The demographics for campus staff members show an alarming picture.

Thirty percent are over the age of 50. Two thirds are over 40.

We’re finding it more challenging to keep the Gen-Xers -- the people in their 20s and early 30s expected to take over institutional leadership when the bulk of staff retires over the next two decades.

In addition, the staff employees who work on the UC Davis campus don’t come close to reflecting the diversity of the Sacramento area workforce: Persons of color comprise 28 percent of the campus staff, and only 12 percent of managers and professionals. There’s a concern that when these campus leaders retire, few UC Davis staff of color will be available or ready to step into the management ranks.

"We must seize this opportunity to do a self-examination and think creatively outside our ‘UC box’ to attract and retain not just employees but stellar employees," says Ellie Sandoval, employment outreach manager and leader of the human resources workgroup that has compiled "UC Davis Staff Workforce Issues: Opportunities and Challenges."

The report analyzes 5,300 career staff on the main campus excluding the UC Davis Health System (which includes the medical school staff on campus). It offers trends and analysis as well as a number of recommendations on how UC Davis can do a better job at diversifying its staff, drawing high-quality newcomers from all backgrounds and retaining superb employees who are already here.

Dennis Shimek, associate vice chancellor for human relations and risk management, requested the information this spring to complement a similar report being prepared on recruitment and retention of UC Davis faculty members.

Quantifying the problem

The staff report does a thorough job of quantifying the problem, says Carol Miller, acting supervisor of the Office for Diversity/Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity and a report work-group member.

"It was very telling for me to learn that when we hear we’re going to be hiring 500 to 600 faculty members over the next five to six years that translates into 3,000 to 4,000 staff hires," said Miller, who is also chair of the UC Davis Staff Assembly. UC Staff Assembly provides a voice for staff as a constituency throughout the University of California.

Both the staff and faculty numbers include positions being replaced because of retirements and new positions created to accommodate the expected growth in the student body through Tidal Wave II.

Sandoval points out that the challenges facing UC Davis are similar to those confronting other big educational institutions across the country.

Campus climate concerns

The report urges an improvement in campus climate. It recommends that the campus improve contact and feedback among all members of the community to develop strategies that strengthen the tenets of the "Principles of Community" and the growth of an inclusive multicultural environment.

The workgroup suggests the campus begin by assessing the entire campus community on the issue of climate next academic year. The group also asked for increased contact between the leadership and the staff, faculty and students about the recommendations and observations that advisory and interest groups and individuals share with them.

The report recommends:

• Regular meetings between the chancellor and advisory/constituent groups to identify and remedy climate issues;
• Scholarship incentives for further education to people who have made significant advances in the pursuit of creating a more inclusive campus community. "Education is our product. We should bestow it on our workforce," Sandoval said.
• Required multicultural awareness training for all supervisors and managers;
• Recognition that unions are a reality on campus and the construction of collaborative partnerships with representatives from organized units;
• Publicizing success stories to apprise the campus community and external community of progress in achieving diversity efforts in hiring and recruitment; and
• A sign-on bonus progam for positions that are typically difficult to recruit and for individuals with exceptional expertise.

Best-practice ideas

Drawing on best practices, both those from other institutions and those already begun at UC Davis, the human resources workgroup made several recommendations to improve the staff employment picture, including:

• Expanding accountability among lead administrators to target and attract qualified members of groups that reflect California’s population;
• Vigorously recruiting more diverse staff in executive-level positions;
• Building on the Woodland Community College-campus relationship by developing other training programs for applicants that can be incorporated into community-based curriculums that will attract more competitive and qualified applicants;
• Expanding outreach activities and partnerships with community organizations;
• Rewarding employees who refer individuals to difficult-to-recruit positions (programmers, for instance);
• Partnering with the Internship and Career Center to encourage campus employment as a feasible option for UC Davis undergraduate, graduate and professional students after graduation;
• Guaranteeing to non-represented staff a minimum of 70 hours per year for professional training;
• Systematically applying an on-the-spot cash bonus program for sums of up to $2,000 to reward outstanding contributions in a more timely manner than the annual recognition award program/merit evaluation process.

"UC Davis has always considered itself a premiere educational institution," Sandoval says. "These are ideas that will allow us to continue to attract a stellar workforce for our institution."