Charter for Streamlining EEO/New Hire Process Project Team
University of Illinois
Charter for Streamlining EEO/New Hire Process Team
The University of Illinois is one of the premier employers in Illinois offering a wide variety of employment opportunities in Urbana/Champaign, Chicago, Springfield, and across the state in our extension offices. The University of Illinois is the state’s largest educator and a world leader in research with world renowned faculty and outstanding staff and students. The University is committed to “fostering a hiring process that promotes a diverse workforce, but recognize that each campus operates in a dramatically different labor market”[1] and that “[e]mployees fuel the academic, research and service enterprise.”[2]
The current search process, although different across the university has been described as requiring long cycle times. The intent of the ARR-HR recommendation is to “streamline the cycle time, avoid substantial costs, and also meet our diversity objectives.”[3]
PURPOSE
By streamlining the EEO/new hire processes the university is expecting the following results:
1. Shorter cycle time to hire employees.
2. Reduced internal processes and required procedures.
3. Save time and money in central HR offices and in units/departments across the university.
4. Improved opportunity for recruiting diverse candidates.
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
The project team will operate in a transparent environment communicating often and in as many venues as reasonable. Given the scope of the project is university-wide, members will participate as “university citizens” by making recommendations that are in the best interests of the university and its employees.
Members will speak openly and candidly, listen to and be open to other points of view and willingly share information and ideas. Members will actively engage in discussions and will debate issues, attempting to influence others to his/her point of view. Once a decision is made, members will support it and champion the decisions throughout their respective campuses and UA.
GOVERNANCE
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Steering Team Chair
The steering team chair is the university executive that takes on the role of spearheading support for the project and alignment with the university executives for their support. The responsibilities include:
1. Identification of project director.
2. Identification of and released time for project team members to work on the project.
3. Remove project barriers.
4. Provide appropriate support for the team to complete its objective(s).
5. Collaborate with project director on meeting agendas.
6. Facilitating meetings.
7. All responsibilities listed as a team member below.
Steering Team Members
The purpose of the steering team is to ensure that the projects meet their objectives and that the ARR-HR Subcommittee’s recommendations are implemented. The steering team consists of the head of HR from the three campus and university administration, the Special Assistant to the President (ex officio), the Assistant Vice President for EO and HR, the Director of Human Resource Administration, Associate Vice President of HR (chair). The responsibilities include:
1. Assist with the identification of people and financial resources.
2. Break down barriers.
3. Review draft outputs from project team.
4. Make suggestions and recommendations.
5. Review and approve final outputs from the project team.
6. Champion the project team publically, as a group and individually.
7. Assist with the prioritization of implementation plans.
8. Assist with the communication of the project progress, deliverables and final products.
9. Liaison with the ARR Steering Committee (Ex Officio member)
Stakeholders
Virtually everyone is a stakeholder in a search process in order to ensure hiring is fair, equitable and meets the University’s diversity goals. However, the primary stakeholders are academic departments and operational units who conduct faculty and academic professional searches.
Focus Groups
Examples of individuals who may be consulted for input include deans, directors, department heads, and departmental personnel who are responsible for approving and/or facilitating the search process for their units. Responsibilities include:
1. Provide perspective from the college or department’s point of view.
2. Freely provide input, suggestions, ideas that may not be requested.
3. Participate in meetings, surveys, or other data gathering approaches as needed.
Project Director
The project will be led by the project director. The role of the project director includes:
1. Development of a project plan with task assignments, milestones and timeline.
2. Get alignment to the plan from the project team.
3. Facilitate meetings.
4. Liaise with the project sponsor and advisory groups.
5. Celebrate milestone successes.
Project Team Members
Project team members will be given released time to actively participate as a project team member. Their responsibilities on the team will include:
1. Actively participate in project meetings.
2. Volunteer to lead components of the project.
3. Complete task assignments on time and with excellence.
4. Volunteer insights, perspectives, suggestions, and ideas to improve project milestones and deliverables.
5. Dedication to the success of the overall project.
Administrative Support
Project team members will need administrative support to assist them to move the project forward. The expectation is that we will be using existing resources. Their responsibilities on the team will include:
1. Clerical support.
2. Logistical support for meetings.
Page 2 11/28/2011
[1] Administrative Review and Restructuring, Human Resources Management Subcommittee Final Report, June 8, 2010, p. 15.
[2] Ibid, p. 3.
[3] Ibid, p. 15.