Strategic Focus Area 7: Employer and Employee Excellence

Creating a more supportive and inclusive university community.

As an institution of higher education, it is imperative that we prioritize the satisfaction and development of our employees, as well as the optimization of our policies and processes, in order to achieve excellence. By investing in staff and faculty, we can cultivate a culture of innovation, collaboration, and growth within our university community.

Additionally, streamlining processes and procedures can contribute to a more efficient and effective work environment for our employees. Ultimately, by prioritizing these areas of improvement, we can create a more supportive and inclusive university community that values the contributions of all its members.

Strategy Groups to Boost Employer and Employee Excellence

Strategy Group 1: Improvement of campus climate and environment for faculty and staff well-being and satisfaction

Strategy Group Accountable Person: Staff Success Center Manager

  • Tactic 1: Utilize climate data to develop campus-wide annual improvement plans.
  • Tactic 2: Develop or extend Rolla/Community Partnerships.
  • Tactic 3: Enhance and promote faculty and staff well-being programs.
  • Tactic 4: Review and improve campus business processes for quality and effectiveness.
  • Tactic 5: Increase recognition for staff and faculty, particularly those who contribute to a supportive climate.
  • Tactic 6: Improve compensation procedures and add greater transparency to process.

Strategy Group 2: Enhance faculty academic life

Strategy Group Accountable Person: Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs

  • Tactic 1: Conduct a comprehensive and continuous review of P&T process for TT/NTT tracks.
  • Tactic 2: Develop college-level faculty mentoring programs across career stages and career tracks (e.g., TT/T/NTT) in all departments.
  • Tactic 3: Improve and revise faculty workload distribution policies.
  • Tactic 4: Redefine and expand upon the definitions of merit and measured success/effort on campus that contribute to P&T, including appreciation of diverse types of scholarship.
  • Tactic 5: Improve annual faculty evaluation processes in alignment with P&T requirements for TT and NTT faculty.
Strategy Group 3: Improve staff engagement and retention

Strategy Group Accountable Person: Chief Human Resources Officer

  • Tactic 1: Improve training and development opportunities.
  • Tactic 2: Improve recognition and appreciation programs.
  • Tactic 3: Improve performance review process.
  • Tactic 4: Develop programs and paths for promotion.
  • Tactic 5: Review and update staff compensation strategy to address salary compression and inversion.
  • Tactic 6: Develop concrete guidelines and processes for dual career hiring and retention (including both faculty and staff).

Strategy Group 4: Engagement and empowerment of employees

Strategy Group Accountable Person: Senate President & Staff Council President

  • Tactic 1: Increase representation of underrepresented groups specifically in leadership positions.
  • Tactic 2: Facilitate inclusive dialogues about and clarify expectations for shared governance.
  • Tactic 3: Include faculty experts in administrative and operational decision-making processes about their areas of expertise.
  • Tactic 4: Develop a plan for improved communication between administration, faculty, and staff.
  • Tactic 5: Increase the role of standing committees (staff and faculty) in decision-making processes.
  • Tactic 6: Establish metrics to determine effectiveness of shared governance and other faculty/staff involvement strategies and track them over time.
  • Tactic 7: Create professional development opportunities to increase/enhance faculty/staff institutional involvement, shared governance participation, and continuity.

Strategy Group 5: Improve academic and administrative continuity

Strategy Group Accountable Person: Lead Recruitment Consultant

  • Tactic 1: Develop appropriate continuity plans for administrative roles: deans and department chairs, academic administrators, and administrative leaders and directors.
  • Tactic 2: Create and maintain leadership development programs for staff, including both administrative and non-administrative leadership paths with a focus on emotional intelligence and relationship-building skills.
  • Tactic 3: Continuously identify exceptional talent that could enhance campus leadership, both internal and external.
  • Tactic 4: Reduce number and duration of interim appointments.
  • Tactic 5: Create and maintain leadership development programs for faculty, including both administrative and non-administrative leadership paths with a focus on emotional intelligence and relationship-building skills.

Goal Alignments

North Star Goal Alignment

Foundational.

Missouri Compacts Primary Alignment

Inclusive Excellence; Engagement and Outreach; Planning, Operations, and Stewardship.

Strategic Team

Strategic Focus Area Leadership

Cindi Nelson—SFA Accountable Person

Chief Human Resources Officer

Manashi Nath—Faculty Liaison

Professor of Chemistry
Faculty Senate, Tenure Policy Committee Chair

Strategy Group Accountable Persons

David Westenberg

Curators Distinguished Teaching Professor and Faculty Senate President

Daniel Forciniti

Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs

Jacquelyn Sansone

Fiscal Manager, College of Arts, Sciences, and Education and Staff Council President

Simone Waldon

Staff Success Center Manager