ELT Meeting Highlights: 4/14

notepad iconThe FP&M Extended Leadership Team (ELT) met on April 14, 2021.

Meeting highlights included an update on FP&M’s Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity (EID) Plan, preparing for a “New Normal” as more in-person activities resume on campus, and efforts to support campus space needs as a part of UW–Madison’s post-pandemic plan.


EID Action Plan and Implementation Plan

Margaret Tennessen & Dar Ward – EID Committee Co-chairs

Dar Ward attended as a guest to kick off the ELT meeting with an update on Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity (EID) Plan progress and updates. The plan has two components to address FP&M needs based on the 2020 employee EID Survey.

Illustration: Words on stylized gray, white, and red background textures, "EID" (Engagement Inclusion and Diversity)

The EID 2020 Survey Action Plan has four main priorities:

  1. Build capacity and skills for leadership, managers and supervisors to be effective in their roles and to be accessible and accountable to employees
  2. Provide professional development and training opportunities for employees to build their skills and grow in their roles
  3. Employees are aware of promotional opportunities and are recognized for their work
  4. Policies are widely known, are accessible, and are applied equitably to employees

The 2020-2021 EID Implementation Plan has been updated with plan activities to continue implementing in 2021:

    • Cultural awareness (communications and onboarding content)
    • AVC listening Q&A sessions
    • Track/report demographics, recruitment for diverse pools
    • Hard copy postings for groups that prefer
    • Understand causes of exclusion, set goals—related to national trends
    • Translation guidelines and prioritization
    • Training portal / filter tool
    • Recognition training (managers and supervisors) and needs assessment
    • Engagement, Inclusion, & Diversity (EID) competencies & expectations for managers
    • Unconscious bias/racial justice training for managers/supervisor/leadership
    • Professional development

Discussion

ELT team members met in smaller groups for EID breakout sessions, with four goals in mind: 1) connect & reflect 2) share collective wisdom, 3) be inspired to dedicate time and take action within teams, and 4) begin the process (this work is ongoing). Consider:

    • What do you do as a leader to educate yourself on EID issues?
    • How do we as leaders build competence and confidence in addressing Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity?
    • We all have a lot on our plates but it’s important to note how EID work is not separate from our other work
    • The Change Curve Tool: a Project Team is generally first to adapt to changes, followed by Leaders, then Staff

Preparing for a “New Normal” on campus

Rob Cramer, Margaret Tennessen, Sue Fritts

Health & Safety

Infection rates continue to rise in the counties surrounding us.

    • New health & safety protocols are being developed, but current protocols remain in place at this time
    • Some changes to campus guidance will begin 5/10

Remote Work

    • A UW-Madison telecommuting policy was in place already last year (implemented in an emergency for campus)
    • Campus has been working on an updated policy and asked for feedback from campus partners
    • The campus HR community has been invited to comment on the draft remote work policy and proposed workflow process
    • FP&M is working through details for how this policy would be applied in our division
    • The details must be considered and are important

Data Collection Exercise to Support FP&M Space Planning

Brent Lloyd

Brent Lloyd introduced a work modalities and programmatic space needs exercise that supports the work explained in Rob Cramer’s 4/15 message to FP&M employees. This exercise will help to address FP&M and other campus space needs as a part of the university’s plan to look at work modalities post-pandemic.

    • Each division is making plans to establish a new normal of on-campus work for a phased return of employees working remotely.
    • Leadership is in early-stage discussions on what this new normal will look like for FP&M.
    • FP&M will use results to determine what work is best suited to be performed on campus, partially remote, or fully remote.
    • FP&M leadership will strive to allocate space consistently and equitably, while also meeting the operational needs of the university.

“This is really our opportunity to review what has worked, what hasn’t worked.”
-Brent Lloyd


What is the ELT?

The Extended Leadership Team (ELT) at FP&M includes FP&M directors and their direct reports.