SAT Terms of Reference

Purpose

The University of Alberta (U of A) has embarked on a transformation of its administrative services and academic structure. To achieve this, the Service Excellence Transformation (SET) program was established, with the responsibility to oversee and assure the delivery of increased efficiency of U of A’s administrative services and the optimization of its non-labour costs, in response to funding reductions and an ongoing need to ensure financial sustainability. SET is comprehensive, carefully planned, pan-university, end-to-end, and high-paced. As well, the Academic Restructuring Working Group (ARWG) has been struck to propose a tighter, more efficient and more nimble academic organization.

To provide staff a meaningful opportunity to contribute to the transformation, the university has established the Staff Advisory Team as a consultative process for staff, in particular to provide a forum for SET and ARWG to consult with a range of staff members about matters of significance affecting the university and staff.

Scope of work

The Staff Advisory Team reports to the Service Excellence Steering Committee (SESC) through the SET Executive Lead. The scope of the Staff Advisory Team is as follows:

  • Provide feedback and advice on communications affecting staff
  • Identify and raise SET program issues relevant to staff 
  • Identify and raise academic restructuring issues relevant to staff 
  • Propose solutions to key issues affecting staff to ensure the successful delivery of the transformation

The Staff Advisory Team provides:

  • A forum for exchange of information.
  • Advice and perspectives will be sought from the Staff Advisory Team. The team may raise topics for discussion respecting their advisory capacity; these topics may subsequently be discussed by the SESC or ARWG.
  • While the Staff Advisory Team provides an important forum, the University will also be engaging staff through a number of other avenues. 

Expected outcomes

The Staff Advisory Team members are key participants in informing the transformation program. The Team will receive and share information, and put forward suggestions or be a forum for the discussion of suggestions for the improvement and successful implementation of SET and academic restructuring. Minutes from meetings will be tabled at SESC.

Estimate of time

Team members are expected to participate in monthly meetings for the life of the SET initiative, unless otherwise determined by SESC. While the duration of team meetings may vary as required, we expect that meetings would be one and a half hours (1.5) long.

Membership

The Staff Advisory Team will comprise individual administrative and support staff members who are selected to ensure coverage of all areas of the University. It will comprise of:

  • The SET Executive Lead as Chair
  • A member of the SESC on a rotational basis
  • Up to 40 staff members (total) including membership from each Faculty and Support Unit 
  • Depending upon the topics for discussion, other individuals involved with SET or Academic Restructuring may be invited, at the determination of the Chair

Membership is through nomination from each Faculty and Support Unit. Further details are outlined below. All reasonable attempts are made to ensure membership is truly representative, diverse, inclusive and equitable.

The term of office for membership of the SAT is one (1) year. Members can seek to serve an additional term by reappointment. If, for some reason a member is unable to complete their term, a replacement will be appointed.

While selected for breadth of representation across faculties and functions, members are expected to provide their perspective to the project from a whole-of-institution perspective.

Selection process and criteria

Members are active administrative and support staff members of the university and deeply committed to U of A’s future.

  • Membership is sought through nomination by the Faculties or Support Units respectively. 
  • Expressions of interest are to be submitted to the SET Program Office and will then be forwarded to the individual’s respective Faculty or Support Unit leadership. The leaders will review the expressions of interest and will submit a maximum of three (3) individuals.
  • Expressions of interest should contain information about why the individual is interested in participating.

From the list of individuals nominated by the Faculties and Support Units,  the SET Executive Lead in consultation with SESC, as appropriate, will appoint a Staff Advisory Team that will provide:

  • An appropriate blend of Faculty and functional membership, staff teams, and levels of hierarchy, ensuring that one individual is selected from the nominations each area put forward.   
  • In alignment with the University’s EDI strategic plan, we will endeavor to ensure representation/participation of federally designated and other equity seeking groups.  We encourage women, members of visible minority groups, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community to apply.
  • A deep and broad understanding of the operations of the University of Alberta.