CUPA-HR’s Association Leadership Program (ALP) has been called a homecoming, a lifeline, and even summer camp for HR people.
For 30 years, higher ed HR professionals serving in CUPA-HR leadership positions — board members, chapter leaders, council members, corporate partners and more — have gathered for two to three days each summer to dive into the challenges facing the profession and the opportunities CUPA-HR has to lead, innovate and inspire members in the year ahead. Here are some of the takeaways from this year’s event.
Employee well-being is critical to student success. Dr. Kevin McClure, a specialist in higher education leadership and workplace culture, shared insights from his research to make the case for employee experience as a strategic priority. “Interpersonal listening,” he cautioned, “is not the same as listening at scale.” How can we move beyond the institutional rhetoric of “we care” and toward actions that demonstrate a caring mindset? McClure’s book, “The Caring University,” offers answers.
Key challenges facing our campuses include leadership transitions and the organizational disruption that accompanies them, as well as resource limitations and their impact on the workforce. ALP participants have tackled these and other challenges through leadership development and alignment, process and organizational improvements, stronger campus partnerships, and improved communication. If your institution is looking for guidance and inspiration, be sure to check out CUPA-HR’s resources and events.
CUPA-HR’s Employer of Choice Maturity Index helps institutions explore the factors that impact employee experience, engagement and well-being. Which policies and practices are making the biggest impact on your campus, and which are in need of improvement? Complete the Employer of Choice Maturity Index and find out.
CUPA-HR chapters are still knocking it out of the park when it comes to creating information-packed programs to support higher ed HR professionals at the local level. Higher ed HR professionals are welcome at any or our chapter events, regardless of where you live or work.
CUPA-HR leaders shared the many ways CUPA-HR “fills their cup.” When your cup is full, you have the support and confidence you need to do your best work. We asked our leaders to share the ways CUPA-HR fills their cup, and here are a few of their responses:
- “The friendships, mentorship and professional connections provided have become my lifeline and my ‘phone a friend’ network.”
- “I am new to CUPA-HR, but I am already taken aback by the warmth, intention and intelligence of the group.”
- “CUPA fills my cup with genuine friendships, connections, mentorship and inspiration. It is a community in which I can be myself.”
- “Every day, I log onto LinkedIn and see CUPA-HR colleagues tackling tough challenges, sharing innovative solutions, supporting their campuses, and lifting each other up.”
- “It’s honestly hard not to be inspired. … The greatest value of CUPA-HR isn’t just what we learn, it’s who we learn it with.”
- “CUPA-HR gives me a feeling of belonging and knowing that we are collectively working every day to create great workplaces for employees.”
- “CUPA-HR fills my cup by giving me opportunities to learn and grow and the space to collaborate, meet new people and share my voice as a leader.”
- “No matter the day, no matter the issue, there is someone who is willing to help. It could be a kind word; it could be an example, template or slide deck.”
Interested in Taking Your Professional Development Further?
CUPA-HR’s volunteer leaders have committed to advancing the profession and the mission of CUPA-HR. They understand the complexities of higher ed HR, and they want to enhance the knowledge and skills they need to lead their institutions into the future.
Are you ready to take that next step in developing your leadership skills, shaping the profession, and gaining one-of-a-kind access to successful practices and HR professionals from across the country? Then CUPA-HR leadership — in a chapter, on a council, or even on the Board of Directors — might be right for you. Learn more about how you can get involved.