OA classification and pay project to be discussed at May 7 meeting

A comprehensive review of how officers of administration are classified and compensated is the focus of an ongoing human resources project that will be discussed at a May 7 meeting sponsored by the Officers of Administration Council. 

The Thursday meeting is from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Ford Alumni Center Giustina Ballroom. Attendees are asked to RSVP in advance.

At the meeting, Jamie Moffitt, vice president for finance and administration, will speak with  officers of administration about the project, which has been underway since fall. The 12- to 18-month project is the collective work of a UO  team and Aon Hewitt, an HR consulting firm hired to assist with the project.

According to Moffitt, the goals are to establish how pay will be determined, managed and communicated at the university and to establish a job groupings framework that will ultimately help employees identify opportunities for career advancement.

The project will not eliminate positions, reduce salaries or change titles of current employees. Additional information and answers to frequently asked questions are available.

“The outcome of this effort will be a fair, competitive compensation system that will help us attract and retain quality employees,” Moffitt said. “With salary ranges that account for differing responsibilities and experience, we will be able to have a comprehensive yet flexible framework.”

The OA Council was influential in getting the project started with a recommendation for a classification and compensation study to develop well-defined career tracks and process for OAs.

“From the OA point of view, articulated levels of responsibility, authority, skill set and pay ranges will give guidance to choosing professional development opportunities with a career track in mind," said Teri Rowe, economics department manager and chair of the OA Council. "This project is a significant first step in creating career ladders for OAs and giving added value to an employee's continued professional development."

The project started with collecting job descriptions and a benchmarking exercise to match up OA position descriptions with comparable jobs outside the university. In the coming months, officers of administration will be surveyed about duties, tasks and responsibilities.

“Involvement from employees and supervisors is very important as we move forward,” said Kaia Rogers, director of HR programs. “We have a dedicated project team with representatives from academic units, research, central HR, the OA Council and others and the work will soon be ready for broader input.”

—By Julie Brown, Public Affairs Communications