March, April, May 2006 Edition Page 1

Vice President Updates

For the first time, UHV is delivering "Stepping Up to Supervisor," an eight-session program designed to enhance the skills of emerging or newly emerged supervisors and managers. We have 15 participants across university departments enrolled in this first program.

The reward for hard work and mastering a job may be a promotion into a supervisory position. The accompanying responsibilities of becoming a supervisor are sometimes overwhelming. This program is designed to address the concerns of aspiring and newly promoted supervisors, as well as those supervisors who work continually to update their skills. Components of the program include

• Understanding the role of the supervisor

• Communication and Active Listening

• Planning, Goal Setting and Priorities

• Performance Assessment

• Discipline, Counseling, and Follow up

• Building a Team

• Conflict Resolution

• Empowerment and Delegation through Continuous Improvement

The program which began January 31 and ends on May 9, 2006, is being facilitated by Ron Klinger, Training and Development Specialist, with assistance from Katherine Justice, Executive Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at University of Houston Clear Lake and Laura Smith Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at University of Houston-Victoria.  UHV hopes to be offering this course again in the near future for those who are interested in the program, but were not able to attend the current program.

New Budget System

UHV's Budget Office, along with the three other UH campuses, have developed a new Budget Development Module (BDM) for use in the FY 07 budget cycle.  The budget directors have been working with the programmer on the Houston central campus to custom-build a web-based budget system in PeopleSoft using PeopleTools.  The enhanced features in this application will enable users to access real-time data from other PeopleSoft systems, view prior fiscal years' budgets, and access the system on a year-around basis.

Workplace Choice of Wisdom

(Based on Yale University's initiative to become a workplace of choice.)

Words to the wise for engaging employees in the workplace and gaining commitment

• Build trust and develop ground rules for behavior before jumping into any project.

• Be clear about expectations and share concerns with one another.

• Define success in a way that incorporates measurable outcomes.

• Intervene quickly when things go wrong -- which they will.

• Create a climate that accepts mistakes

• Stay close to early initiatives to help them stay on course.

• Talk openly and honestly, especially when it's hard to do so.

• Celebrate every achievement.

"Getting Their Best" by Janet Linder & Janet Castricum; Business Officer, January 2006.

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