Registration and Continental Breakfast

Opening Comments

Feature Presentation:

Global Change in a University Setting

Viji Murali, Vice President for Information Services and Chief Information Officer
It isn’t the changes that cause difficulties or discomfort, it’s the transitions. They aren’t the same thing. Since transition represents how people move from an “old world” into a new reality, some think of transition as starting with an ending and finishing with a beginning. Successful transition can thus be measured on the basis of whether the affected people do things differently. This featured address describes some anticipated changes ahead and how WSU is managing the processes that come to terms with the details of institution-wide progress.

Feature Presentation:  

Ethics for a Transforming Institution

Antoinette Ursich, Senior Assistant  Attorney General
Frank Hruban, Assistant Attorney General
This presentation will identify and explain the essential elements of State Ethics Act knowledge that every WSU supervisor must possess.

Cultural Competencies: A Skill-Based Model

Melynda Huskey, Assistant Vice President
The capacity to work effectively in diverse cultural contexts is simply a necessity for WSU employees; the skills required can be challenging to acquire.  This presentation reviews the cultural competencies model pioneered in WSU Extension.  WSU researchers Melynda Huskey, Mary Katherine Deen, and Louise Parker have developed a list of key competencies, skill sets associated with each competency, and concrete, measurable outcomes to be used in performance evaluations and program assessments.  They are also developing trainings to support each competency.  Learn more about this model and about creating a workplace which helps employees develop and extend their skills for working across difference.

Change at a Distance: Managing in an Extended Organization

John Winder, Associate Dean
Washington State University serves constituents all across the state, the country, the world.  Managing an extended organization requires skills and experience beyond what is typically needed in a purely local enterprise.  When that same extended organization undergoes change, even more challenges surface.  This workshop features insights and understanding into how WSU Extension cultivates success amid the ongoing demands and opportunities of change.

Change and Impact: Effective Responses at the Department Level
(Session Full)

Theresa Elliot-Cheslek, Associate Director
Change at an organizational level nearly always impacts activity at the departmental level.  Feelings of uncertainty or insecurity can result, as can a lack of confidence in self and in leadership.  Ensuring that members of the department succeed during a time of transformation while also maintaining desired levels of service places additional demands upon managers, supervisors and employees.  This workshop identifies some of the most common challenges encountered and suggested responses to meet these challenges. 

Biting Your Tongue . . . and Other Tips to Avoid Employment Liability 
(Session Full)

Sylvia Glover, Senior Counsel, Assistant Attorney General
Danielle Hess, Assistant Attorney General
This session will provide managers with a “top ten” list of ways to avoid employment liability.  Topics covered include discrimination and harassment, retaliation, progressive discipline, reasonable accommodation, communication, absenteeism, conflicts of interest, nepotism, and more.

Dreaded Conversations: Effectively Communicating Difficult News

Julia Pomerenk, University Registrar
Most supervisors and managers are good at communicating the good news of individual and departmental successes, awards, achievements.  When difficult news comes knocking, however, communication becomes a bit more challenging.  How do you deliver necessary but painful information in a way that corrects problems, protects relationships and results in ultimate success?  This workshop examines many of the common barriers to  effective communication and provides tips and skills for successful interaction.

Staying Afloat: Coping with Change in the Workplace and in Life

Scott Case, Senior Staff Therapist
Kim Kidwell, Associate Dean
This workshop will provide an introduction to the basics of Considering how change affects us, understanding and managing anxiety, stressors and the stress response. 

You will discover the stress continuum and the four areas in which anxiety, tension & stress exists in all of us. You will learn a simple breathing technique latest research demonstrates can be highly effective in managing stress reactions in both our minds and our bodies. We will identify ways you can begin to control how external & internal stressors affect you. We will talk about aspects of personality and behavior that contribute to escalating stress levels and how, with practice, you can learn to manage unwanted & unhealthy responses to the stressors in our work & more generally, in our lives.

There will be an experiential “guided imagery” component wherein your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to try to “relax for twenty minutes.” What a concept!

Project Management: Synchronizing Deadlines, Resources and Outcomes for Successful Project Delivery

Keith Bloom, Director
Changes in personnel, changes in funding, changes in regulations . . .  Large and small endeavors alike are often impacted by unanticipated factors, amended proposals and altered goals.  Keeping projects moving forward in an environment of change requires skill, flexibility and – sometimes – managerial magic!  This session provides tips on how to manage expectations and orchestrate all the elements of a project to a satisfying outcome.

Performance Improvement Plans: Using Annual Reviews as Change Agents

Kimberly Maupin, Human Resource Consultant
Is the annual performance review an evaluation instrument or a communication tool?  Used properly, it is certainly both.  But used effectively, the annual review is an opportunity to map employee performance to ongoing success and goal attainment.  This session will provide insight on how to incorporate performance improvement into the review process, enabling employees individually and departments collectively to achieve success.