TTC Forum Questions & Answers

The below questions and answers were discussed during the TTC Forums during the week of April 29,
2019. Questions are organized by topic area to assist with context. Due to the nature of this topic, some
answers tie to multiple sections.

Questions asked which were directly/completely answered within the presentation are not included.
However, questions which have additional explanation are included. There were some questions which
came up which are not directly tied to TTC and those are not included.

Job Framework (Includes Career Development)

Question: Could an individual end up aligning with more than one job family or sub-family?

Answer: Possibly, it depends on the essential functions of the roles which they hold. Individuals
may be mapped to more than one SJD (and thus title) once the mapping is finalized. Depending
on which titles are mapped, the individual could be aligned with more than one job family or
sub-family.

Question: On the Career Level document (can be found on UWS TTC Job Framework page), can you
clarify the note under knowledge and experience?

“Note: UW SYSTEM WILL NOT HAVE SPECIFIED YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ITS DESCRIPTION OF
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE”

Answer: The note refers to not setting a standardized requirement set for all UWS institutions.
The knowledge and experience column provides a guideline/suggestion. However, the guideline
can be adjusted to meet an institution’s need for effective staff recruitment.

Question: How can every job have a career path?

Answer: The new model will support UWSP’s formal career development program. Specifically,
having all of the SJDs and their association within the career levels will help us more effectively
determine a career path. Career development can become a quite complex conversation
because it is based on the individual. For career development visit the UWSP HR Career
Development page.

To be clear, every job won’t have a pre-determined path. Individuals create their own career
path and are ultimately the owners of their own career based on their needs and ambitions. The
new model will support HR and managers’ abilities to assist staff with creating and moving
forward within their career development plan.

Question: How many levels (ex: Assoc, no prefix, Sr or I, II, III) will a position have?

Answer: Some positions may have only one level while others may have many. This is technically
an SJD question. Career development does not necessarily equate to a title change. A title
change is because the essential job duties change and thus the SJD. See the below question as
well.

Question: Is Mercer acting on pay as the only way to go up within one’s career?

Human Resources 5-2019 Page 1 of 5

 Answer: Mercer is not determining how individuals develop or how they can have pay changes.
Those decisions are determined by UWS and the institutions. A title change should only occur
when the essential job duties are changing. We will need to review/update what formal career
development (title changes) [for all staff] looks like in the new model. We have this in mind as a
we continue with this project.

Standard Job Descriptions (SJD) & Mapping

Question: If we are no longer using a long list of tasks, would that impact how people present on their
resume?

Answer: The best practice for a quality resume is to list primary and/or important
outcomes/achievements/results.

Monster has a create article to support individuals looking to update their resume to an
achievement focus: [Link]
examples

Question: When you bring in a candidate, they want to know what they really have to do. At what point
do you share operational manuals and not pretend 10 other layers? The SJD seems too vague - how do
you incorporate best practices/standards, and how do you hold people accountable?

Answers:

Candidates: If you look at any given resume for a company, the job descriptions and/or postings
look more like the SJD model we are moving to. Individuals searching for a job know that tasks
and project go into any job. Yes, they will be interested in certain specifics and the unit should
be prepared to answer task/project related candidate questions in the interview process.

Standards/Best Practice: This is discussed in the presentation. To reiterate here: departments

should have department processes, procedures, and/or a handbook which outlines all of the
functions and tasks within the unit. Within the document(s) should be the how to get it done.

Follow-up Question: That seems like a lot and departments were expected to do that
last time the titling system was updated. Will there be requirements for departments to
accomplish this?

Answer: It takes time and knowledge to create standard operating procedures and/or
processes/workflows. Units who have these things see benefits in a new hire’s
experience, retention of staff, process improvement, and more. Within this project, we
understand not all units may have these types of documents started/created. Based on
our understanding, resources will be made available to units (ex: templates, tips/tricks)
to help them have a shell/starting point.

Tips/Tricks you can do now:

• As you are working through a process/procedure/project, write the details of why

the process/procedure/project is needed, how you are getting it done, the steps,
involved, etc.
 • When you have a new hire and/or are training someone else on a
process/procedure, have them make notes of the steps and any best practice tips
to help the process/task/etc. go smoothly.

Accountability: Individuals are held accountable by their results/outcomes, not by simply

checking a task off a list. For example: How well was the task done? Was it done on time, up to
quality, budget, or customer service standards?

Question: Are the SJD new and are they being done across system?

Answer: The SJDs are “new” in the sense that we are moving from the old model of how our
descriptions looked to the SJD model. There will be titles and thus SJDs that do not currently
exist in the UW System. For example, IT went from very few title options to many. The SJDs are
being done across the system. Like now, there will be titles that exist that not all institutions will
use.

Question: When will the SJDs be available for review?

Answer: This is answered within the presentation. In response to the concern shared, addressing
here as well.

The SJDs will be available to institutions after the initial mapping. So, later in 2019. See below
question and answer for additional information.

Question: Will we have input before mapping as the SJDs are finalized?

Answer: See above questions and answer. UWS will initially map current titles to SJDs, using
strict guidelines from Mercer. The goal is to maximize efficiencies and narrow the scope of the
review needed by institutions. The review of the final mapping includes discussion between HR,
the supervisor, and staff member. If there is disagreement about the initial mapping discussions
will focus on essential job duties and ensuring someone is aligned correctly based on their
responsibilities, authority, etc. The goal is for correct alignment of essential job duties. The
discussion phase is estimated to take 2-3 months in Fall into winter of 2019. This timeline is
tentative to account for any review or changes which might need to occur. For example,
institutions are expected to provide feedback to the UWS Project team if they identify
gaps/concerns during review. If many institutions provide the same/similar feedback on an SJD,
a deeper look into that SJD will be done, versus pushing forward to meet a deadline. This just
one example and there could be more. The goal is to align people correctly to an SJD which
reflects their essential job duties.

Additionally, during a session: Concern was shared about not seeing the SJDs and what happens
if a unit determines the SJDs available within the job family they need do not fit.

Response: SJDs were reviewed by institutions with subject matter experts, so if

something was missing or there were gaps, it would come up during our current phase
(SJD review). For example, UWSP had IT, we provided feedback on the summary,
responsibilities, knowledge, experience, and education needed, and whether we
thought responsibilities (whether within a position listed or if there should be an
additional position created) were missing.
 This concern was passed on to the HRD & UWS project lead(s) on 5/2/19.

Question: What about an appeal process for the SJD mapping?

Answer: The basic appeals process information is discussed within the presentation. The formal
appeals process is tentatively planned to occur in spring 2020. The UWS Project team is
discussing the appeals process guidelines with institutional shared governance reps at the
5/10/19 state shared governance reps meeting.

Question: How does job mapping relate to job classifications (i.e. University Staff and Academic Staff)?

Answer: The project may or may not impact job classifications. There has been discussion about
moving towards the concept of non-instructional and instructional staff. In the new model, just
like now, positions will be non-exempt (eligible to earn overtime) and exempt (not eligible to
earn overtime) in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Question: What advice do you have for those who may be starting a recruitment for a staff member in
the near future?

Answer: Review the description you have now to update it by identifying the essential job
functions and removing overly specific tasks which are listed. HR can support supervisors who
are interested in doing this.

Question: When a new position is open or created, how will it be titled?

Answer: Since we will have SJDs, the title will be the title associated with the SJD the unit needs.
Like now, when an opening occurs, supervisors should reflect on what the unit needs now and
for the future. Questions to ask for reflection: Is the exact same position needed or is something
else needed? A supervisor will be able to review the SJDs, choose one, and create their
justification to fill the position. Earlier this year, the Hayes-Hill Committee was sunset. Thus,
Human Resources and Academic Affairs currently title positions to ensure they are aligned for
the current structure. In the updated structure, Human Resources and Academic Affairs will
continue to support this process.

Salary & Benefits

Question: This process will bring equities to light?

Answer: Even though the TTC is not an equity study, the project will provide market equity
information so that analysis can be done on all positions. The TTC project, will provide
new/updated salary ranges/bands. Positions or individuals identified below the new salary
bands will be reviewed and responded to in a separate process and/or on an institutional level.

Question: Where are the salaries ranges tied to?

Answer: Just like now, salary ranges will be aligned/tied to job titles.

Question: Are the salary ranges for the whole system or for each institution?

Answer: The salary ranges will apply to all UWS. UW-Madison may have separate ranges.
Question: Within the salary study, how do the benefits fit into Total Compensation? (i.e. if the analysis
shows we have better benefits will our salary ranges remain the same?)

Answer: The salary analysis is separate from the benefits analysis. The salary ranges are being
created based on salary market data. The salary analysis and benefits analysis will be reviewed
together to create the total compensation structure.

Question: Did they do the salary study before when they did the living wage task force? Does CUPA data
include university staff? Who did previous salary study?

Answers:

• For information about the living wage review completed in 2013 visit the Living Wage Task
Force page.
• When the study was done, the College and University Professional Association for Human
Resources (CUPA-HR) did not consistently collect/receive non-exempt/hourly position’s
salary data. Within the last several years, the data collection has included non-
exempt/hourly positions. Thus, their data is much more robust compared to when the living
wage was completed.

Question: Will pay frequency change (bi-weekly, monthly)?

Answer: It could depend on the feedback received through the benefits value survey and/or
market analysis recommendations from Mercer. However, it is not a goal of this project.