HR’s Role in Balancing Free Speech and Inclusivity
Results of a recent survey of college and university presidents conducted by the American Council on Education (ACE) show that half of all presidents surveyed rely on their chief HR officer to weigh in when setting institutional policy related to campus inclusion and free speech. And 30 percent of presidents said they rely on HR when addressing active conflict around inclusion and free speech. Would you know how to react if your president came calling on such matters? 
How often does “stuff” ruin your workday? Stuff like people’s propensity to complain about anything and everything; petty squabbling or personality conflicts; miscommunication; misunderstanding; mistakes. How can we tamp down that stuff in our workplaces so that we can focus instead on the work at hand? 
One CUPA-HR member institution was recently the subject of a Department of Labor wage and hour investigation. Its experience can serve as a learning opportunity for other colleges and universities. 
When it comes to creating a safe, inclusive, equitable campus, culture is the bottom line. But changing the culture and transforming the mindset of an enterprise as large and complex and multifaceted as a higher education institution certainly doesn’t happen overnight — it’s a slow and steady journey. While helping their colleges and universities navigate this bigger change over the long term, there are also things HR can do in the short term to help reduce risk, ensure fairness, and support institution-wide efforts to create a culture of safety and respect on campus. 
Retired staff and faculty are often an untapped resource for colleges and universities. While many retirees would like to stay connected and engaged — with their colleagues, with students, with the campus community as a whole — they just aren’t sure how to do so. 
The letter addresses whether the FLSA requires compensation for the time an employee spends voluntarily participating in certain wellness activities, biometric screenings and benefits fairs. 
After Hurricane Harvey inundated Houston, Texas, and the surrounding Harris County with torrential rains and catastrophic flooding last August, Houston Community College was able to resume normal operations in less than two weeks while also providing flexibility and assistance to those students and employees who were most impacted. 
According to findings from CUPA-HR’s 2018 Paid Time Off, Tuition, and Retirement Benefits for Higher Education Employees Survey, the percentage of institutions using more than one retirement service provider has decreased from nearly half in 2014 to one-third in 2018.