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A&F Notes Spring, 2005
2nd Edition No. 1

A&F in the Workplace
Efforts as a Result of CDSJ Survey Begin Across Divisions

	BACKGROUND Between March and October of 2002, Administration and Finance participated in the campus initiative to assess the values and attitudes related to Community, Diversity and Social Justice (CDSJ). A major thrust of the CDSJ effort was to shape a process to insure positive change through assessment, implementation of change plans based on the assessment and re-evaluation of the effect of those changes. Close to 800 A&F staff members (nearly 60%) participated in the survey process. The assessment and analysis of the data was successfully completed in the fall 2003. Since then, survey results have been shared with all employees in their individual units. Some common threads about the results among all divisions was that there was a general sense confirming the findings and there was some concerns expressed that the CDSJ effort be more than rhetoric.

BACKGROUND

Between March and October of 2002, Administration and Finance participated in the campus initiative to assess the values and attitudes related to Community, Diversity and Social Justice (CDSJ). A major thrust of the CDSJ effort was to shape a process to insure positive change through assessment, implementation of change plans based on the assessment and re-evaluation of the effect of those changes. Close to 800 A&F staff members (nearly 60%) participated in the survey process. The assessment and analysis of the data was successfully completed in the fall 2003.

Since then, survey results have been shared with all employees in their individual units. Some common threads about the results among all divisions was that there was a general sense confirming the findings and there was some concerns expressed that the CDSJ effort be more than rhetoric.

IMPLEMENTATION STRUCTURE

A key component in the success of A&F’s CDSJ efforts rests in the implementation structure. A&F has tied the responsibility for CDSJ implementation into its current management structure. This insures accountability at the highest level of its organization while cross level division teams insure that the ideas and input are gathered from the ground up.

The following provides a brief description of some aspect of the implementation structure:

Administration and Finance Senior Administrative Staff (AFSAS): Responsible for leading, supporting and integrating the CDSJ roll out, change strategies, measurements and information sharing for the executive area and coordination with A&F Division’s and the Campus’ CDSJ efforts

Division Cross Level Team (on-going and ad-hoc): Representation by employees from different levels, roles, and diversity dimensions within each A&F Division, these groups are responsible for identifying change goals in the Division and developing change plans with specific outcomes, measures for success, timetables and strategies for implementation

A&F GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In November of 2004, based on consolidating the CDSJ plans received from each unit in A&F, three goals and corresponding objectives were developed by AFSAS to provide A&F with a roadmap for change. In addition, activities were outlined to address these objectives.

GOAL: Reduce the experience of classism among non-exempt staff
- Non-exempt employees are respected and their contributions are recognized as valuable

GOAL: Improve management and supervision
- Employees are more included and more respected
- Opportunities for promotion and hiring are fairly applied
- Supervisors adequately address inappropriate behavior
- Employee growth and development is supported

GOAL: Eliminate language barriers
- Improve the English proficiency for employees with limited or no English language skills

Some of the activities that have been identified to support meeting these objectives include:

Change language: exempt and non-exempt as opposed to implying non-exempt “classified” and not “professional”
Clarify and increase consistent application of current policies (like comp and hours)
Each MBU has a dedicated process, that is inclusive of all levels of the organization, to address CDSJ issues
Re-institute a non-monetary reward and recognition program
Add emphasis on diversity recruitment efforts through outreach to affinity groups
Re-emphasize supervisory and work-related training insuring that non-exempt employees are given release time to participate in employee growth and development opportunities
Expand English as a Second Language training opportunities for staff

MORE INFORMATION?

The current findings from the Commission on Campus Diversity underscore the need for us to continue to strengthen our diversity efforts. A&F is moving in the right direction and will continue to stay the course. For more information on A&F’s CDSJ initiatives, contact your supervisor, speak with someone on your CDSJ division level team, or visit the A&F CDSJ web page at www.umass.edu/af/CDSJ.htm

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