From: Esther Williams
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 1:10 PM
To: all-staff
Cc: Laisa Yaya
Subject: Happy New year and Review of Staff Performance Management System
Dear Members of Staff
A Very Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all had a restful break and are happy to be back at work.
2012 promises to be a very busy, exciting and strategic year for all of us as apart from all the new initiatives and projects Faculties, Sections and Campuses have planned, we will be working together on our University Grants Committee Submission 2013 – 2015 and our next Strategic Plan 2013 – 2018. We look forward to your involvement and input into these two important tasks.
As we move forward together, one of the long awaited reviews to be undertaken is that of our Performance Management System. The University’s 2012 Annual Plan approved by the USP Council at its meeting in November 2011, highlights Human Resource Transformation as one of its four focal areas. An effective performance management system is critical for this transformation. I am therefore pleased to inform you that this Review of our Performance Management System will commence in February 2012. Preliminary preparatory meetings with representatives of senior academic and comparable staff as well as AUSPS took place in December 2011.
The main objective of the Performance Management Project is to review, improve and refine the current performance management plans for Academic, Comparable, Intermediate and Junior, and Hourly Paid staff – with the ultimate aim of creating a learning environment where staff feel their individual talents can be developed and academic and professional work is valued, recognized, rewarded and positively contributes to achieving individual and section/faculty/campus plans and the University’s strategic goals and objectives.
The review of the Performance Management plans will be carried out in three phases, commencing with the Academic staff in February, Comparable staff in April and the other categories of staff by September 2012.
A Performance Management Project (PMP) Reference Group has been established to ensure representation of staff from each category in the performance management processes. The main purpose of the Reference Group is to provide guidance throughout the review process and to determine the scope and activities of the Project. The membership of the PMP Reference Group will change as the reviews progress, to ensure appropriate representation and to reflect the interests of each category of staff. The work of the Group will be guided by the Values of the University and in line with USP’s strategic goals and objectives.
The PMP Reference Group will report to the Vice-Chancellor and will be led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration and Regional Campuses). The members of the Reference Group for Academic staff include Dr Anjeela Jokhan (Deans’ Representative), Professor Jim McMaster (Professorial Staff Representative), Professor Eric Colvin (Head of School/Regional Campus Representative), Dr Bruce Yeates (Associate Dean Representative), Ms Joan Yee (Comparable Staff Representative), Ms Agnes Kotoisuva and Ms Heather Stadel (HR Representatives), Dr Rohit Kishore and Mr Anare Tuitoga (AUSPS Representatives).
The Reference Group for Comparable and other categories of staff will be confirmed closer to the commencement of the reviews of their PM plans. The PM Project and Reference Groups will be supported by consultants Liz Bare and Brian Mallory; and Marica Tabualevu as coordinator and Secretariat from the University.
Commencing in February 2012, SMT, staff in faculties, sections and campuses across the University will be introduced to Awareness Sessions. This key activity will provide all staff with an overview of the Performance Management Review process, the planned Project activities and timelines, the different opportunities for consultation and engagement, the various forums for communication and feedback for staff and the reporting and approval processes for the different Performance Management plans.
Staff will be provided with further updates as the Project develops and more details are confirmed.
We need to ensure wide and solid acceptance of the performance management plans for all categories of staff in this Project. I therefore urge you all to make full use of the opportunities and planned forums provided for active and meaningful engagement, consultation and feedback.
I welcome and look forward to your strong support for the Project as we continue to work decisively together towards transforming the quality and talent of our human resources at USP for the benefit of the University as well as yourselves.
With Warm and Best Wishes for the New Year, 2012
Dr. Esther Batiri Williams PhD (Qld), AALIA
Acting Vice Chancellor
Office of the Vice-Chancellor
The University of the South Pacific
Private Mail Bag
SUVA
Tel: (679) 323 2073
Fax: (679) 323 1550/323 1502
Email: williams_e(at)usp.ac.fj
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