Work proceeding on McKinsey recommendations
Since a 2006 assessment of Dartmouth’s administrative services, conducted by
the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, the College has
implemented a number of changes to enhance communications and establish
procedures that better support institutional priorities. Following the McKinsey
report, President James Wright established four Administrative Working
Groups—Annual Planning and
Budget, Administrative
Communications and Culture, Professional Development and
Training, and Hiring and
Retention—to address those areas identified for review in the report. Some
of the key developments that have occurred in response to the working groups’
recommendations are outlined below.
Administrative Communications and Culture
Recommendations included the development of a new mission statement for the
College and improved internal communications. Developments include:
- A revised mission
statement was announced in May 2007, following an extensive period of
community feedback: “Dartmouth College educates the most promising students and
prepares them for a lifetime of learning and of responsible leadership, through
a faculty dedicated to teaching and the creation of knowledge.” The statement
is augmented by the Dartmouth legacy and a set of core values. President Wright
says, “We now need to work to advance this mission and to rededicate ourselves
to meet its very high aspirations and to protect our core values and
legacy.”
- A new communications mechanism, Dartmouth Daily Updates, was launched in
February. The e-mail and Web-based system is sent to all Dartmouth employees
and students daily, with the goal of consolidating news and improving
communication efficiency.
- President’s Administrative Forum (PAF) meetings have been reorganized to
allow for more active participation by members, increased dialogue, and
smoother flow of information.
Professional Development and Training
The group recommended taking better advantage of internal and external
resources, aligning training with institutional priorities, sharpening the
focus on diversity issues, and increasing responsiveness to the needs of
employees. Results to date include:
- Increased participation in and better use of performance reviews: Dartmouth
achieved a record near-80 percent participation rate in the performance
evaluation process in 2007, and continues to focus on achieving 100 percent
participation. “Employees and their managers already appear to be reaping the
benefits of a continuous process,” says Traci Nordberg, chief human resources
officer. “Setting goals together, discussing progress, and supporting career
development are important investments in our employees. As a result, we are all
more engaged in our work to support the mission of the College.”
- Enhanced professional development programs: The “Management Essentials at
Dartmouth” (MEAD) curriculum offers managers training in the basics of
supervision and management within a mixed learning (online, self-study, and
classroom) format. “How to Advance your Career at Dartmouth College” provides
staff with tools to grow their careers at the College. Employees can learn
about these programs and more at the Office of Human Resources.
- Enhanced diversity training: Institutional Diversity & Equity
(IDE) has sponsored new programs including “Beyond 101: Diversity Next Steps,”
and a “Managers Series.” “We have intentionally expanded our offerings beyond
awareness trainings to programs that focus on creating welcoming, respectful,
and inclusive work environments,” says Holly Sateia, interim vice president for
Institutional Diversity & Equity. “Departments are invited to work with IDE
to develop their own custom-tailored programs and workshops.”
- Restructured new employee orientation program: Orientation now includes
more material to acquaint employees with the community, the College’s
structure, and provides opportunities for people to get connected within the
workplace and beyond.
Annual Planning and Budget
Recommendations of the Annual Planning and Budget Working Group included
more communication and a clearer connection between the budgeting process and
institutional goals and priorities. “These efforts are intended to increase
transparency by expanding knowledge about College financial issues across
campus, and increasing the opportunity for feedback on the decisions about
priorities that translate into the operating and capital budgets,” says Adam
Keller, executive vice president for finance and administration. Some of the
new processes put in place include:
- Increased engagement with the College Budget and Finance Committee: The
leaders of the seven major organizational areas in the College (excluding the
professional schools), as well as leaders of the capital and operating budget
processes, meet regularly to discuss current-year results, budget issues for
the subsequent year, and projections.
- Involvement of divisions and programmatic areas in the College in
long-range strategic planning: A number of divisions have engaged in more
formal strategic planning efforts. The results of these efforts and their
near-term financial implications are shared at the College Budget and Finance
Committee meetings.
- Meetings with the Faculty Committee on Priorities: Keller and Provost Barry
Scherr meet regularly with this group to share budget projections and get input
on issues that are priorities for faculty.
- Presentations to the President’s Administrative Forum (PAF): Information
about the state of College finances and about major new initiatives are
regularly shared at PAF meetings.
Hiring and Retention
Recommendations included improvements to the search and recruitment process,
procedures for handling employee concerns and grievances, and finding ways to
increase institutional diversity. Changes implemented include:
- The establishment of a College Ombuds Office: Mary Childers was
appointed College ombudsperson in February 2007. Her office is a neutral,
confidential resource for non-faculty employees to receive assistance with
workplace concerns. “Many people have expressed gratitude that the College has
made this kind of service available,” says Childers, who reports that the
Ombuds Office has assisted approximately 150 employees.
- Increased assistance with recruitment: Human Resources now has a
professional recruiting team that provides consultation to hiring officers,
develops recruitment plans, and promotes the identity of Dartmouth as an
“Employer of Choice.” Recruiters are also able to network strong candidates to
other searches, taking advantage of existing connections.
- Dual-career network: A new service available to the spouses/partners of
final candidates and recently relocated dual-career couples seeking employment.
Clients receive career advice, résumé review, and networking support.
- More diverse applicant pools: A recruiting professional in Human Resources
focuses on developing networks to grow applicant pools and recruit candidates
from underutilized groups. The Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity
continues to collaborate with Human Resources on recruitment and to serve as a
resource for all hiring managers.
-
New handbook for hiring managers: The guide offers ideas for attracting a
diverse candidate pool, marketing the position, interviewing, and more.
- An updated “Campus
and Community Resource Guide” (PDF, 224kb): Institutional Diversity &
Equity has updated the guide, which connects prospective employees and new
hires with current employees available to answer questions about Dartmouth and
the Upper.
- Streamlined hiring process: Searches for which a committee would previously
have been required are now more flexible. Administrative departments can
choose how to use search committees and interview panels to best suit their
hiring needs. Administration for all staff searches is also now consolidated
within Human Resources. The Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity
continues to collaborate with academic deans on faculty searches, and provides
assistance with all searches as needed.
- Expanded parental and bereavement leave policies: Dartmouth’s new plan
allows two weeks of paid parental leave to all parents (in addition to the six
weeks of medical leave routinely provided to birth mothers). The parental leave
may be taken at any point during the first year of becoming a parent. Dartmouth
has also increased the number of paid bereavement days from three to five. The
days can be taken in the event of a death of an immediate family member.
The review of administrative services and the development of new programs
and policies is an ongoing process. A survey of staff members will be conducted
during spring term, to help assess progress since the last survey in 2006 and
identify areas for continued improvement. Nariah Broadus, assistant to the
president, emphasizes the significance of employee input: “There are many
opportunities at Dartmouth for people to weigh in—including through their
supervisors or department heads, surveys, and meetings—and I hope they take
advantage of that. Every opinion is considered, and two-way communication is
vital to the process.”
By SARAH MEMMI
|
RSS/XML Feed