Restructuring

VIRGINIA TECH HIGHER EDUCATION RESTRUCTURING
HUMAN RESOURCES OVERVIEW

In June 2006, President Steger wrote a letter to the University Community, stating the following: 

“On July 1, 2006, Virginia Tech began operation under provisions of the ‘Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act.’  This effort stemmed from our belief that we can operate more effectively and efficiently with a greater degree of authority and autonomy than we had as a regular state agency.  Our mission, our focus, and our commitment to our stakeholders will not change.  What has changed is our ability to control our future and manage normal operations.  We expect that we can improve the overall educational experience of our students, make greater progress toward institutional goals, and improve the quality of your work experience.” 

As of July 1, 2006 all new salaried (non-faculty) staff hires are designated “University staff” instead of Classified staff and eventually will work under the new human resources system being developed.  Until those policies are implemented, University staff will work under essentially the same policies and procedures as current Classified staff. 

Some important highlights of Restructuring include:

• Our status as a state agency has not changed; faculty and staff are still state employees.
• Higher Education Restructuring provides for two human resources systems for non-faculty employees – the current state system for Classified employees administered by the state’s Department of Human Resource Management and a new HR system to be developed and administered by the University for University staff.
• • Classified employees (hired prior to July 1, 2006) will remain in the state Classified system (covered under the Virginia Personnel Act and policies established by the state’s Department of Human Resource Management) unless they elect to become “University Staff” covered under University HR policies. 
  • All salaried nonfaculty employees hired on or after July 1, 2006 will become part of the University’s human resources system (University staff). 
• The University human resources system for University staff is based initially on the current human resources policies until components of the new system are developed and implemented.  The new system may evolve in stages over a period of several years to provide time for programs to be studied and discussed with employees. 
• When the new system has been developed, current Classified employees will be given the option to transfer to the new university HR system.  There will be a 90 day enrollment period for Classified staff to learn about the University’s HR system and to decide whether they wish to change to the new system as University staff or to remain in the state’s Classified system.  Once an employee has elected to transfer to the University HR system, she or he cannot elect at a later date to return to the state Classified system unless they transfer to another state agency (excluding any universities covered under Higher Education Restructuring).  Periodically, but no less than every two years, Classified employees would be given another opportunity to move to the University HR system.  Classified employees may elect to retain their “Classified” status even if they transfer to other salaried nonfaculty positions at Virginia Tech.
• All eligible salaried staff employees, both Classified and University Staff, are covered in the Virginia Retirement System, the state’s health insurance plan, the state’s worker’s compensation program, and the state grievance policy.   The new University HR system may, however, include new policies and programs in areas such as compensation and classification, performance evaluation, leave, employment and promotion, layoff, severance, and others. 
• The University will continue to engage employees in appropriate discussions during the development of the University human resources system.  Employees will also have opportunities to participate on design teams, and through the Staff Senate and the Commission for Staff Policies and Affairs.  Focus groups have already been used to provide direction and questions pertaining to this survey.
• For more information about Restructuring, see http://www.restructuring.hr.vt.edu 

Below is a chart outlining the current similarities and differences for Classified Staff and University Staff under Restructuring.

As always, the General Assembly and the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) retain the ability to change state programs for Classified staff.