The Human Resources Design project at the University of Wisconsin is now in phase two after the department held forums, web chats and online polls to receive feedback that shaped the work teams’ final drafts which were completed earlier this summer.
The Human Resources Design project is part of the flexibility UW received in the 2011-13 state budget to restructure the pay system and create a more competitive department.
UW Director of Human Resources and the lead of the Human Resources Design Project Bob Lavigna said there are 11 work teams, seven teams in phase one and four in phase two, each focusing on a specific area such as compensation or recruitment selection.
With final proposals due to be presented in the fall, work teams have continued their work and revised drafts over the summer.
According to a joint statement released by Interim Chancellor David Ward, Provost Paul Deluca and Vice Chancellor for Administration Darrell Bazzell, many people have been involved across the campus community.
“More than 150 of our colleagues from all areas of the campus community – staff, faculty and students – have served on these teams and spent many hours developing draft recommendations for policy changes that they feel best suit a world-class research and teaching institution as it moves further into the 21st century,” the statement said.
The teams have representatives from academic staff, classified employees, faculty and labor, Academic Personnel Office Director Steve Lund said in an email to The Badger Herald. Associated Students of Madison also appointed a student representative to each team.
“We’re very excited,” Lavigna said. “I think it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put together a human resources system that will meet our unique and specific needs.”
The 11 teams issued draft recommendations after a series of conversations and outreach activities, including 35 forums, four web chats and online polls, Lavigna said. About 7,800 people participated, making recommendations to the teams’ drafts, he added.
He added that very few universities have had the opportunity to redesign their entire HR system and that the project has been a unique opportunity.
Lavigna also emphasized that the project is not designed to cut budgets or save money.
“The HR Design will not reduce anyone’s compensations,” he said. “Nothing that comes out of HR Design will result in reductions in compensations,” he said.
Lavigna said next steps for the project will include communication with governance groups and other campus stakeholders.
The project team made up of Lavigna and three others will combine all of the feedback and recommendations from the work teams to develop policy proposals throughout the rest of the summer, the statement said.
According to the statement, a proposal will be presented to the campus community in the fall. The final proposal will go before the UW System Board of Regents in December and to the state Legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations in the spring.
