\n\tBy SUSAN JONES<\/p>\n
\n\tBy now, Pitt staff should have received an email with a personal link to complete the Strategic Modernization Activity Survey.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe survey is part of the Strategic Modernization Initiative<\/a>, that grew out of the University\u2019s Plan for Pitt. The activity survey is designed to better understand how the work of Pitt staff is currently performed across the University. Deadline to complete it is Aug. 7.<\/p>\n \n\tChancellor Joan Gabel charged Provost Joe McCarthy; Dwayne Pinkney, executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance, and Don Elliott, vice provost for budget and institutional effectiveness, with the execution of this initiative. The results of the survey will be shared with a representative working group, but not to the Pitt community at large.<\/p>\n \n\tAn FAQ on Pitt\u2019s Sharepoint site<\/a> (Pitt Password required) says that the initiative \u201cwill identify opportunities to strengthen service, enhance the experience of our community, better leverage technology and data and support continuous improvement across key administrative and operational areas.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe site also says the initiative was launched now because, \u201cMuch has changed across the national landscape in recent years, including the headwinds that higher education faces paced by disruption, technology and competition. It is the challenge of universities to face this change and navigate through disruption proactively without forgetting who the University is and in a way that reflects that education is a course of betterment.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tPitt said on the Sharepoint site that the survey is unrelated to the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between the University and various union groups. \u201cThe survey does not involve any bargaining proposals, and it does not solicit your input on any potential changes to items considered mandatory subjects of bargaining, such as compensation and benefits,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n \n\tThe project is a multi-year initiative that is expected to include a current-state assessment, analysis of findings, development of recommendations and implementation planning.<\/p>\n \n\tThe survey takes about 30 to 45 minutes to complete and asks each person to estimate the amount of time they spend on various activities over the course of a typical year and what percentage of their work time each activity takes.<\/p>\n \n\tPitt employees are not required to take the survey but are strongly encouraged, so University has the most complete understanding of how work is performed at Pitt.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tParticipants do need to include their name to prove they are a Pitt employee, but the survey responses will be handled in a way that protects confidentiality and focuses on aggregated findings. Individual answers will be kept confidential and will not shared with managers or supervisors.<\/p>\n \n\tFor questions about how to fill out the survey, online office hours will be held via Zoom at 1 p.m. every day this week. Register to get the link<\/a>. The sessions are only meant for questions on how to complete the survey, and questions related to Pitt Strategic Modernization overall will not be discussed.<\/p>\n \n\tWhen you start the survey, if the name that appears is not your name, please reach out to stratmod@pitt.edu<\/a>. If your title or hours worked need to be updated, contact your manager.<\/p>\n \n\tSusan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu<\/a> or 724-244-4042.<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tHave a story idea or news to share? Share<\/a> it with the University Times.<\/p>\n