Volume 7, Issue 4, October 2012
This issue of HR Horizons explores top-of-mind concerns among chief human resource officers, chief business officers, presidents, provosts, and admissions directors based on a series of surveys conducted by Inside Higher Ed. Also in this issue: MIT AgeLab Director Joseph Coughlin identifies shifts employers need to make now to remain relevant to employees; a report on CUPA-HR's International Symposium; a look at lackluster employee engagement; and new NACUBO resources on international operations and workplace diversity.
Volume 7, Issue 3, August 2012
This issue of HR Horizons features a Web-based program under development by The SUNY Retirees Service Corps to match the knowledge, skills, and expertise of former employees with volunteer opportunities on campus, within local communities, across the state, and beyond. Also in this issue: common pitfalls to avoid when planning and conducting study-abroad programs; an invitation to participate in an upcoming NACUBO pipeline survey; essential leadership roles, skills, and qualities; and a query about how college and university health benefits plans are evolving.
Volume 7, Issue 2, May 2012
In this issue of HR Horizons, recently retired Vivian Moore Lawyer reflects on lessons learned over more than three decades in higher education HR. Also in this issue: what CBOs must know about the paradigm shift in 403b plans; what HR-related legislative activity to monitor in the coming months; a roundup of recent reports on consumer-driven health plans and leadership trends; and a recent article on how to encourage employees to take action on benefit plan options.
Volume 7, Issue 1, February 2012
Allowing individuals to express their anxiety about change can go a long way toward easing employee resistance and combating the kind of negativity that can derail the rollout of a new initiative or an anticipated restructuring. This issue of HR Horizons highlights different ways people respond to change and how to encourage a more positive approach. Also in this issue: how to resolve the most common problems associated with faculty pay; tips for hiring and paying independent contractors overseas; and ideas for preparing faculty and staff for retirement.
Volume 6, Issue 4, October 2011
The Boston Consortium's Healthy You health management initiative is one example of the group's effective approach to collaboration. This issue of HR Horizons highlights what is required for a healthy and productive consortium. Also in this issue: how employee resource groups can advance employee engagement and inclusion; and a roundup of recent surveys that shed light on employee perceptions about financial security and retirement readiness, and what would make workers happier on the job.
Volume 6, Issue 3, July 2011
This year the University of Georgia began offering personal financial consultations for employees through its new Financial Management and Education Center. This issue of HR Horizons examines how UGA is transforming its HR services model away from transaction toward employee relevance. Also in this issue: insights from the Upper Midwest Higher Education Recruitment Consortium on partnering with regional institutions to attract faculty and staff; key financial planning considerations for senior faculty and administrators nearing retirement; highlights of NACUBO's new International Resource Center; and a report on a recent NACUBO webcast featuring Sibson Consulting's Healthy Enterprise Study and the University of Iowa's wellness management program.
Volume 6, Issue 2, May 2011
New Department of Education rules regarding “incentive compensation” require a thorough review of employee pay based on activity that measures results related to student enrollment and financial aid. This issue of HR Horizons outlines key steps to take by July 1, 2011, to ensure compliance. Also in this issue: insights from Claremont University Consortium for successful collaborations, tips on developing talent within a unionized workplace, guidance on new rules issued that expand coverage for individuals with disabilities, and a recap of surveys on higher education salaries, retirement readiness, and the power of employee perks.
Volume 6, Issue 1, February 2011
How do you harness HR talent within a decentralized environment? This issue of HR Horizons spotlights the University of Michigan's HR Community of Practice, providing networking capability to share best practices and resources and enabling consistency in talent development across the institution. Also in this issue: Virginia Tech's comprehensive approach to filling potential talent and leadership gaps posed by pending retirements, the College of Eastern Utah's successful health insurance cost-sharing initiative, a look ahead to potential new rule-making during the 112th Congress, and resources for employee financial literacy.
Volume 5, Issue 4, October 2010
No matter how you handle it, position eliminations and employee terminations are painful business. This issue of HR Horizons spotlights how, from the depths of the economic recession, Long Island University and the University of Washington each addressed their respective budgetary realities with strategic approaches to workforce reductions. Also in this issue: winning attributes of successful pay-for-performance plans, explaining health-care reform to faculty and staff, and a close-up view of chief business and financial officer demographics and career paths.
Volume 5, Issue 3, July 2010
With the passage of health-care reform earlier this year, higher education leaders must now decipher what the new law requires for their institutions. This issue of HR Horizons highlights the biggest changes coming down the pike. Also in this issue: the value of executive incentive plans; an interview with University of Arizona Vice President of Human Resources Allison Vaillancourt about the post-recession workplace; and tips to prepare for a potential IRS audit of your institution’s compliance with worker compensation rules.
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2010
More colleges and universities are looking to adopt a pay-for-performance culture. This issue of HR Horizons launches the first in a series of articles on building a stronger performance-focused workforce and includes a checklist for assessing institution readiness. Also in this issue: case studies of two institutions that have realized significant savings through dependent audits of their medical plans; research of faculty member concerns about retirement and the need for long-term retirement planning; and an overview of employee-friendly laws that have taken effect since 2009.
Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2010
As budgets remain constrained, more leaders are renewing their emphasis on nonfinancial motivators to retain key talent and optimize productivity. This issue of HR Horizons focuses on employee engagement. Casey Wilson, author of The Cornerstones of Engaging Leadership, reveals how developing trusting relationships with and among employees can impact an organization’s bottom line. Also in this issue: one institution’s study of no-cost approaches to building a work environment in which employees thrive, and a glimpse of future labor pool demographics.
Volume 4, Issue 4, October 2009
Employers stand to save on health costs and gain employee productivity when wellness programs are robust. This issue of HR Horizons showcases the traits of successful campus wellness programs. Also in this issue: Charlotte Fugett, president of Pima Community College, East Campus, tells how her human resources background prepared her for her current role; and highlights of a NACUBO webcast offer tips for protecting and caring for your student and employee populations in the event of an H1N1 outbreak.
Volume 4, Issue 3, July 2009
National surveys and on-the-ground commentary reflect a somber mood about work and retirement in the midst of the recession. This issue of HR Horizons explores whether those realities may in fact point to long-term trends. Also in this issue: compliance strategies for the revised IRS Form 990, how target date funds may prove advantageous for employer-defined contribution plans, and insights for implementing difficult staff reductions and budget cuts.
Volume 4, Issue 2, April 2009
Pay for top executives within the private sector has come under increased scrutiny at a time of severe constraint within the nation's economy. This issue of HR Horizons includes steps for designing an effective executive compensation program at your institution and covers new transparency requirements for executive pay. Also in this issue: how Michigan Technological University implemented a successful consumer-directed health plan, tips for optimizing the HR—finance partnership, and an overview of big changes in COBRA.
Volume 4, Issue 1, January 2009
A down economy presents an opportune time to take stock of undiscovered and underutilized talent. This issue of HR Horizons includes a case study of the University of Georgia's F&A Fellows Program, which grooms rising stars on a low budget. Also in this issue: a discussion of the benefits of merit pay for attracting and retaining your best employees, strategies for keeping your best talent on board during tough economic times, and updates on 403(b) regulations and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Volume 3, Issue 4, October 2008
How does an institution develop a robust relationship with its unionized workforce? This issue of HR Horizons highlights Princeton University's commitment and attention to improving conditions and opportunities for union employees and managers. Also in this issue: a look at what shape health-care reform might take under an Obama administration, critical skills needed by leaders charged with implementing change, and a recap of NACUBO 2008 Annual Meeting sessions on HR competencies and executive search.
Volume 3, Issue 3, July 2008
A growing pool of research points to employees working longer to compensate for retirement income shortfalls. This issue of HR Horizons explores how employers can help employees save and strategies they can use to manage employee transition into retirement. Also in this issue: evaluating your HR function's capacity to identify challenges, build staff competencies, and quickly adjust as institutional needs change.
Volume 3, Issue 2, April 2008
Institutions are implementing new approaches to assess risk, promote wellness and prevention, and encourage employees to prepare for post-payroll health-care expenses. This issue of HR Horizons highlights Duke University's focus on creating a healthier workforce and the move by Rollins College to cover 100 percent of preventive care. Also in this issue: an interview with Human Capital Source CEO Jac Fitz-enz on human performance metrics.
Volume 3, Issue 1, January 2008
Work/life benefits may be the best low-cost strategy for keeping employees satisfied, loyal, and motivated while on the job. This issue of HR Horizons explores reasons why flexibility is increasingly important to employees. Also in this issue: an interview with Beyond HR coauthor John Boudreau on how to identify your institution's pivotal talent, and a University of San Diego case study on how the institution standardized its administrative compensation program.
Volume 2, Issue 4, October 2007
Chief among the workforce challenges facing colleges and universities is where to look to fill key administrative slots left vacant by retiring baby boomers. This issue of HR Horizons explores current hiring trends and their implications for higher education. Also in this issue: the impact of GASB 45 on retirement model assumptions, results of a WorldatWork performance management survey—and how higher education institutions compare, and top HR concerns of chief business and chief HR officers.
Volume 2, Issue 3, July 2007
Institutions must prepare for a new generation of workers to help replace retiring baby boomer faculty and staff. This issue of HR Horizons explores the readiness of colleges and universities to welcome millennials into the workforce. Also in this issue: a look at pandemic readiness and an interview with Dave Ulrich, University of Michigan Ross School of Business professor, on the core competencies leaders should expect of their HR officers.
Volume 2, Issue 2, April 2007
Faculty decisions about when to retire are increasingly influenced by institution benefits, including retiree health insurance. This issue of HR Horizons highlights current faculty retirement and benefits trends, the readiness of faculty to retire, and the role institutions can play in helping to prepare all employees to save for retirement and for future medical expenses.
Volume 2, Issue 1, January 2007
A total rewards strategy articulates an institution’s overall plan for the financial and nonfinancial rewards it offers in exchange for the excellent work and commitment of faculty and staff. This issue of HR Horizons explores the process for identifying and communicating the value of what you offer. Also included is a case study of how The Johns Hopkins University revamped its staff compensation system to bring it in line with its total rewards strategy.
Volume 1, Issue 2, October 2006
Do institution leaders have a good understanding of the human resource challenges specific to their institutions? This issue of HR Horizons provides a glimpse of the state of HR in higher education and offers resources for assessing future workforce readiness.
Volume 1, Issue 1, July 2006
This inaugural issue of HR Horizons underscores the strategic importance of human resouces to chief business officers. The changing demographics of employees and students, highlighted in this issue, is one of many human resource challenges facing higher education institutions.
