Guest Column: Employee Voices Are Shaping the University

Guest Column: Employee Voices Are Shaping the University

By Sara KnepperAppointed Professionals Advisory Council Chair
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A total of 42 people attended the Appointed Professionals Advisory Council's annual retreat.
A total of 42 people attended the Appointed Professionals Advisory Council's annual retreat.
Sara Knepper
Sara Knepper

On July 19, the UA Appointed Professionals Advisory Council met for its annual retreat at the Arizona Inn. The event included a networking lunch, a review of the council’s budget, strategic planning for the coming year and some additional regular business. 

There were 42 people in attendance; 21 were members of the council, but 21 non-members also attended.

It was a wonderful surprise to see so many who have not been engaged in APAC in the past come out to connect with our team and our mission.

That mission is to represent all appointed professionals at the University of Arizona in shared governance. In short, APAC advises the administration and other UA organizations on matters of concern to the University community in line with appointed professionals' specific conditions of employment and roles at UA. As a group, we strive to enhance the quality of appointed professionals' career life and showcase them as vital contributors to the UA community and strategic plan.

This past year, under the leadership of Mark Napier, associate director of operations at Parking & Transportation Services, APAC delivered on a number of fronts.

As the discussion of the University's job architecture moves forward, APAC spent considerable time and effort engaging with Human Resources, discussing how we might improve the University's current job architecture to make it fair, equitable and market comparable; to build in career paths; to help people feel valued and supported; and to encourage honest conversations about performance.

After a three-year process and the final approval of President Ann Weaver Hart, APAC passed a change to its bylaws to be a more inclusive organization. Prior to last year, membership was restricted based on how many appointed professionals were in a given college or unit. The bylaws now refer to aspirational minimums for representation but encourage any appointed professional who wishes to participate in the shared governance process to join.

This year, APAC's goals are twofold: First, we will continue to represent all appointed professionals and work on shaping the job architecture discussion. But in support of that effort, we understand that there are a great many appointed professionals who are not engaged in shared governance. We will do our part to continue to get out timely and targeted communications to all appointed professionals, with the goals of increasing awareness about who appointed professionals are, how they contribute to the UA and how we can improve the work lives of the University's thousands of appointed professionals.

If you are an appointed professional, we hope you will take the opportunity to attend a meeting, discover what APAC is all about and get involved. APAC is an avenue to share in the leadership of the UA, and any appointed professional who wants to participate is invited to join. Even those with limited time are invited to engage; even small contributions can be meaningful.

So, consider this an invitation. Join as a member and serve on an internal or external committee. Attend a monthly meeting, where we often provide guest speakers from the campus community and timely updates on campuswide issues. Bring up an issue via our online Suggestion Box, even if you do not have the time or ability to join APAC, but still have concerns or issues for the group to address.

We are here to share our voices and continue to shape the future of this amazing University. We look forward to hearing yours.

Sara Knepper is chair of the UA's Appointed Professionals Advisory Council and academic advising coordinator in the College of Education.

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