PROJECT CHARTER STUDENT EMPLOYMENT PROCESS

Transcription

1 PROJECT CHARTER Page 1 PROJECT CHARTER STUDENT EMPLOYMENT PROCESS LINCOLN LAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS JANUARY 2015

2 PROJECT CHARTER Page 2 Section 1. Project Overview 1.1 Problem Statement In a brief summary statement, describe the reason(s) for initiating the project, specifically stating the issue or need. There is currently no consistent process for student employment from posting an open position to hiring the student employee. This leads to inefficiency and confusion for students, faculty, and staff who wish to have a student employee position. This also leads to unexpended funds from the college s annual Federal Work Study (FWS) allocation. 1.2 Rationale and Opportunity Describe the origin and purpose of the project (e.g. history, how identified, etc.), additional detail on the problem to be addressed, and the opportunity to be leveraged. The need for this project arose from everyday frustrations of both students and employees associated with the student work program. In addition, a consistent process will allow the institution to assess the need for student employees, create job descriptions, standardize pay rates among student employees, allow for a complete use of federal work study funds, and reduce budget expenditures. Addressing this challenge will allow both the institution and its students to receive maximum benefit from the FWS financial aid that has been awarded. Further, it will simplify the process by which college employees post, and students apply for, open student employee positions on campus. By employing students on campus, they will be more engaged with the college which promotes student success and completion. 1.3 Strategic Alignment Describe the alignment and linkage with AQIP categories, institutional core values/goals/practices, and key institutional initiatives such as strategic plan projects, other AQIP action projects, FoE, etc. This action project aligns with AQIP Category 3, Valuing Employees. The project directly aligns with LLCC Goal 6, Operational Strength, and indirectly supports Goal 2, Financial Strength. 1.4 Goals and Objectives Describe the goals and objectives of the project such as key organizational process(es) to be changed/improved. Include overall measures of success. The goal of this project team is to create an efficient, accessible, and consistent student employment process for the college. The organizational areas most affected by this project include Student Services, primarily Financial Aid and Career Services, Human Resources, Payroll, and any division/department which employs students. The project will change the following organizational processes or activities: Access/use of FWS funds awarded to students

3 PROJECT CHARTER Page 3 Completed FASFA applications Student process for finding, applying and obtaining position on campus Internal process for identifying and hiring student employees Tracking of student employees Assessment of need for student employees Creation of student employee position job descriptions Review and standardization of student employee pay rates Measures to indicate the success of the project include; A centralized online process will exist for posting and applying for student employment positions. A process for departments to accurately assess their need for student employees will exist. A job description template will exist for student employment positions. The annual allocation of FWS funds will be used to the greatest extent possible. Student employment pay rates will be standardized based upon the job. Training documents will be created and training sessions held to inform the campus community of the new process. 1.5 Project Scope Describe the project scope. The scope defines project limits, establishing the boundaries of the project. Identify the expected outcomes of the project, stating what the project should include, while also identifying processes and other areas considered outside of the project scope. The goal of the project is to create a consistent, college-wide process for the posting of open student employee positions and for the hiring of student employees for those positions and provide training to the college community on the new process. While the overall process will undoubtedly involve actions by many departments within the college, the project team is not designing the processes within the individual departments nor dictating who should perform which duties or performing the duties themselves. For example, the project team envisions that all student employee positions will have a job description and the project team will create a student employee job description template; however, the project team will not draft the actual student employee job descriptions. 1.6 Critical Success Factors and Risks Describe the factors or characteristics considered critical to the success of the project that, if absent, the project will fail. Because a process is being created where there has not been one before, buy-in and commitment at all levels of the institution is critical. For the same reason, it will be important to ensure that the project team is representative of the staff and/or departments who will be most impacted by the resulting process. A technology based solution is currently believed to be essential to the consistency and ease of use requirements of this new process. Communication to the student population informing them of where to look for employment, how to apply for

4 PROJECT CHARTER Page 4 jobs, and even the basic knowledge that they can work on campus needs disseminated in varied and multiple ways. 1.7 Assumptions Describe any project assumptions or guiding principles related to institutional philosophy, process, technology, resources, scope, expectations, or schedules. The project team intends to create a solution that is automated and easy for college staff and students to use. It is assumed that a technology based solution will be best for posting open student employment positions and receiving student applications. The Human Resources department currently uses PeopleAdmin for other postings and applications and is familiar with this software. The project team is working to create a consistent process where none has previously existed to answer the questions of how do I get a job on campus? and how do I hire a student employee?. 1.8 Constraints Describe any project constraints being imposed in areas such as schedule, budget, resources, products to be acquired, technology to be implemented, etc. List the project constraints based on current knowledge. Given that a comprehensive process does not currently exist, it is possible that the Project Team may run in to stumbling blocks or unforeseen problems in the course of their work. In addition, the Project Team is made up of staff from seven different departments of the college. While this team makeup will certainly provide a broad view and approach to the project, each of these college departments may have different busy times so scheduling may be difficult at times. Finally, because the outcome of this project is a new comprehensive, college-wide process, there will need to be communication regarding the new process and training sessions scheduled and coordinated to ensure that the campus is informed and equipped to comply with the process. Section 2. Milestones/Timeline and Budget 2.1 Major Milestones and Timeline List the project s major milestones, deliverables, and the target date for delivery. This list should reflect overall project deliverables/outcomes as well as the delivery of key project management or other project-related work products. Reporting Project team will meet with sponsor as necessary throughout the project. Annual update will be provided for HLC by August of each calendar year that the project is active.

5 PROJECT CHARTER Page 5 Timeline February April 2015 Project commences. Work to include review of project declaration and charter with team and beginning general documentation of what processes currently exist and the identification of problems and constraints of those processes May December 2015 Continue analysis of current student employment, seek solutions for problems and constraints identified, and begin to create comprehensive process January March 2016 Complete documentation and process map of the newly created process. Review initial draft of process with applicable directors, assistant/associate vice presidents, and hiring managers for feedback. April May 2016 Creation of forms, documents, templates, etc. (either in software set-up or a physical document). June July 2016 Create training materials, identify pilot department(s) within the college to use the new process for the Fall 2016 semester, and train the applicable departments. August 2016 Pilot program begins with selected departments and process reviewed and modified, if necessary, based on feedback from pilot departments and applicants. November December 2016 Full implementation of new student employment process across entire college including necessary training. 2.2 Budget Identify initial estimated financial and human resource funding needs (new dollars) as well as anticipated source of funding (e.g., operational budget, grant funds, etc.). This project is not anticipated to have any hard dollar costs associated with it. The end result of the project and the work to complete the project may impact individual department workloads but it is not anticipated to create a need for new positions. Section 3. Project Organization 3.1 Project Oversight Describe the governance or management control over the project, including any relevant policies and oversight bodies external to the team, such as Cabinet or the Board of Trustees. The Project Team is comprised of staff from multiple departments across the institution who have expertise with the multitude of various external and internal regulations and policies that can impact the student employment process. The Team membership will be able to ensure that the process developed maintains compliance with all necessary regulations and policies. In addition, the VP of Administrative Services serves as the sponsor for the project and will update the AQIP Steering Committee and Cabinet as necessary during the life of the project.

6 PROJECT CHARTER Page Project Team Identify the project team members. Include name, current title/department, and role on the team. Co-Leaders Ada Fleeharty Kirsten Taylor Team Members Alison Mills Leslie Johnson Cheryl Sneed Tiffany Andrews Joel Blevins Vickie Ward Sponsor Todd McDonald Career Development Specialist Employee Recruitment and HRIS Coordinator Financial Aid Advisor AVP of Student Success Disbursements Manager Human Resources Assistant Assistant Director, Center for Academic Success Administrative Assistant to the Dean of Arts and Humanities Vice-President of Administrative Services Section 4. Revision History Section 4.1 Revisions to Project Revisions include any changes to the document that have occurred since initial approval. Consult with your project sponsor when completing this section. Revisions may result from road blocks, resource constraints, research findings, new ideas, etc.