Chapter 12:

 User-Friendly Climate, Policies, and Procedures

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Through its strategic planning process, San Francisco State University has committed itself to ensuring an "education that affirms the right of all to a hospitable and sustaining working and learning environment." The process by which we ensure such an environment is through the cultivation of open, productive communication. The foundation upon which such communication flourishes is a common purpose; flexible, yet well-ordered, guidelines for communication and interaction; relevant, publicly understood policies and procedures; and effective cooperation, collaboration, and cohesion.

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The CUSP process provided a set of guidelines for a user-friendly campus and a series of recommendations designed to foster a user-friendly environment. A primary challenge for the committee charged with monitoring implementation of the user-friendly recommendations was to assess the existing communication structures and develop communication vehicles that promote user-friendliness for all segments of the campus community. This charge was broad and in some ways difficult to define and apply. Yet, from the broad recommendations, a set of specific action plans was devised.

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The specific action plans that came out of the university strategic planning process included: (1) posting and widely disseminating the "Principles for a User-friendly Campus" [www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/directives/p530C.htm]; (2) including user-friendly criteria in assessments of university employees; (3) establishing task forces to devise programs and activities that would foster awareness of user-friendly goals and objectives and provide incentives for movement toward a more user-friendly institution; (4) examining, developing, and publishing practices and policies which foster a climate of inclusiveness; and (5) arranging meeting times for councils, committees, and task forces so that different constituencies could more readily participate.

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Our ability to assess the degree to which individuals perceive the university as a user-friendly environment in which each person can thrive is essential in promoting and maintaining such an environment. The university conducted two comprehensive studies of human relations and campus climate, first in 1989 and then again in 1998. Soliciting feedback on user-friendliness on a regular basis is an important goal. The "Pulse" system for polling the campus on a regular basis has begun and will continue to be used in assessment. This system and some of the data generated from it are reported below.

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The 1998 and 2000 Student Pulse survey reports provided several important findings related to providing a user-friendly campus. In 1998, students’ global perceptions of SFSU as a user-friendly campus were lower than their global responses to questions regarding other themes in the strategic plan. Fewer than half of the students reported that they felt welcome on campus. However, in the 2000 Pulse survey, 85% of students reported feeling welcome on campus. In the 1999 Faculty/Staff/Administrator Pulse survey, over 70% of respondents reported that they felt the campus to be welcoming and safe, and 80% agreed it provided a non-discriminatory environment. However, only 58% agreed that the environment is pleasant and comfortable. Respondents to both the 1998 Student Pulse and the 1999 Faculty, Staff, and Administrator Pulse agreed that university policies are easily accessible.

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Creating a general climate for
User-Friendly Performance

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The "Principles for a User-friendly Campus" have been published and distributed to university departments for posting. The principles have been published in the university Benefits Plans Summary that is discussed with all new employees and distributed to current employees during the annual benefits open enrollment period.

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As was mentioned above, soliciting feedback on a regular basis is an important goal, as we attempt to increase user-friendliness and overall institutional performance. Toward this end, the university has, over the past few years, instituted a process of securing regular and comprehensive feedback, especially from students, but also from other university constituencies. This process includes the Pulse surveys mentioned above (tied, for students, to touch tone registration); undergraduate exit surveys; graduate exit surveys; alumni surveys; and, in concert with the CSU, the Student Needs and Priorities Survey (SNAPS). Reports on the results of many of these surveys will be found at www.sfsu.edu/~acadplan/surveys.html.

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In order to facilitate employees’ access to pertinent information, the Human Resources Department offers a new employee orientation workshop once a month. Additionally, the department's web site provides employees with immediate access to information on all benefits plans and Human Resources policies and procedures. A preview "hot tips" section was added to highlight emerging programs and revisions to programs. The web site can be found at www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/.

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The Human Resources Department created a structured format and numbering system for the preparation of its policy guidelines and procedures. The format is designed to facilitate a consistent framework within which information is shared, as well as to provide easy reference. Categories in the policy guidelines include: purpose, scope/eligibility, definitions, general provisions, responsibility/authority, and process/procedures. Human Resources practice directives and guidelines have either been revised or developed to include user-friendly principles.

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In addition to the above, Human Resources has designed a virtual, on-line orientation that, among other things, provides employees with information regarding salaries and benefits and addresses issues regarding user-friendly conduct on a multicultural campus. Included is information about the university strategic planning process, as well as the "Principles for a User-friendly Campus" and the "Principles of Conduct for a Multicultural University." This virtual orientation is located on the Human Resources Department web site [www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/employee/index.htm].

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The Human Resources on-line orientation is geared to serve faculty, staff, and administrators. Previous chapters have discussed the highly successful orientation program for new tenure-track faculty [www.cet. sfsu.edu/newfac.html] and the recently-established orientation program for new lecturers (Chapters 7 and 8); and the equally successful orientation program for new students [www.sfsu.edu/~advising/ newstu.htm] (Chapter 5).

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In response to strategic plan recommendations concerning the need for more communication strategies to share goals and expectations, the university has developed a series of guidelines intended to encourage quality interaction between supervisors and employees. Progressive Discipline Guidelines (published March 1999) were designed to promote clear, timely, and documented communication through a process of accurate job descriptions, training, sharing expectations, and performance evaluations. For greater assistance and ease of reference, the Progressive Discipline Guidelines include samples of counseling memos and letters of reprimand to support supervisors in discussing problems with employees and in providing the time and encouragement necessary to correct behavior. Guidelines for user-friendly performance and quality interaction were also included in the Performance Management Guidelines (published May 1999) and Compensation Guidelines (published September 1999) in order to provide rewards for user-friendly performance. Job description formats were revised (February 2000) to include expectations concerning user-friendly performance and quality interaction. The job description format entails time for discussion between supervisor and employee concerning expectations for cooperation, collaboration, and user-friendly performance as part of new job orientation and a review of the expectations during the performance evaluation process itself.

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The university has developed a staff recognition program titled "STAR," Service and Teamwork Award Recognition Program (implemented February 2000; see www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/directives/p570.htm), through the Human Resources Department. Its purpose is to identify and recognize staff who have demonstrated the ability to promote the university’s mission and who strive for the highest possible standards in that endeavor. The criteria include enhancing the image of the university through quality interaction, promoting a user-friendly environment, and engaging in community service activities. Additionally, effective teamwork, collaboration, and cooperation are considered. In order to provide greater opportunities for discussion and maintenance of user-friendly performance and quality interaction, a peer-based committee has been established to evaluate the staff recognition program criteria and nominations, as well as to select the STAR award recipients. The STAR Committee comprises representatives from all vice-presidential areas of the university. Human Resources is currently meeting with unions to insure that implementation is consistent with contract provisions.

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The university, through the Human Resources Department and Office of Human Relations, has established a partnership to produce an annual celebration for the purpose of publicly recognizing employee contributions internal and external to the university. The celebration will also celebrate our diversity and facilitate opportunities for an ongoing open exchange of ideas concerning improving our working and learning environment. The first celebration is planned for April 2001 during the annual campus-wide cultural festival.

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Similarly, an administrative (MPP) incentive bonus program has been implemented (February 2000; see www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/directives/mppbonus.htm), to recognize administrators who have demonstrated the ability to promote the university’s mission and who have achieved a specific goal or tangible result. The criteria include enhancing the image of the university through the creation of a strategic internal or external partnership involving effective collaboration and community service.

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In order to promote more responsive leadership styles, a proposal for management and leadership development created by the Human Resources Department has been designed to foster consultation, feedback, communication, team building, and accountability. Conflict resolution, interpersonal skill development, facilitating change, and appreciating diversity are essential elements of the program. Practical management tools in the areas of employment practices, budget and risk management, and fiscal affairs round out the program. The first group that is targeted for participation in the program includes administrators and academic department chairs.

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The content of the new management program was driven by data collected at SFSU and other CSU campuses by SFSU’s Human Resources Department, in collaboration with the Chancellor’s Office. Data were collected from several focus groups in 1998 and 1999, and a survey was conducted to determine campus needs regarding leadership and management. Together with recommendations from CUSP and Cornerstones, the final proposal was presented at the CSU Quality Improvement Symposium in November 1999, where it was very positively received. The university now has a model for management and leadership development that is scheduled for implementation in ongoing modules. Crucial to effective implementation of the leadership program is the advisory committee for this project, whose purpose is to provide ongoing feedback and consultation on the direction of professional development programs including orientation, leadership, and management. Additionally, the advisory committee, which represents all vice-presidential areas of the university, assists in the establishment of coaching and mentoring opportunities.

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The university, through the Office of Human Relations, has begun piloting models for alternative dispute resolution and conflict management. The OHR provides, on a limited basis, consultation to individuals in key departmental roles who wish to improve their skills in conflict management and resolution. In addition, the OHR is providing some mediation services for individuals and units that choose to resolve conflicts outside of the formal complaint and grievance processes. Finally, the OHR is studying several additional models of informal dispute resolution (e.g., peer councils) where individuals or units may choose an informal committee to assess the status of their dispute when they believe that a formal complaint is unnecessary. The OHR will continue to work with Human Resources, the university complaint officers, the dean of faculty affairs, union representatives, and others on these models.

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University Policies and Procedures

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The strategic planning report recommended that policies and procedures should be clear, accurate, well-publicized, and located in a central data-base that would be accessible on-line. These recommendations stemmed from the third of the six "Principles for a User-friendly Campus" identified in the CUSP process: "On a user-friendly campus, there is a free flow of accurate information on policies and procedures, easily accessible to all members of the campus community."

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Lack of information and lack of access to existing information were determined to be primary campus concerns in the surveys conducted by the "Toward a User-friendly Campus Planning Group" of CUSP. To address this concern, the "Draft Implementation Report" written to complement the strategic plan called for centralizing all campus-wide policies and procedures [www.sfsu.edu/~acadplan/crispcover.htm]. This implementation plan called for: (1) developing an approach to make policies and procedures available on SFSU’s World Wide Web pages; (2) identifying and gathering copies of campus-wide policy and procedure documents; (3) reviewing documents to determine currency and applicability; (4) buying necessary computer equipment and software; (5) scanning and editing current policies; (6) applying Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) to scanned documents; (7) creating web pages; (8) creating a topic index and search engine to facilitate the ability of a user to locate a policy or procedure by subject; (9) announcing the availability of policies and procedures on the web; and (10) inviting e-mail inquiries regarding these and any other policies not included. Each vice president was asked to designate one person to be responsible for gathering documents, creating web pages, and coordinating implementation for all units in that cabinet officer’s area. Format guidelines were established by the university’s internal auditor in consultation with the other areas using design standards set by the Office of Publications. On May 18, 1999, the Campus Memo announced the availability of the "Policies and Procedures Guide" web site [www.sfsu.edu/~ppg/].

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In compliance with the SFSU Web Policy, links have been provided back to the SFSU home page on each page of the Policies and Procedures Guide. An e-mail link to Internal Audit [audit@sfsu.edu]æthe office charged with maintaining and updating the guide—and the extension number for Internal Audit are also provided for user comments regarding the web site. Located at the bottom of each index page are links to individual administrative web sites, as well as to CSU and state documents and sources which govern daily business at a state university and are often referred to by SFSU departments.

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The internal auditor's office engages in periodic surfing through the individual executive, administrative, and academic department web sites to search for policies and procedures recently placed on individual web sites. Policies and Procedures Guide Index pages are updated with titles and links. Visitors to the SFSU welcome/home page have access to the Policies and Procedures Guide web site in three different ways: by an administrative or academic area index, via a subject index, or by entering a key word using a search engine.

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In addition to this extensive database on established and new policies and procedures, several other initiatives have been added to the web-based information system. For students, information about new major or minor programs is communicated in the university Bulletin and the Class Schedule. The latter also now contains a "What’s New at SFSU" page. For staff, faculty, and administrators, real-time recruiting mechanisms and on-line payroll practices have been added to ensure that policies and procedures are clearly and consistently written, easily accessible, incorporate user-friendly principles, and are web-enabled.

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Decision-Making and Collegiality

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In accordance with a strategic plan recommendation, the university’s vice presidents and the Academic Senate chair were asked to review their respective schedules of meetings and activities to determine whether they were set at times which would "enhance the possibility of attendance by a wide variety of constituents." The Academic Senate, through the Committee on Committees, reviewed its meeting schedules, found that they were generally designed to be inclusive, and made some recommendations to increase access to particular meetings where necessary.

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CUSP also encouraged open discussion of the practical meaning of collegiality on campus. In response to this request, the Academic Senate conducted a forum to foster discussion of decision-making processes and collegiality at Asilocampus 2000, the university retreat held in January 2000. The forum was conducted by separating participants into smaller groups of about ten each. Participants were led by a facilitator through a series of questions that would have them identify their concepts of collegiality, barriers to collegiality, and proposed solutions to those barriers. The small groups reconvened to create a common report of their findings. The process was designed in such a way that faculty participating in the exercise could easily replicate this process in their home departments in order to continue the dialogue.

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The Asilocampus forum has had a number of results:

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• Two further forums were held in Spring 2000 on the role of chairs vis-à-vis faculty and administration and on the role of lecturers at the university.

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• The Academic Senate adopted a set of principles concerning lecturer faculty [www.sfsu.edu/~senate/principles-lecturer.htm].

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• A Lecturer Council has been established to, among other things, bring matters of importance to lecturers to the attention of the senate.

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• The Lecturer Council is drafting suggested parameters for a proposed new position for a faculty liaison for lecturers.

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• A special orientation to the university for new lecturers was developed for Fall 2000 (and every year thereafter) implementation. (For more information, see Chapter 8 and also www.cet.sfsu.edu/newfac. html.)

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• The senate approved a new policy on the appointment and review of chairs [www.sfsu.edu/~senate/deptchairpolicy.htm].

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• New handbooks are being developed on the recruitment and hiring of new faculty and on chair responsibilities. (See Chapter 8.)

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• For the first time, the campus, beginning in Fall 2001, will have a master calendar of university events.

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In addition to all of the above, the senate has been attempting to increase user-friendliness and collegiality in two further ways: (1) an electronic listserve has been established to send "Senate News" to any interested parties and (2) all draft senate policies are immediately placed on the senate web site for review and comment [www.sfsu.edu/~senate/].

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Future Directions

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The "Draft Implementation Report" written to complement the strategic plan originally suggested that a follow-up "user-friendliness" task force be created. After review, and in consultation with the Human Relations Advisory Council, the committee charged with monitoring implementation of the user-friendly recommendations chose not to recommend the establishment of such a task force at this time. It was argued that, rather than creating a new task force to propose a series of new recommendations, the university should create appropriate systems to insure the appropriate assessment, achievement, and sustainability of the ambitious set of recommendations already proposed. In addition, the implementation group has requested that the Human Relations Advisory Council closely monitor the implementation of the current set of recommendations and assess the need for another task force.

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Implicit in the recommendation above is the belief that several user-friendly initiatives that have been implemented may demand additional assessment and support in order to remain useful. For example, the large database of policies and procedures will demand resources to update and maintain the system. It may also be useful to assess how user-friendly the database is in practice. For example, is it easy for users to search the database, cross-reference relevant policies, or achieve other practical goals?

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To some degree, the Pulse system will continue to monitor general campus climate issues and provide interesting and useful data. The system, and the process for disseminating its results, however, should be reviewed and evaluated in order to ascertain whether Pulse is covering all of the pertinent areas of interest to the recipients of the data; whether results are distributed most effectively to those who can respond to the data; and whether units receiving the data have responded to any items that demanded attention. Currently, Pulse data are analyzed and sent to the units to which they pertain. Some units report having found useful purposes for the data; however, there are no systematic university policies or procedures concerning how the university would like units to address the data. In addition, there is no system for reporting to the campus community when units take actions that are responsive to the data.

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The new evaluation processes for administrators and staff concerning their user-friendly performance will need to be assessed and refined if necessary. The evaluation instruments concerning faculty will need more extensive review to determine how consistent and complete they are as measures of user-friendly performance.

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For several reasons, creating a user-friendly campus should be seen more as a process than a product. First, a user-friendly campus is an ideal; though possibly unachievable in an absolute sense, it remains a worthwhile goal. Second, user-friendliness is relative to the needs and the desires of the campus at a particular point in its evolution. Thus, what is user-friendly today may not be in the future. Therefore, all initiatives should be regularly evaluated and revised when necessary. The campus must be willing to embrace systematic and continual change in order to maintain the value of user-friendliness. Finally, given that change itself can be stressful, the campus may need, in the end, to examine the user-friendliness of the processes it employs to implement change.

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