Staff Development & Training

Purpose

The University recognizes a responsibility to enhance the staff employee’s opportunity to develop skills and abilities for full performance within the position and for career advancement within the University. Both the department and the Human Resources Office of Training and Development (HRT&D) have a responsibility to assist in the professional development of staff employees.

Policy

1. The department initiates the professional development process with the use of an employee’s performance appraisal. Through the Performance Evaluation (PE) system, an assessment is made of the training and development needs of the department and its employees.
2. HRT&D assists in the professional development process by evaluating the recommendations of departments as well as overall University needs by:
   1. Developing and presenting training courses, and
   2. Offering training material and advice as to applicable methods for achieving training objectives.
3. The following training is mandatory for the designated groups(s) of employees:
   1. Any regular staff employee with a full time equivalent (FTE) of 0.5 or greater shall attend new employee orientation within 30 calendar days after his/her first date of employment.
   2. Note: If an employee separates and returns to regular employment within one year, the employee will not be required to attend new employee orientation. Employees who separate and return to regular employment in over one year are required to attend new employee orientation.
   3. All newly hired or promoted supervisory employees shall complete SuperVISION, a supervisory training program, within 180 days of supervisory assignment.

Process

The department and HRT&D assist employees in achieving training objectives. However, ultimate responsibility for development and training resides with the employee.

1. Department heads are encouraged to recommend to HRT&D any training and development which would benefit the department or employee. Department and division heads are also encouraged to develop departmental or divisional staff development programs specific to the needs of the department or division.
2. HRT&D continuously evaluates recommendations and overall University needs and establishes training programs as possible to meet those needs.
3. Scheduled training programs for employees are announced through bulletins distributed to all department heads, designated web sites and University publications.
4. Upon approval of the department head, an employee may attend a training program conducted by HRT&D or other designated providers. An employee
   1. May request nomination/registration or to be nominated/registered for training programs;
   2. May attend training as paid working time if either he or she registers, or is nominated for, training for departmental related objectives; and
   3. May attend as paid working time at the department head’s discretion if he or she registers, or is nominated for, training for personal objectives. If paid time is not authorized, the employee shall be notified of that fact by the department head prior to the beginning of the training program.
5. HRT&D is responsible for maintaining a record of employees who complete their training courses within the system of record. Upon completion of HRT&D sponsored certificate training, HRT&D is responsible for forwarding the record of completion to the Human Resources Office of Employee Records.
6. If a department’s training needs cannot be met by HRT&D, a referral of the request may be made to appropriate resources and advice given to the department head concerning alternatives.