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From the VC:

Investing in a Compensation System that Supports Us All

Riverbats,

At this week's Board of Trustees meeting, I had the opportunity to present a progress report on Guidehouse's work in the ongoing Classification and Compensation study. In addition to sharing procedural information, I wanted to emphasize the study is not just about adjusting job titles or salaries; it's about creating a fair, transparent, and competitive system that supports our most valuable asset - our people.

The challenges we face are complex. For instance, we currently have 227 coordinator positions with 149 unique job profiles. This level of variation makes it difficult to ensure equity and clarity in roles and responsibilities. On the flip side, we have 96 associate positions with only 3 job titles, which may not adequately reflect the diverse contributions of these employees.

Our current compensation system, while aiming for equality based on experience and education, has led to issues with compression and inconsistencies. This is particularly challenging when we consider our long-serving employees who have dedicated years to our institution.

Finding solutions that meet everyone's needs is incredibly difficult. We must balance the desire for individual recognition with the need for institutional consistency. We need to address issues of pay compression without creating new inequities. And we must do all of this while remaining competitive in the job market and fiscally responsible.

The implementation of Workday during the pandemic has added another layer of complexity to our efforts. While this system offers many benefits, we're still working to optimize its configuration to best serve our needs. That's why we engaged Guidehouse to conduct this comprehensive study. Their four-pronged approach, including extensive surveys and focus groups, is helping us understand the full scope of our challenges and identify potential solutions.

As we move forward, we're committed to transparency and collaboration. We're working closely with our employee associations, managers, and administrators to ensure all perspectives are considered. And we're keeping our Board of Trustees informed every step of the way.

I want to assure everyone once again that no employees will lose their jobs or face pay reductions as a result of this study. Our goal is to create a system that better serves all of our employees and strengthens our institution as a whole.

This process is not easy, and it won't be quick. But it is necessary. By addressing these classification and compensation matters, we're investing in our people and in the future of Austin Community College. I'm confident that together, we can create a system that supports our employees, enhances our ability to attract and retain top talent, and ultimately better serves our students and our community.

Regards,

Kelly Torrico

Vice Chancellor, Human Resources

COMING UP! Bite-sized HR Training

We are launching a new training tool that will teach you everything you need to know about HR in small doses. The sessions are online, so you don't even have to leave your desk. They'll run an hour ... tops ... and that includes time for hanging around and asking questions or practicing with a pro.

The sessions start March 14. Here are the first two topics:

The sessions will be led by various subject matter experts who can give you personalized help if needed.

Other topics you'd like to see presented? Drop us your ideas here or submit a Mojo ticket.

We hope to see you on March 14!

Dates Set for Free Police Training Academy

The ACC District Police Department is in the process of filling a June training class for ACC employees interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

Applications are open now on Workday for several Cadet positions. Selected candidates will be sent to the 8-month Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) Basic Peace Officer Academy at no cost to them! ACC is picking up the tab. A list of requirements for the position can be found here.

Candidates who successfully complete all required steps will remain in their current positions until approximately one month before the academy start date, at which point they will transition into the cadet role at police headquarters.

During the training period, cadets will receive up to 75% of the salary paid to entry-level officers, with the minimum being $47,840. Upon successfully completing the academy, passing a licensing exam, and being commissioned by the Chief, cadets will be paid 100% of pay grade 121, or $56,919 for FY25.

To ensure adequate processing time, ACCDPD must receive applications by April 11 for the class scheduled to start June 23.

For more information, contact:

Sgt. Gabriel Romero

gromero@austincc.edu

512-223-7268

The Real Neil?

Kelly put her boss -- Executive Vice Chancellor Neil Vickers -- on the spot during HR's February visit to the Cypress Creek campus. We learned a lot about Neil ... he's a card-carrying introvert who'd love a job rolling up his sleeves on one of ACC's building crews if he weren't always crunching numbers to keep ACC financially healthy. We learned even more as he and Kelly played a round of Who's More Likely To in front of about 70 in-person and virtual attendees. No worries if you missed out on all the fun; you can watch it here!