Dear Colleagues,
As you know, there is an urgent need for Human Resource Services (HRS) to provide twenty-first century professional HR support to the campus community. Huskies expect a lot — in the classroom, on the field, in campus offices and departments and in the boardroom — and Huskies deserve a lot as we envision NIU as an engine for innovation to advance social mobility; promote personal, professional, and intellectual growth; and transform the world through research, artistry, teaching and outreach.
Over the last three years, internal campus assessments of the HRS function (Chris McCord, HR Processes Work Group – 2019), as well as external consultant (Audrey Southard – 2020), involving hundreds of employees and stakeholders, as well as my own findings since August 2021 have pointed to similar conclusions: HRS must be reinvented to support the need of our campus. My goal over the next three years and beyond is to transform HRS into a trusted strategic partner, and that begins today with the release of our new HR core values and strategic focus areas.
This is an exciting journey we are embarking on. As the HR division for a R2 public research university with nearly 3,000 faculty and staff, I understand the importance of organizational transformation. To ensure alignment with the university’s mission, vision, values and strategic goals, this HR strategic plan provides the road map guiding the next stage of our transformation at NIU.
One of our primary goals is for HRS to evolve as a valued strategic partner for the various constituents we serve, both on and off campus. We will adopt a flexible and supportive HR mindset and culture that enables us to effectively implement innovative HR solutions that foster a culture of collaboration, productivity, engagement and inclusion. Our faculty and staff are one of our greatest resources and strengths. We are committed to striving for organizational excellence and doing our part to ensure that NIU is positioned as a great place to work and as a leader in attracting, developing, and sustaining a diverse and talented workforce.
We will keep you apprised of our progress with regular updates to our website. Always know that you can reach out to me directly with questions, concerns and great ideas.
Sincerely,
Bill Hodson, Senior Associate Vice President / Chief Human Resource Officer
