Dear BEARS Region,

Patrick Reedy has shared updates in recent months about our fiscal realities and resource constraints across the BEARS region. Because these capacity limitations are ongoing, we need to adjust our processing timelines to manage expectations effectively. Given our current staffing, these extended timelines will remain in place indefinitely.

Effective immediately, please expect an additional 5 to 7 business days added to typical response and processing timelines across standard HR, Payroll, HRIM, and Purchasing workflows.

We will strictly prioritize and maintain standard service timelines for critical issues, including separations (voluntary and involuntary), pay-impacting issues like missed pay or late timesheets, visa matters, and investigatory leave. Non-critical requests like stipends or spot awards will follow the extended processing window. Departments with established MOUs will continue to have their ServiceHub cases prioritized.

If your department has internal HR staff, please direct basic inquiries to them before opening a ServiceHub case. For urgent escalations, start by contacting your assigned HR Partner, Purchasing Specialist, or Research Administrator (for assistance, see the BEARS org chart). If an issue remains unresolved after the standard Service Level Agreement (plus the new 5 to 7 business day delay), contact their supervisor. If an HR matter is still unresolved after contacting the supervisor, please reach out to HR Manager Rob Fredrickson, with final escalations going to Patrick Reedy.

Our staff are working through a high volume of requests with limited resources, and we appreciate your patience as the BEARS team works through these delays. 

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Sincerely,

Marc Fisher

Vice Chancellor, Administration

Seamus Wilmot

Assistant Vice Chancellor & Executive Director, Business Operations

Patrick Reedy

Regional Director, BEARS Region