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Trustees hear updates on Penn State’s research growth strategy, implementation of compensation modernization, optimization of social media

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four Penn State Board of Trustees committees held off-cycle, virtual meetings in June, including the committees on Equity and Human Resources; Academic Affairs, Research and Student Life; Outreach, Development and Community Relations; and Audit and Risk.

At its meeting on June 13, the Committee on Equity and Human Resources received an update from Jennifer Wilkes, vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer, on the University’s compensation modernization initiative:

• Wilkes said the effort has moved into its final phase of implementation and communication, with managers completing validation of job profiles and levels for their employees, and staff notifications of the new job profiles and levels set to begin in late June.
• She said compensation modernization has helped Penn State expand the number of job families, job profiles and job levels, allowing the University to more accurately capture and describe employees’ various roles and responsibilities across the institution.
• Wilkes highlighted the creation of a career track for professionals who can grow and advance in their career without a required move to a supervisory or managerial role.
• Wilkes also noted the initiative codifies a process for promoting staff members.

On June 15, the Committee on Academic Affairs, Research and Student Life heard a presentation by Lora Weiss, senior vice president for research, and panel discussion on “Strategies for Strengthening and Expanding the Research Enterprise.”

The Committee on Outreach, Development and Community Relations heard a number of updates on metrics:

• The Penn State Alumni Association: Paul Clifford, chief executive officer of the Alumni Association and associate vice president for alumni relations, reported that new memberships were up year over year, and the association was ahead of its membership goal. Clifford also said the association’s work to update its customer relationship management platform was on track.
• Development and Alumni Relations: Dave Lieb, interim vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, reported the University was ahead of its commitment and receipts goals, and fundraising progress was good the first year after the successful ‘A Greater Penn State’ fundraising campaign. Lieb said based on donor feedback, Penn State plans to accelerate the timing of its next fundraising campaign, with its quiet phase beginning in July 2023. He added that his office was working with President Neeli Bendapudi on developing the upcoming campaign’s fundraising priorities.
• Government and Community Relations: Zack Moore, vice president for Government and Community Relations, highlighted his office’s efforts to engage advocates, including garnering 9,000 signatures in December for a petition for fairer state funding for Penn State students and families, and prompting 6,700 advocates to send messages to the governor and all state legislators in support of Penn State. Moore also discussed his office’s efforts on social media, and talked about success on the LinkedIn and Instagram platforms.
• Alumni Elections: Shannon Harvey, director of the Board of Trustees office, discussed collaborating with the Alumni Association and Office of Strategic Communications to develop a series of strategies to broaden alumni engagement with this year’s alumni trustee election. Harvey reported overall voter participation increased by 6,476 for the 2023 election, totaling 25,620. She noted that 10,399 individuals who participated in this year’s alumni trustee election did not vote in the 2020, 2021 or 2022 elections. The 2023 Alumni Trustee Election Demographics report is available on the board’s website.

The committee also received a report from Rachel Pell, vice president for Strategic Communications, on the University’s efforts to optimize Penn State’s various social media platforms:

• Pell and her team discussed how the social media platforms to:
  • Strengthen the University’s reputation for academic, research and service excellence;
  • Protect and advance Penn State’s reputation for integrity;
  • Nurture pride and attachment to the institution;
  • Drive support for the University’s major leadership needs and priorities; and
  • Grow the value of a Penn State degree.
• Pell detailed how each social media channel or platform has a unique strategy.
• Unlike many other universities, Penn State’s main social media platforms intertwine the institution’s interdisciplinary research enterprise to showcase research to all audiences.
• Pell said Penn State can quickly shift social media strategies as trends change and the broader social media landscape evolves.

On June 20, the Committee on Audit and Risk reviewed and approved an internal audit plan for fiscal year 2023 by Plante Moran. The audit will review the University’s financial statements and major federal programs, as well as internal controls and key processes.

The full board is set to meet next on July 20-21 at Penn State Behrend.

LAST UPDATED JUNE 26, 2023