A Message from Sheri R. Neshiem Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer

Human Resources plays a critical role in supporting the mission of UMass Amherst, and to meet the needs of our community today and in the future, HR must continue to evolve.

The OHR Modernization Plan represents a significant and intentional shift in how HR operates at UMass Amherst. It moves us away from a decentralized, transaction-heavy model toward a modern HR organization focused on employee experience, equity, compliance, and strategic partnership with campus leaders.

This work is about clarity and alignment. Modernizing HR means clearly defining what HR is responsible for, and what it is not, so that work is owned and performed in the right places across the university. It allows HR to focus on its core purpose, supporting our workforce, managing institutional risk, and enabling leaders to build and sustain strong teams.

Under this model, HR is organized around the employee experience and centers of excellence that provide deep expertise in areas such as labor relations, compensation, benefits, talent acquisition, and continuous process improvement. At the same time, departments, colleges, and academic leadership retain ownership of academic, operational, and administrative work that is best managed locally or through other central offices.

This website is designed to provide transparency into the OHR Modernization Plan. It explains how HR is structured, what services HR provides, how we partner with the campus, and where responsibilities sit across the institution. It is intended to be a practical resource for leaders, managers, and employees as we continue this transition.

Modernizing HR is not about doing less, it is about doing the right work, in the right way, to better serve the people of UMass Amherst. I appreciate your partnership as we continue this important work together.

Sheri R. Neshiem
Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer
UMass Amherst