UMD Guidance for “Work. With Flexibility.”

Dear Colleagues,

I hope that your summer is going well. You have all done amazing work during the pandemic to transform how you teach, how you meet the needs of our students, and how you serve the many people that interact with UMD every day. As we continue to prepare for the upcoming semester, I am sending this follow-up to my message about Work. With Flexibility.

With input from campus leadership, the Vice Chancellors and I have developed guiding principles and planning guidance to help frame how we will implement Work. With Flexibility. at UMD. Throughout this process, we are doing our best to balance the best interests of our students while considering each employee’s perspective and unique circumstances. We acknowledge the good work done both on campus and remotely since March 2020, and we are working to create flexibility for employees as we return to more activity on campus. We will take advantage of the ways we have learned to be flexible in our work arrangements moving forward. We don't want to lose our gains in productivity, morale, and engagement as we transition back to serving our students and various public entities in an environment that is primarily face-to-face.

Supervisors are asked to take this framework, consult with their team and unit leadership, and build plans for their units. Unit plans must be communicated to employees by July 19, 2021. I am encouraging supervisors or unit administrators to organize discussion and listening sessions for the faculty and staff in their units in order to answer questions and increase understanding of how to best implement this Work. With Flexibility. approach.

UMD Guiding Principles for Work. With Flexibility.:

• UMD is a place-based institution of higher learning, and most of our students will be on campus this academic year.
• Faculty and staff work arrangements must meet student and organizational needs and ensure optimal service, effectiveness, and efficiency. 
• In determining work arrangements, both collective and individual work must be taken into consideration.
• Work arrangements are determined through dialogue between the employee and supervisor within the UMD Guiding Principles, not by the individual employee. If disagreements need to be resolved between the employee and supervisor, final determinations on flexible work arrangements are made by leadership of the employee’s Unit, for example, the Vice Chancellors of Academic Affairs, Student Life, Finance and Operations, or by the Chancellor for the Chancellor’s Unit. 
• We acknowledge that some positions are not able to work remotely due to the nature of the work.

UMD “Guideposts” for Planning:

• Faculty will be expected to deliver courses as originally scheduled with the expectation that the majority of our courses will take place face-to-face. Faculty must be available for in-person advising/meetings/office hours. We are returning to the pre-pandemic in-office flexibility, and adding what was learned during the pandemic. We now have an increased skill set of delivering content and meetings with more accountability and flexibility while leveraging new technology and new approaches to teaching and learning.
• For staff, if your workplace faces and serves students, faculty, staff, or the public, there must be full office coverage during business hours each week.
• The initial plans will be temporary or pilot arrangements, and we will review these plans periodically to determine effectiveness, examine performance, and to make any necessary adjustments. 
• We will not be able to continue many of the “heroic” actions started during the pandemic, because they are not sustainable and are no longer needed as we return to in-person work. For example, the Mail Room cannot continue to shoulder all reception services for the campus.

In instances where remote work has been approved, the expectations are as follows:

• Work schedules should accommodate the business needs of the department. Supervisors may require specific time periods/events where all staff must be in the workplace with no exceptions, if the business needs of the department require it. For many, this will involve activities at the beginning or end of the semester, but it may apply to other times as well.
• The supervisor may require meetings to be in person without offering the hybrid option. 
• There will be no new costs to the department for equipment, office furnishings, etc.
• While prioritizing the needs of the unit, plans can include multiple hybrid options. For example, working remotely one day a week, two days a week, or one week on campus and one week remotely. 
• Units need to ensure fair and equitable use of remote work, especially around holidays and weekends while continuing to meet unit and campus needs.
• Remote work should occur from a home office. Any alternate locations, for example, vacation locations, cabins, etc., must be approved by the supervisor. 
• Individuals approved to work remotely must be available and reachable by phone during normal business hours and have access to video conferencing.
• Employees working remotely must have reliable internet access to ensure functionality.
• Disability accommodations may be requested through the Disability Resource Center.

Other related resources:

• UMD Human Resources Department Liaison Contact List
• Office of Human Resources (OHR) Work. With Flexibility website
• Preliminary operational guidelines from OHR

If you have questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact your supervisor, Vice Chancellor or me, if you are in the Chancellor’s Unit.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Salary Increases for Fiscal Year 2022

Dear Colleagues,

As you know, in years past the University has used a merit increase pool to award raises to eligible employees. The extraordinary circumstances and financial challenges of the past year have affected the size of this year’s pool, which is recommended to be 1.5% for fiscal year 2022 (July 1, 2021–June 30, 2022).

Based on the size of this year’s pool, the University is proposing that it be awarded as an across-the-board pay increase. The increase will be applied to the employee’s base salary as it was prior to the pandemic furlough and pay reduction programs. This means all eligible employees will receive the same increase, rather than differing increases based on performance, as in recent years. It is important to note that the University still supports performance-based (also known as merit-based) pay increases in future years.

The proposed salary increase plan is pending the Board of Regents approval, which we expect to receive on June 29.

To be eligible for the 1.5% across-the-board pay increase, an employee must have been actively employed in an eligible position as of January 1, 2021, and have remained employed in an eligible position on June 21, 2021.

Employees covered by collective-bargaining agreements are not eligible for the pay increase as they have compensation plans negotiated into their collective-bargaining agreements. This includes non-UEA represented faculty at the Duluth campus. Undergraduate students, temp/casual positions, and most graduate assistants and professionals-in-training are also excluded from the pay increase. There are also unique populations within the civil service, P&A, faculty, and graduate assistant groups that are not eligible for the increase; these will be determined by each collegiate or administrative unit.

Pay increases will be withheld for employees with the following performance concerns:

1. The employee has a “needs development,” “does not meet expectations,” “unsatisfactory,” or equivalent rating on their FY21 annual performance review; and

2. During the review period, the employee has received documented disciplinary action or performance management. The documentation must inform the employee that continued noncompliance or failure to improve/meet expectations could result in further disciplinary action.

The pay increase will take effect on June 21 and be reflected on the first 2022 fiscal year paycheck on July 14.

If you have questions about this year’s salary increase plan, your collegiate or administrative unit’s HR department can help.

Our employees are our greatest asset and this last year has truly demonstrated how strong and devoted our workforce is. Thank you for all your work and dedication to our students and UMD.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Details About the University’s “Work with Flexibility” Guidelines

 Dear Faculty and Staff,

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, learn, and work. Yet, this pandemic did not degrade our success or destroy our spirit, thanks to your dedication, flexibility, and determination to pursue excellence through the most uncertain and difficult times. We want to take a moment to acknowledge our employees who worked on campus during this period, for their dedication and commitment to our university mission and for sustaining our campus operations.

A lesson from COVID-19 is that work is not as much about where it happens. Work is first about what we do, followed by how, when, and then where.

Work. With Flexibility.

As we look ahead, we are pleased to announce new guidelines for the way we work going forward. Human Resources has created an approach called Work. With Flexibility. which provides systemwide guidance for legal and policy compliance, while allowing for local flexibility in its application. We developed this guidance over several months in collaboration with the HR community and senior leaders, and in consultation with University of Minnesota Senate governance groups, the General Counsel’s office, and others.

Our preliminary guidelines describe various options for flexible work, including full-time in-person, full-time remote, and a mix between the two. It addresses topics pertaining to working out of state, remote work for hourly workers, office technology, accommodations, and much more. Importantly, we will measure, assess, and refine the guidance over the next year by continuing to gather feedback from employees, students, and the HR community to maximize its effectiveness.

Planning for Returning to Campus

In the meantime, the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors will define how best to use this guidance to develop plans that meet the needs of their specific unit. Supervisors will evaluate all Work. With Flexibility. requests and make decisions that are in the best interest of the work they oversee, staying within bounds of the University and Chancellor/Vice Chancellor guidance.

Plans will be communicated to employees by July 19, 2021, and when possible, before that date to provide time for employees to make appropriate arrangements.

Employees should understand that although department leaders and supervisors are responsible for making final decisions about individual flexible work arrangements, they will do so by thoughtfully considering each employee’s perspective and unique circumstances. Indeed, with support from HR, supervisors will have the tools and resources they need to foster transparency, set clear expectations and ensure equity in the development of flexible work plans.

Resources to Support a Flexible Workplace

To learn more, please visit z.umn.edu/WorkWithFlexibility which houses information and resources, including the guidelines themselves, case studies of how they are already being applied in certain areas, an FAQ, supervisory training materials, and more.

Leadership and Talent Development in the Office of Human Resources developed resources to help supervisors build the skills needed to make these decisions and manage flexible teams. Training resources and other supervisory materials are currently available on the Work. With Flexibility. and at supervising.umn.edu. More information on supervisory training is forthcoming.

We recognize the incredible strength and patience you summoned during the past year as we navigated uncharted waters. Amazingly, we are entering new territory once again—a post-pandemic reality—that undoubtedly will require continued patience and agility, at least for the near-term. For that, we are grateful. We also are hopeful that this new phase brings great excitement for the future of work at the University.

For specific questions about the systemwide guidelines, please contact your supervisor or HR representative.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Mark Yuran
Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources

Campus Culture and Climate

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As we come to the close of another academic year, I gratefully acknowledge your outstanding work through challenging times. I am always impressed and inspired by the dedication of this campus community. In the face of a pandemic, UMD students, faculty, and staff continued to excel as you adjusted to new ways of teaching, learning, research, and public service. Many thanks for all you do to advance the mission of UMD and the University of Minnesota.

This year also reminds us of how much work we have yet to accomplish. The tragic killings of George Floyd and Daunte Wright, and the protests, public debates, and racial and social justice conversations that followed, call upon us all to renew our commitment to a safe and welcoming environment at UMD that stamps out injustices and insensitivities. That means making it clear that racism, sexism, and all other forms of hateful behavior have no place here.

That responsibility begins with me. Last July, I outlined seven diversity and inclusion action steps to spur change at our campus. As the embedded status reports reflect, we have made those actions a priority, from engaging Dr. Cedric Alexander on a campus-wide community policing conversation to hiring initiatives to curriculum reassessment to meaningful training initiatives. In March, I spoke frankly with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics about the need to work on culture. Indicative of my expectations, that memorandum details the steps being taken to not only deter bias and prevent misconduct, but also to inspire positive changes.

There is much more we need to do, and I need your help. As we join the rest of the country in examining the ways we have contributed to the problem, overtly or implicitly, I ask you to join me in contributing to the solution. Those of us who are supervisors are expected to lead the charge to stop all forms of sexual misconduct and to stop microaggressions, as well as overt forms of intimidation and abuse, that can seep into the workplace if those in positions of authority do not set the right tone. None of us can be bystanders to injustice. Please continue to advocate and promote gender equity by calling out and reporting sexist and other inappropriate behavior.

We will continue to provide our campus community with training, development, and programs to support and raise each other up. Do not treat training as simply a requirement to be fulfilled. Employ what you learn. Do your part to check insensitive comments and talk with your colleagues as to how we can improve. Report improprieties. And these efforts need to be continuous.

Before the end of May, all systemwide employees are expected to complete a required employee educational module titled Preventing Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, and Retaliation. The newly formed UMD Sexual Misconduct Prevention Committee combines the work previously performed by two separate groups (the Sexual Violence Response Team and the Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Stalking and Dating Violence Committee) into one committee with a renewed focus on prevention.

There are a variety of other programs and activities occurring around campus to support us on this journey. We will continue to engage in ongoing actions and initiatives to improve climate and culture, and we are exploring others. There is not a single solution or action we can take to ensure a safe and welcoming climate here at UMD, it will require addressing this issue from all directions. But we will remain committed to that goal.

Finally, please know that I always welcome your suggestions and recommendations. As I mentioned in the memorandum to the Department of Mathematics and Statistics: “Our culture cannot be changed quickly, nor can the progress we have made to date be seen as ‘solving’ an issue. We are committed to working with you, day in and day out, to seek prevention, transparency, and justice that makes our community stronger together.”

Thank you for joining me in this most important of University missions.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Reminder: Faculty, Staff and Years of Service event - April 28, 2021

 Dear Faculty and Staff,

Please join us for the Faculty, Staff, and Years of Service awards ceremony. Faculty and staff award winners from both 2020 and 2021 will be honored. You can find those names listed here.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021
3:00 - 4:00 pm

Awards include:
John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising (System Award)
Undergraduate Faculty Advisor Award
Graduate Faculty Advisor Award
Tezla Teacher/Scholar Award
Outstanding Staff Awards
Outstanding Staff Team Award
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Research/Creative Activity
Faculty & Staff Years of Service Awards for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40+ (2021 only)

Please register at z.umn.edu/facstaff2021 and join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our UMD employee community!

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Correction Regarding the Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs

Correction to yesterday's message regarding the Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs.

Last week, the University announced Karen Diver, Director of Business Development for Native American Initiatives at the University of Arizona, as a finalist in our search for the University's inaugural Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs. Ms. Diver addressed her vision for the University of Minnesota and answered questions from our community in a public presentation last week. Please take a moment to provide your feedback on her candidacy, as your voice is critically important to the role and our work as an institution. The deadline to provide feedback to the Search Committee is Monday, April 26.

Thank you and we apologize for any confusion.

Updates: Vaccines, Sr. Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs, International Travel

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I have just a few brief updates for you today.

Vaccine Availability
All Minnesotans age 16 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This news brings optimism for summer gatherings with family and friends, followed by a successful return to more typical in-person operations in the fall.

Locally in Duluth, both Essentia Health and St. Lukes have available access to the vaccine. As well, this list of weekly St. Louis County vaccine registration links is updated regularly. In the meantime, we must also continue the preventive measures we've embraced. We will continue to wear face coverings and rely on testing, physical distancing, avoiding large gatherings with those outside of our immediate family or friends, and staying home if we feel ill.

Find COVID vaccine information on the Safe Campus vaccine page. The UMD Safe Campus website continues to be a good source of information for campus-related pandemic information.

Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs
The search committee for the University's inaugural Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs recommended Karen Diver, Director of Business Development for Native American Initiatives at the University of Arizona, as a finalist. We will share a link to Karen's public presentation next week when she will address her vision for the Office of Indian Affairs at the University of Minnesota. As part of her presentation, Karen will also address questions from the University community. If you would like to propose a question for Karen to address, please submit your question online.

International Travel
The restriction on University-purpose international travel remains in effect until April 30, 2021. (Note: This restriction does not apply to personal travel.) Depending on the public health situation and guidance from state and national health experts, the restriction may be extended into the spring or early summer. An exception process for faculty, staff, and graduate students who must travel internationally as part of their University research or scholarship remains available. A similar exception process is now available for undergraduate students planning essential University-purpose travel to lower-risk international destinations (defined by University policy as those designated by the U.S. State Department as Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2). Guidance on international travel is available from the U.S. Department of State.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor