The Higher Ed Workplace Blog

Prior to the global health crisis adding more work to higher ed HR’s already-full plate, most teams had pockets of time throughout the week to pause and celebrate accomplishments and plan ahead for the next big project. Now, the increased workload has created a more reactive rather than proactive environment — a way of working that cannot be sustained over a long period of time without feeling the effects of burnout. What’s the HR manager’s role in preventing or addressing burnout? How can managers move beyond being overseers of the work and serve as encouraging coaches and mentors who reignite employees’ excitement for the job?

That professional development conference or in-person skills course you excitedly marked on your calendar at the beginning of the year may not be happening now due to COVID-19, but HR pros can still engage in professional development opportunities on their own time. A great place to start is by building a robust reading list of professional development and leadership books that will both challenge you and help you grow in your HR role.

In early July, the National Science Foundation (NSF) revised a number of award terms and conditions to include a post-award disclosure requirement for undisclosed current support and in-kind contribution information. Along with this new requirement, each set of terms and conditions is accompanied by a summary of changes made to that document.

According to CUPA-HR survey data, Black employees are underrepresented in administrative and faculty positions, the positions with the highest pay. Most Black higher education employees are in staff positions, the positions with the lowest pay and lowest pay equity. And when Black employees hold administrative positions, they are paid less relative to their White colleagues. To take a deeper dive into the data, explore CUPA-HR’s newest interactive graphic.

CUPA-HR General Counsel Ira Shepard highlights recent rulings around a faculty union suing a university claiming adjunct faculty layoffs violate the CARES Act, the Supreme Court ruling 6 to 3 that gay and transgender employees are protected against discrimination under Title VII, EEOC guidance concluding that the ADA precludes employers from requiring employees to submit to antibody tests for COVID-19, and more.

In recent weeks, we’ve highlighted key takeaways from CUPA-HR’s town hall meeting, Partners in Justice — We Will Not Be Silent! Leaning into uncomfortable conversations to help lead the charge for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and addressing systemic racism and inequality on the individual, team and organizational levels are just two of the “nuggets” our panelists shared. Now, it’s time to put these nuggets into action and keep the momentum moving forward.

Over the past two months there have been several important actions on immigration policy. Brief summaries of the activity include USCIS resuming premium processing in phases for Forms I-129 and I-140, DOL not extending COVID-19 extensions to respond to inquiries and recruit for PERM filings, ICE further extending interim COVID-19 procedures for Form I-9 compliance, the Supreme Court rejecting the Trump Administration’s efforts to end DACA, the Trump Administration suspending certain immigrant entries through 2020, and USCIS extending existing COVID-19 accommodations on RFEs, NOIDs, appeals and other responses.

“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” This sobering statement echoed throughout CUPA-HR’s recent town hall meeting, where higher ed HR panelists discussed how to tackle systemic racism on campus and urged higher ed HR pros to challenge leaders and rethink policies and procedures that perpetuate ongoing inequalities and create barriers to inclusivity. Panelists shared these three ways to lean in to uncomfortable conversations as we lead the charge for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

On June 25, the National Science Foundation (NSF) issued guidance implementing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s Memorandum M-20-26, “Extension of Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Due to Loss of Operations.” OMB’s M-20-26 extends administrative relief from certain requirements under the regulations governing federal grants and agreements. The administrative relief was issued “to allow a responsible transition to normal operations” for federally funded projects following the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

This past spring, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced temporary flexibility in complying with Form I-9 requirements. While the initial extension deadline was set for mid-June, DHS has again extended its policy due to continued precautions related to COVID-19. As for E-Verify, timeframes to take action to resolve Tentative Nonconfirmations (TNCs) are being extended.