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- Our values at work – Stories that highlight systemwide programs and initiatives that reflect UC's values
- Ask HR – Your HR questions answered, with tips for making the most of valuable UC benefits
- Grow with UC – Information about systemwide UC professional development opportunities and resources for career advancement
- Making a difference – Stories of staff who bring UC's mission to life
- Stay healthy with UC – Health and wellness news, including health research from UC experts
- Staff Snapshot – Short, fun profiles contributed by UC staff
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The editor welcomes your feedback as they work to make UCnetwork better with every issue. Please contact UCnetwork@ucop.edu with questions, comments or suggestions for future topics.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Dear UC ANR staff members,
Please complete UC's Staff Engagement Survey by June 7 if you haven't done it already. Your unique survey link is in an email from Willis Towers Watson. We are currently at 39% response rate, in third place for responses, trailing UC Merced staff at 42% and UC Santa Barbara staff at 40%.
UC is conducting the biennial Staff Engagement Survey to learn more about non-represented (policy-covered) staff impressions about working at the university.
During the week of May 13, UC ANR's policy-covered staff members were sent an email from Willis Towers Watson, a firm conducting the survey on UC's behalf, with an invitation to take the survey.
The survey was developed by the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) in collaboration with Systemwide Human Resources and Willis Towers Watson.
This is not spam so please do not delete the email invitation.
The Staff Engagement Survey aims to help UC better understand the views, experiences and needs of policy-covered staff on topics related to working at UC ANR, including career development, performance management and workplace collaboration.
This is the fourth staff engagement survey; the last survey was in 2017. ANR's past survey results led directly to ANR Staff Assembly's increased focus on wellness, including guidelines for health meetings and UC Walks. By comparing the results of the past surveys, ANR Staff Assembly and Human Resources will get insight into areas where progress has been made and areas that need further effort and focus.
You can find information about past survey results on the ANR Staff Assembly website: http://staffassembly.ucanr.edu/Council_of_University_of_California_Staff_Assemblies/2017_UC_Staff_Engagement_Survey/
We encourage you to complete the survey, if you should receive it. It is an opportunity to provide direct feedback that will help shape how we work at UC ANR.
The survey is completely confidential. Individual responses to the survey and personally identifying information will not be shared with UC.
Note that union-represented employees will not participate in the survey because UC receives their feedback through their union representatives during the collective bargaining process.
More information on UCNet: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2019/05/ucs-fourth-systemwide-staff-engagement-survey-launches-may-13.html
If you have questions about the survey, please contact EmployeeSurveySupport@willistowerswatson.com.
Shane Feirer
Chair, UC ANR Staff Assembly
John Fox
Executive Director, UC ANR Human Resources
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The annual performance appraisal is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities to build skills, and align individual efforts to high-level unit and division goals. Take time in the next month to review and reflect on the past year, and plan your future work with your supervisor.
The staff performance review period runs from April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019. An annual appraisal should be completed for all ANR staff employees, including represented and non-represented, career and contract employees with at least six months of service as of March 31, 2019.
This year ANR Human Resources has modified the Employee Performance Appraisal Form to align with the UC system-wide core competencies and to prepare supervisors and employees for the future online appraisal process. Please plan to attend one of the upcoming webinars to learn more.
Upcoming webinars
ANR Human Resources will host Zoom webinars for staff and supervisors during the month of March. Please hold one of these dates/times on your calendar:
- Employee Role: March 5, Tuesday, 9 a.m.–10 a.m.
- Supervisor Role: March 6, Wed., 3 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Employee Role: March 20, Wed., 10 a.m.–11 a.m.
- Supervisor Role: March 26, Tuesday, 3 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Zoom info:
- Zoom: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/8151602829
- Telephone US: +1 408 638 0968 or +1 646 558 8656
- Meeting ID: 815-160-2829
If you are a supervisor, you only need to participate in a supervisor session.
More information about the annual process, including timelines, guidelines and Performance Appraisal Tools are available on the ANR Human Resources website http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRSPU/Supervisor_Resources/Performance_Management.
Note: ANR staff based at the Office of the President will follow the UCOP-HR performance process with separate trainings, timelines and forms.
If you have questions regarding the appraisal process, please contact Mary Vlandis at maryvlandis@ucanr.edu.
The salary increases for non-represented staff will be reflected in paychecks beginning on Sept. 1 for monthly paid employees, and on Sept. 5 for bi-weekly paid employees. The retroactive amounts back to July 1 are expected to be included in the October 1 paychecks for monthly paid, and in the October 3 paychecks for bi-weekly paid.
The 2018–2019 salary program for UC ANR academics was announced by Associate Vice President Wendy Powers earlier this month. This program is also effective July 1, 2018, for eligible academic titles. Wendy's announcement is available on the Academic HR website.
Providing market competitive compensation for staff and academics is a top priority for UC ANR. People are our greatest asset; without you, we cannot achieve our research and extension mission.
In addition to the annual salary programs, over the last two years UC ANR has implemented multi-year strategies to improve the competitiveness of salaries for UCCE advisors and non-represented staff. Each of these programs represents a significant financial investment for the division, and we are committed to continuing those programs despite receiving no increase in funding from the Office of the President for the coming fiscal year.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your hard work and dedication. Together we are achieving great things.
Sincerely,
Glenda Humiston
Vice President
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
As part of an ongoing effort to share information across the whole UC ANR family, we will trial share (using Zoom) the monthly ANR Second Street staff meeting.
Employees outside the UC ANR Davis building will be welcome to join via Zoom (details below).
ANR staff meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and have three elements
1. "UC ANR in action" – stories from the field and staff,
2. Updates from staff and leadership, and
3. "Learning" - such as health and safety training, etc.
The sessions are brief and to the point. Send suggestions for this or future meetings to Staff Assembly through your Staff Assembly Ambassadors.
The next meeting is July 19 at 1:30 p.m. Join by Zoom:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/124983401
(669) 900-6833 or (646) 558-8656
Webinar ID: 124 983 401