Council Corner - April 1, 2023

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably feeling a lot of things as we transition out of winter and into spring. Seasonal allergies, of course — but also, a sense of growth and re-birth, as the trees start to bud, and the flowers begin to bloom. That same feeling of transition and change is all around our campus as we head into the final weeks leading up to commencement. In this moment, I hope you can take a moment to reflect on where we started, how far we’ve come, and how far we’ve yet to go.

It's hard to believe that it’s been three years since we notified campus that we would be extending spring break in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, we have each faced difficult situations both personally and professionally — and although there is reason to celebrate our transition out of that dark time, we also know that many of us hold lasting scars from this period. I firmly believe that before we can truly move forward together, we must acknowledge where we’ve been. So, in the spirit of reflection, I ask you to consider the ways you have changed both personally and professionally over the past few years, and if you’re comfortable, please feel free to anonymously share your reflections.

Beyond our personal and inward reflections, it’s equally important for us to take stock of where we collectively are as an organization. Moving away from the operations necessitated by the pandemic, we must ask…”Do we still need this?” and "Is this still working?" when it comes to the work we do. In this new normal, we must reassess to ensure our efforts are still aligned with the outcomes we seek. That’s one of the main reasons I am excited for us to be continuing our great work together as we map out the Student Affairs’ Strategic Plan. This process captured input from all levels of employees within our division—providing us with feedback on future-focused strategies, as well as insights into current needs. We’ve heard your voices and your concerns through these planning efforts. Our strategic plan will prioritize things we need to start, stop, and continue if we are to sustain an environment that lives out our Aspirations for Student Learning.

As we move forward, I am excited to provide you with a concrete example of how we are turning your feedback into positive change and growth within our division, in this case within Student Affairs HR. More specifically, thanks to your feedback and engagement (along with the efforts of the SA-HR team), this month the Student Affairs Leadership Council will be rolling back several pandemic-related procedures related to recruitment as well as introducing a series of best practice improvements. While not all-inclusive, the below points highlight four of the larger changes that we believe will make hiring for our division more efficient and more effective.

• In response to feedback about the lack of robust, diverse applicant pools: Available now, a series of tools and templates (e.g. revised job announcements, diversity sourcing lists, etc.) have been pulled together which significantly improve our ability to attract applicants to our open positions.
• In response to feedback about process bottlenecks: In the next few days, a new fillable reference check form (along with a streamlined approach to this step) will be launching which gathers critical information but doesn’t slow down the hiring process.
• In response to feedback about the burden of additional approval layers: In the next few weeks, SA-HR will be launching an expedited hiring process which will reduce the number of approvals needed and eliminate extraneous steps.
• In response to feedback about lack of training in recruitment best practices: In the next few months, SA-HR will be launching a series of webinars, micro-learning courses, and toolkits to assist Hiring Managers and Search Committees have the information and support they need for each step of the hiring process (from posting to onboarding).

For tools, templates, and forms mentioned above, stay tuned to your email for more information in the next upcoming weeks on where to locate these resources.

Thank you for your continued efforts, engagement, and enthusiasm as we continue our great work together!

Frances Keene, Ph.D.

Vice President for Student Affairs