UMass HR Insider—April 2024 | Volume 2, Issue 4
Content
Sheri Neshiem Has Been Appointed Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer
Following a national search, we are thrilled to welcome Sheri Neshiem to UMass Amherst! Sheri comes to UMass with over 30 years of human resources experience in higher education and government. Read More
It’s Beneficial
Group Insurance Commission (GIC) Open Enrollment
Open enrollment is our annual opportunity to sign up for, cancel, or change GIC health insurance coverage; enroll (or re-enroll) in a flexible spending account; or enroll in the GIC Buy-Out program. The open enrollment period is from April 3 to May 1, 2024, for coverage effective July 1, 2024. Read more.
We Want to Hear From You
Disability Center at UMass Survey for Staff and Faculty
As part of a cross-campus initiative, the disability center working group is seeking to better understand how and in what form a disability center would be most beneficial at UMass. The following survey was developed to collect input from staff and faculty to help establish a disability center. This anonymous survey will be used solely to deliver recommendations to campus leadership about how faculty and staff could benefit from a disability center. Take the survey.
Attend the Formal Inauguration Ceremony for Chancellor Javier Reyes
Friday, April 26, 2024 | 10:30 a.m., Mullins Center
Register to attend the formal inauguration ceremony for Chancellor Javier Reyes, UMass Amherst’s 31st leader. Join fellow members of the UMass community as Chancellor Reyes shares his vision for the future of higher education. RSVP.
News You Can Use
Founders Day Is Monday, April 29—Rain or Shine!
Join your fellow UMass community members to honor our university’s vibrant history and celebrate the collaborative spirit between faculty, staff, and students that enriches our campus. For a full schedule of events, including the annual free cookout on Haigis Mall, click here.
Did You Know?
Job Scams Are on the Rise
There has been an increase in fake job postings on social media and emails sent to UMass accounts. Learn how to protect yourself from these types of scams! Read more.
Our People Are Here for Good!
“UMass has allowed me to grow my career, starting as a clerk in the College of Nursing and fast-forwarding to now being the finance and operations director for the Institute for Applied Life Sciences, where I love being part of a community that helps support and advance important research with tangible real-life impacts. And, most importantly, I am grateful to have made life-long friends throughout my tenure on campus!”
—Emily Scagel, Finance and Operations Director
Professional Development
Workshop: As Simple as ‘Hello’—Increasing Workplace Civility
Workplace incivility can take many forms; it can be as basic as not responding to greetings or other forms of communication, or it can be a type of bullying, with targeted teasing, insulting, or yelling. It can have an impact on an individual employee's emotional, physical, and cognitive health, as well as affect overall job satisfaction, engagement, performance, and turnover in the workplace. Join us in our next workshop to learn how you can make a positive impact.
Thursday, April 25
10–11:30 a.m.
Microlearning Certificate
Complete 10 hours of learning this spring semester through Workplace Learning and Development and receive a Microlearning Certificate and an invitation to a Lunch and Learn event in June 2024. Learn more.
Bias-Free Recruitment Practices Class
Bias-free recruitment practices involve structured processes to give applicants a fair and equitable opportunity to demonstrate their skills, experience, and qualifications for a job. This session will establish a foundational understanding of how bias affects decision-making, highlight the impact of bias, and provide structured steps to mitigate bias in our recruitment and hiring processes. We encourage anyone who is or will be participating in an upcoming search to attend.
April 25, 1:30–3:30 p.m., at Campus Center 162
May 2, 10 a.m.–Noon, at Campus Center 162
Career Opportunities—Tell a Friend!
Labor Relations Specialist
The Labor Relations Specialist is responsible for supporting the day-to-day administration of the University's collective bargaining agreements covering staff. This position serves as the first point of contact for routine labor relations issues including grievance processing and requests for information. Learn more.