Training to make coordinator job easier

Training to make coordinator job easier
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BY DANA BENSON
Rice News Staff

Starting a new job at Rice can be intimidating for anyone. But imagine what it’s like for a new employee hired on as a department coordinator or administrator. Staff in those positions are required to learn vast amounts of information about the university — everything from the unique culture that is Rice University, to whom to call to cancel a check, to how to establish a new academic course.

Fortunately, leaders in many of the schools across campus and members of the human resources department recognize the complexity that goes along with working at Rice in administrative roles such as department administrator and coordinator. They have responded by organizing a new program called Administrative Career Training, or ACT.

The program, which is in its initial stage of organization, is designed to assist new department coordinators, administrators and others in similar positions by offering training courses, or modules, in Rice culture, policies and procedures. The program also will be of value to veteran department coordinators and administrators.

”We recognize that every time a new department coordinator comes on board, the wheel is being reinvented,” said Mary Cronin, associate vice president for human resources.

There’s a constant need to train and bring people up to speed that is being felt by many people across campus. But if we had a series of training modules, it would be a much more efficient way to get people up and running more quickly. The program has been thought through by a broad group of people across Rice, so we’re less likely to have big holes in the curriculum.”

As for veteran staffers, George Cochrum, department administrator for the School of Continuing Studies, commented that even administrative staff members who have been here a long time ”may have blind spots in their knowledge of Rice.”

A Training Advisory Group was created to develop curriculum for the program. The group, which includes experienced administrators from across the university, has been meeting monthly since the spring, Cronin said. They have been focusing on what topics will be offered in the training, what the priorities should be and how the program should be organized.

The advisory group developed a draft curriculum and forwarded it to department coordinators and administrators across campus for an initial review; in addition, focus groups consisting of about 30 to 40 administrative staff members were organized, and participants were asked to ”kick the tires” by responding to the curriculum and other questions about the training, Cronin said.

”In general, the work that the Advisory Training Group has done has been validated,” she noted. ”The focus group thinks that we’re on track. We’re happy about that because we want to create a program that will be of value to people and will be something people can use to make their jobs easier.”

The results from the focus group will be reviewed, and pilot groups will be set up with the intention of formally introducing the program in the fall of 2002.

Jana Callan, a member of the Advisory Training Group and change manager in the human resources department, explained the group’s vision of the program.

”We imagine that the beginning piece of the training will pull people into the Rice culture and will be something in which all new coordinators and administrators will want to participate,” she said. ”The program will offer the big picture of Rice, and we’ll then follow up with training in specific areas and skills.

”As employees go through the training modules they can break off depending on their job responsibilities” Callan continued. ”For example, if someone needs research-related training, they can take those courses, but those who do not do have any research job responsibilities won’t be required to take such courses.”

The curriculum drafted by the advisory group consists of several tracks, including ”How To Be Successful,” ”Basic Administration Information,” ”Financial Skills,” ”Human Resources,” ”Students,” ”Faculty,” ”Research” and ”Personal Excellence.”

The Administrative Career Training program is being organized by Marie Wehrung, assistant human resources director. Other members of the Training Advisory Group are Becky Heye, School of Humanities; Doris Anderson, School of Architecture; Janet Thompson, Fondren Library; Jana Callan, human resources; Wayne Robinson, resource development; George Cochrum, School of Continuing Studies; Mary Widner, Wiess School of Natural Sciences; Barbara Eudey, student affairs; Kathryn Husband, electrical and computational engineering; Phoebe Ruehl, facilities and engineering; Evelyn Wauson, Shepherd School of Music; and Mary Cronin, human resources.

For more information about ACT, send an e-mail to < actpgm@rice.edu >.