Kansas State University

Human Capital Services provides update on strategic initiatives

Submitted by Human Capital Services

The K-State 2025 Refresh and focus on institutional strategic initiatives provides Human Capital Services with an opportunity to revisit our own strategic priorities and provide an update on a path forward.

Over the past year, HCS has served as a partner to many departments who have undergone reorganization as it relates to Strategic Enrollment Management. We have also established a service level agreement, or SLA, in response to benchmarking efforts guided by the Service Center Working Group, a subgroup of the University Budget Planning Team. Compiling the SLA presented an opportunity to examine Human Capital Services' capacity, resources and core services that are critical to our mission.

A little over one year ago, four strategic initiative teams were formed to assist Human Capital Services in achieving some key deliverables in the HCS 2025 plan. These four teams consisted of competency modeling, career paths, performance management and career development. As these teams conducted research and proposed next steps, HCS learned valuable information about each of these projects and the scope of work involved. We know that this work must be done right and will require specific expertise to appropriately implement. The work may also require new technology, training, policy and procedure manual revisions, and even additional staff to sustain the initiatives. In May, Vice President Jay Stephens communicated a slowdown of these initiatives and we now believe a pause is the next best step. As K-State faces a significant amount of change, it is critically important for HCS to be aligned with the direction we are heading as an institution. Pausing these strategic initiatives allows HCS to be responsive to the ongoing needs of our workforce, connect with new and existing leadership and position ourselves to pick the work back up when the timing is right, universitywide.

The strategic initiative teams were developed to further advance the global competency framework, a tool that provides a common language for all employees to identify and use skills and behaviors required for success. We are excited to announce that all employees may now find the K-State Competency Library on the HCS website. In 2020 HCS will provide a variety of opportunities to better understand what a competency is and how this library can be used by employees and supervisors. We encourage you to watch K-State Today for learning opportunities relating to competency education.

Human Capital Services thanks the following individuals for their research and leadership as they advanced these initiatives over the past year. 

Competency modeling team members

• Michelle Bowen, Hale Library.
• Adam Carr, business student.
• Diana LeBlanc, College of Agriculture.
• Marci Ritter, Global Campus.

Career path team members

• Jaci Begnoche, College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Betsy Draper, Information Technology Services.
• Casey Lauer, Facilities.
• Jaime Parker, Human Capital Services.
• Kathy Roeser, College of Arts and Sciences.
• Ashley Thomas, NACADA.

Performance management team members

• Stephanie Bannister, Student Life.
• Thomas O'Briant, College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Martin Draper, College of Agriculture.
• Karen Horton, College of Health and Human Sciences.
• Kerry Jennings, Housing and Dining Services.
• Mylene Larson, Human Capital Services.
• Bridget Seemann, Administrative Support Center.
• Paul Volino, Human Capital Services.

Career development team members

• Valerie Barnett, College of Business Administration.
• Jan Carlson, Global Campus.
• Laurie Chandler, K-State Research and Extension.
• Lindsey Fouquette, Human Capital Services.
• Cyndi McNulty, Administrative Support Center.
• Regina Nixon, communication and agriculture education.
• Bryan Samuel, Office of the President.
• Charlotte Self, Human Capital Services.
• Thurman Williams, College of Engineering.

We are thankful for the collaboration of these individuals and their departments over the past year and look forward to partnering again in the future.