Block 5 People Connections – Human Resources Newsletter

This newsletter includes an update on compensation, information regarding feedback practices, and a shoutout to the Collaborative for Community Engagement (CCE).

Week of Action

Thank you to the CCE for organizing the Week of Action. HR was thrilled to participate by visiting Food to Power and learning about the amazing work they do to support the Colorado Springs community. The team helped organize seed packets to get them ready for planting season and assisted with seed-saving by separating seeds from dried plants like sunflowers and dill.

ID: People around a table sorting seeds ID: People standing outside looking at someone talking
ID: People walking outside with mountains in the background ID: People sorting through seeds in bins

Help us share why you love working at CC! 

The Careers at CC page is getting a makeover, and we need your help! We’re looking for volunteers to give their personal testimony of why they love working at CC. This will be posted on our new webpage, “Why work at CC?” for potential candidates to see. Please email Missy Liu if you would like to participate. 

Update on Feedback Practices

Based on your feedback and the need to better support employee growth and development, we are rolling out changes to the staff performance evaluation process this year. All full-time, benefit-eligible staff will participate in quarterly performance conversations with their supervisors (in January, April, July, and October). The first formal performance conversation will take place in April 2024. 
These quarterly conversations will include multiple steps: completion of a self-reflection, a supervisor summary, co-creation of quarterly goals, and a performance rating and conversation. 
To help with the transition, there are multiple training opportunities available to the community.  
We now have on-demand, asynchronous training available in Bridge. These training courses can be taken or reviewed whenever it is convenient for you. Topics include: 
Registration is also open for the following in-person Excel at CC session: 
Register for our upcoming Feedback Practices Open Forum on February 22 if you have outstanding questions not addressed in the training or want to provide additional feedback on the process. 
Please reach out to Sara San Souci to discuss options for 1-on-1 support or to have this topic added to an upcoming team meeting agenda. 

Compensation Update

As part of our compensation enhancements last year, we conducted a thorough assessment of our pay approach with the external firm Segal. To help ensure that people at CC are paid in ways that are competitive with other organizations, Segal recommended an update of our band structure to add more bands. We agreed and are working to make this transition now.  
All roles will be reviewed and placed in the new structure. After fulfilling our commitment to ensuring all regular employees earn a living wage, we will prioritize increasing the salaries of anyone who is below the minimum of their new band. We do not anticipate decreasing anyone’s pay in this process.  
Bands in the updated structure are narrower, which will help us offer more competitive starting salaries by increasing the lower end of the bands. We also believe the new structure will help with retention by moving people more quickly to (and beyond) the mid-point of their bands.  
We are now doing a review of every position to ensure that they are compared to good matches in market surveys and placed in the correct band. Each division is reviewing the matches to ensure they reflect the core responsibilities of the jobs.  
When this work is complete, we will communicate with all regular employees, so they know about their new band. We will communicate this information at the same time we share annual pay increase information. 
Compensation is complex and we understand that you may have questions.  We will provide opportunities to discuss these changes as they are finalized. In the meantime, feel free to reach out with questions or concerns. 

HR Updates

Join us in congratulating two HR teammates that are taking advantage of career development opportunities.   
Lisa Strawbridge has taken a role with the Financial Aid team as the Assistant Director of Student Employment. Lisa has been a key partner in our compensation processes by ensuring accuracy in many of our critical processes.  She has brought a supportive spirit to all of her efforts, and we’ll miss her in HR but look forward to partnering with her in her new role.  
Ginger Jurecka-Blake will be moving to Vassar in the role of Associate Vice President of Human Resources and Chief People Officer. Ginger has been a key partner in our Workplace Culture efforts. She has led the team in its efforts to update our talent acquisition, feedback, leadership development, and HR Information technology process. While this is a great opportunity for her, we will miss her commitment to and impact on the CC community.   
We will be using temporary support to backfill Lisa’s role and will be posting for Ginger’s position soon. 
Visit the HR Updates page to check out past editions of the People Connections newsletter, along with recent updates from HR.

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Save the Date for the Board of Trustees Virtual Townhall

Don’t Forget the Board of Trustees Townhall


The Board of Trustees Townhall is coming up soon! Remember to tune in to the virtual townhall on Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. to hear from the Executive Officers of the Board and President L. Song Richardson as they report out on the February Board of Trustees meeting. We encourage you to register for the event.
A recording of the townhall will be shared with the campus community the following week.

The Work of the College Series is a year-long program of events with four goals: (1) clarify organizational structures and decision-making processes; (2) offer campus constituencies the opportunity to dialogue with leadership about campus affairs; (3) increase decision-making transparency in hopes of building trust; and (4) build community.

The Work of the CollegSeries consists of:

  • Community Conversations (dialogue about specific topics)
  • Roadshows (presentations and Q&As)
  • Board of Trustees Town Halls (informational updates)
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A Daily Digest for Colorado College

Today at CC Digest

A Daily Digest for Colorado College

Career Center Newsletter 2/14/24

Career Center Highlights

Questions Corner: Your Questions Answered!

This week’s question is:  How do I get a Work-Study job?
All on-campus student employment is compatible with federal work-study awards. You can find Work-Study jobs through Handshake under the “On-Campus” filter. For more information, go to the Student Employment website.

Pro-tip: Review our resume and cover letter resources. To have application materials reviewed, schedule an appointment or visit the Career Center during drop-in hours (Monday-Thursday from 1-4 p.m.).

Have more questions?

Attend drop-in hours between 1-4 pm Monday-Thursday or schedule an appointment on Handshake to meet with our Career Consultants!

Emma Fairburn, Megan Mrkonjich, Sarah Reinbrecht, and Leah Brown (Left to Right)

Pathways:
Emma: Arts, Media, and Communications  
Megan: Science, Research, Outdoor Industry 
Sarah: Competitive Business and Technology 
Leah: Careers for the Common Good (Education, Non-Profit, Government, International Careers, and Service)
We support all students regardless of pathway! If your interests do not fit with a listed pathway, schedule a getting started or general questions appointment to receive career guidance.

Highlighted Resources

Pathway U

Exploring career options and deciding on a direction can be overwhelming, particularly when you have diverse interests. Thankfully, PathwayU simplifies the process. In just 20-25 minutes, it assesses your interests, values, personality, and workplace preferences. Afterward, you receive a comprehensive explanation of your results and guidance for future career planning. 
  • For PathwayU platform guidance, watch this video.
  • After you complete PathwayU, check out the Career Center to learn more about our resources.  

Public Interest Fellowship Program (PIFP)

Check out the job postings and get your application submitted this week.

The Summer Fellowship is open to all CC students.

The Yearlong Fellowship is open to August 2023, December 2023, and May 2024 CC graduates.

Check out the available fellowships at: CCPublicInterest.com
Questions? Reach out: PublicInterest@ColoradoCollege.edu 

Summer Internship Funding

Do you have an unpaid internship?
Apply for a Summer Internship Funding Award to make unpaid (or underpaid) internships more financially possible. Your internship does not need to be accepted before applying for funding. 
Eligible internships could receive:
• A minimum of 8 weeks & 240 hours = $2500
• A minimum of 10 weeks & 400 hours = $4000
Details about eligibility and expectations can be found on the Funding

Poster Contest

Have an eye for design? Want to create something that can go in your portfolio and maybe win a gift card along the way? Enter the Career Center Poster Contest for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card! More details can be found here

Upcoming Events

Generation Teach

Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024; 2:00-3:00 p.m. 
Location: Mierow House
During the Teaching Fellowship Informational session, we can discuss details of the fellowship, how to apply, and the benefits of joining. Register on Handshake!

Equitable Advisors Info Session

Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024; 12:30-1:30 p.m. 
Location: Career Center Carriage House
Join alum Scott Cunningham to learn about Equitable Advisors and their opportunities. Register on Handshake!
Passion to Action Workshop Series
  • Panel #1: Community Partner Panel 
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024; 5:30-7 p.m. 
Location: Tutt Library, Room 201
Arts & Crafts, Office of Sustainability, and the Career Center are teaming up to bring you a 3 part series on building a sustainable creative career! Join us for Workshop #1 as we bring local community partners (Concrete Couch & Who Gives a Scrap) to campus and start to dive into the possibilities of incorporating creativity into your career. Register on Handshake!
  • Panel #2: Alumni Panel
Date: Thursday, February 22, 2024; 5:30-7 p.m. 
Location: Cornerstone Arts Center, Screening Room 131
Join us for Workshop #2 as we welcome alumni who are working in the intersection of arts and sustainability. Hear from Han Santana-Sayles, Roo Smith, Luka Carter, Mary Alice Ewing, and Sam Cadigan about their experience at CC and how they’ve been able to create careers in the arts and sustainability. Register on Handshake!
  • Panel #3: Putting It All Together 
Date: Tuesday, February 27, 2024; 6:30-7:30 p.m. 
Location: Career Center Carriage House
Join us for the last workshop of the series where we talk about portfolio development, documenting your work, and professional practices. Register on Handshake!

National Park Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture Virtual Information Session

Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2024; 1-2 p.m. 
Location: Virtual (Register on Handshake for Zoom the link) 
Join representatives from the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to learn about federal careers in natural resource management and biological sciences. The representatives will give presentations, answer questions, and review opportunities for students and recent graduates.  

Crafting a Fulfilling Medical Career: Insights from Dr. Vinh Chung

Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2024; 4:30-5:30 p.m. 
Location: Career Center Carriage House
Join us in the Carriage House at Colorado College to hear Dr. Vinh Chung discuss the medical field as a calling and create a fulfilling career in medicine! You can also learn more about Vanguard Skin Specialists’ pre-health program. Snacks and refreshments will be served. Register on Handshake.

Charlie Blumenstein Internship Information Session

Date: Thursday, February 22, 2024; 12-1:15 p.m. 
Location: Tutt Library, Room 201
Come learn about this CC-only internship dedicated to water and wildlife conservation at The Nature Conservancy’s Carpenter Ranch near Steamboat, CO. Register on Handshake

Office of the Governor Executive Internship Information Session

Date: Thursday, February 22, 2024; 2:00-3:00 p.m. 
Location: Palmer Hall, Room 17
Meet with Constituent Services and Community Engagement team members and hear more about the Governor’s Office Internship program! The Governor’s Executive Internship program works with diverse and talented students and growing professionals to develop their skill sets and expand their understanding of state government, institutions, and functions. Register on Handshake!

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A Daily Digest for Colorado College

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A Daily Digest for Colorado College

REMINDER for Block 5 In the Loop

Sent on behalf of the Staff Council

Don’t forget the Block 5 In the Loop all-staff meeting will take place this Thursday, Feb. 15, at 8:30 a.m.
Meet in Celeste Theatre inside Cornerstone Arts Center. The program will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. Stay afterward for a light breakfast and conversation in Cornerstone Main Space. 

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Open Education Curriculum Development Grant

Open Education Curriculum Development Grant

Open Education Curriculum Development Grant

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A Daily Digest for Colorado College