Janet May, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, Texas Tech University

4E: Making the Case for a Centralized Recruiting Process

Four-year colleges and universities are beginning to understand what many community colleges have known for a long time — a centralized employment recruiting process yields many benefits. This lively session will help you make the case for pulling together recruiting efforts — technology, advertising, employment branding, budgeting — under one umbrella and will detail one school’s positive experience.

Kathlene Collins, Publisher, Inside Higher Ed; Sean O’Donnell, Employment Manager, Utah Valley University

Session 5

Tuesday, March 23 • 1:00-2:15 p.m.

5A: LinkedIn and Follow a Friend — Recruiting Using Social Networks

Candidates have known for years that to get hired, they will need connections to the organization. Social networking is about a lot more than just how many “friends” or “links” you have or how many people “follow” you. It’s all about connecting people in dynamic and new ways. This session aims to discuss the strategies behind using social networks to recruit and how effective it can be for your organization.

Christina Levine, Recruiter, Lone Star College System

5B: From Camouflage to Campus: The Hidden Benefits of Adding Military Veterans to Your Workforce

This session will examine the challenges veterans face when seeking civilian employment and offer tips for building the business case for creating a veteran hiring initiative.

Patricia Gyurke, Director of Employment Services, West Virginia University; Lisa Rosser, Chief Advocate for Hiring Military, The Value of a Veteran

5C: So You Have to Design a Training Session

As workplace lawsuits proliferate, there’s an urgent need for HR professionals to educate employees on all manner of workplace law so that they can avoid making potentially costly mistakes. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use a proven, 10-step training design model and practical tools to create effective internal training.

Cecile Morris, Manager of the Staff HR Management Services Team, University of California, Santa Cruz

5D: Retirement Plan Participation through a Plan Brand Identity

In this session, you will hear a case study and see examples of brands, tools and resources used by your peers in higher education institutions to build awareness of retirement plan features and benefits and to drive plan participation.

Kate Lewis, National Vice President, ING; Kevin Fowler, Director, Human Resources, Tyler Junior College

5E: Process Designed/Redesigned: Using a Modified GE Workout Approach to Change Initiatives

This session focuses on using a modified version of the GE WorkOut format to design/redesign HR processes within two days by using cross-functional campus team members. You’ll learn how to breakdown processes, create learning materials for campus participants, be lead facilitators of this process and communicate change initiatives.

Pat Forbes, Executive Director of Human Resources/Equity Officer, Utah Valley University

Session 6

Tuesday, March 23 • 3:00-4:15 p.m.

6A: Creating a Culture of Health On Your Campus — A Case Study/Success Story

This session will explore the journey of Kent State University as it took steps to build a culture of health. You’ll learn what worked, what didn’t, and what outcomes the institution has seen as a result of this campus-wide initiative.

Alvin Evans, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Kent State University; Anne Marie Ludovici-Connolly, Senior Health Management Consultant, Hewitt Associates

6B: Training, Equipping, Monitoring and Supporting: HR’s Role with Search Committees

Learn quality assurance techniques for guiding and directing the activities of faculty and administrative searches. Learn how to train, orient, support and monitor search committee members to ensure their activities are within legal bonds. In short, learn the best practice approach to conducting searches in the 21st century.

Christopher D. Lee, Principal, SearchCommittees.com; Isaac Dixon, Associate Vice President and Director of Human Resources, Lewis & Clark College

6C: 403(b) Plans: Now and in the Future

This in-depth session will explore everything you need to know about 403(b) retirement plans. Refresh your knowledge of the basics and discuss past and current regulations, operational compliance, and optional provisions including loans, Roth features, contract transfers and much, much more. Learn about the latest and greatest including several big announcements about what’s coming down the pike in 2010.

Richard Turner, Deputy General Counsel, VALIC

6D: It’s Not Just a Catch Phrase — Getting Maximum Return on Investment from Technology Projects

In this session, you’ll learn how one institution took on the challenge of modern technology projects by utilizing a Software as a Service and how to achieve a higher return on investment with a proper implementation. Participants will learn when it’s right to begin a project, the value of selecting a vendor, and how traditional project teams and roles can be better used in other initiatives.

Scott Letourneau, President, NEOGOV; Brenda Keane, HR Analyst, Pima County Community College District

6E: Sharing Best Practices Within The Core Areas Of Background Screening

This session will tout the critical importance of proper candidate identification verification as a first step in the screening process. You’ll learn about the complexities surrounding the criminal court system and the need to conduct due diligence criminal research. You’ll also learn the importance of proper employment and education verification and how to look out for fraud throughout the process.

Robert Capwell, Chief Knowledge Officer, Employment Background Investigations, Inc. (EBI); Jo Dee Bernal, Human Resource Manager, Oregon State University Administrative Business Center