In the wake of a report that said the University’s administration is too complicated and deep, Chancellor Holden Thorp has already begun flattening the organizational tree.
Brenda Malone, the associate vice chancellor for human resources since August 2007, will now serve as the vice chancellor for human resources.
The minor title change reflects the more important change of human resources becoming its own department. Formerly, that division was under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.
Thorp said the change would give him more exposure to employee concerns in high-level discussions.
“We want employees to feel like they have a voice at the table when we discuss major University policy,” Thorp said.
Malone said Thorp has always been a ready ear when it comes to exploring issues surrounding employees, even before the change.
“He is very focused on the employees and the needs of employees and that is one of the things that is wonderful about working with him,” she said. “He has always been supportive of the things we want to do.”
Malone cited the chancellor’s announcement in October of an almost $5,000 increase to the minimum employee salary as a sign of his commitment to staff.
She said one of her primary goals in the office will be making sure that employees have input into the implementation of the report by Bain & Company.
Part of those recommendations included looking at the best method of delivering human resources services to employees.
“We have right now a very decentralized approach,” she said. “We are going to try to refine it and make it a little more efficient how we do it. Right now we deal with a lot of people.”
Malone said working to address the Bain report would require cooperation with the campus community and the employee forum.
“This is going to be a long process,” she said. But she said she was confident about moving forward. “I will tell you that wherever I show up I do have a perspective. I will be another voice.”
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