This blog post was contributed by Maureen De Armond, Executive Director, Human Resources at Drake University. In higher education, we must plan for many worst-case scenarios, including tornados, fires, active-shooter situations, and, as we now know, pandemics. Among this wide range of difficult scenarios that could present themselves on our campuses at any time, suicide... View Article
On May 19, the U.S. Department of Education released an FAQ document which confirms that Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) monies can be used to support the mental health of faculty, staff, and students. The document addresses commonly asked questions and provides specific examples on how some institutions have already used HEERF funding to... View Article
May is Mental Health Month. Throughout the month, be sure to join the Connect discussion in the General Discussion group to discuss challenges and successes, as well as pose questions and offer advice to higher ed HR peers on the topic of mental health. A Zoom discussion will also take place mid-May. Stay tuned for... View Article
Members OnlyThroughout 2021, HR practitioners have proven their resilience time and again by positively impacting higher education not only in response to the ever-evolving pandemic, but also in building more flexible, diverse and inclusive workplaces. CUPA-HR captured many of these higher ed success stories, as well as leadership advice, helpful resources and workforce data trends in... View Article
Over the course of the pandemic, higher ed employers may have struggled with how to approach employees whose work performance has been negatively impacted by issues in their personal lives. A recent CUPA-HR webinar, “Trauma-Informed Leadership for Higher Education,” shared ways employers can open the door for disclosure and develop a leadership style that is... View Article
May is Mental Health Month, and we’re homing in on three facets of higher education that impact mental health: campus culture, resources and workplace flexibility. This blog post is Part III of the three-part series. Here, we’ll discuss how institutions can lean into flexible work arrangements and how flexible work can support more diverse, equitable... View Article
May is Mental Health Month, and we’re homing in on three facets of higher education that impact mental health: campus culture, resources, and work flexibility. Here, in Part II of the three-part series, we’ll look at some of the barriers that prevent employees from utilizing resources, and how some approaches from the corporate world can... View Article
May is Mental Health Month, and we’re homing in on three facets of higher education that impact mental health: campus culture, resources and work flexibility. This blog post is Part I of the three-part series. First, we’ll discuss the importance of creating campus cultures that prioritize and promote the mental health of students, faculty and... View Article
The last several months have been like nothing we have ever experienced, as COVID-19 disrupted and reshaped our lives and our work. These work and life challenges have taken a toll on our mental health and well-being, and it is so important that we acknowledge this and find ways to address these challenges for ourselves,... View Article
Members OnlyHR and higher education professionals may be more at risk for developing symptoms of anxiety or depression, due to the nature of their work, which often includes making difficult and sometimes painful decisions. Institutions and individuals can mitigate this risk by proactively arming themselves with the tools, knowledge and strategies that support mental health and... View Article
Each month, CUPA-HR General Counsel Ira Shepard provides an overview of several labor and employment law cases and regulatory actions with implications for the higher ed workplace. Here’s the latest from Ira: Federal Court Dismisses In-House Attorneys’ Retaliation Claims But Allows Sex-Based Salary Discrimination Claims to Proceed A federal district court trial judge recently dismissed... View Article
To fully understand and embrace the changing role of higher ed HR, we must first acknowledge and connect our work to the most pressing challenges of our institutions. At CUPA-HR’s national board of directors meeting in July, we asked the board to identify the most pressing challenges their colleges and universities face. We asked the... View Article
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