From: "Walker, Sean C" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 2:22 PM To: "Gross, Louis J" Cc: "Gross, Louis J" Subject: Re: System miscommunication and lack of forethought - new HR policy No, nothing in writing. They were all conversations discussing the policy. I will note that the wiggle room may not have been wanted but a talking point for those upset that they couldn’t use it if they recently had a child (I.e., a birth this past June). Get Outlook for iOS From: Gross, Louis J Sent: Friday, July 16, 2021 1:20:31 PM To: Walker, Sean C Cc: Gross, Louis J Subject: Re: System miscommunication and lack of forethought - new HR policy Sean, I am glad they brought this to UFC but am I correct that they never showed you the final policy statement that was so unclear? Also do you have anything in writing that says they specifically wanted it unclear so that “campus supervisors have wiggle-room”? If that was the intent then it means I can push on our campus office to allow flexibility. Stay well, Lou -- Louis J. Gross (he, him, his) Chancellor’s Professor and Alvin and Sally Beaman Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics Director Emeritus, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS.org) Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling University of Tennessee - Knoxville President, 2006-2007, 2021-2022, UTK Faculty Senate Past-President, 2003-2005, Society for Mathematical Biology http://lgross.utk.edu/ From: "Walker, Sean C" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 2:09 PM To: "Gross, Louis J" Subject: Re: System miscommunication and lack of forethought - new HR policy Lou: I will tell you that we asked about this on my campus and UFC asked the UT System Administrators about this during UFC meetings. This specific issue was brough up multiple times and the answers we received centered around, "it is intended to begin July 1 but there may be wiggle room" based on supervisors. Now, that isn't the exact wording but that is the gist. I just wanted to let you know that we did try to get this clarification. Sincerely, Sean Walker PhD, MBA Chair, University Faculty Council (2021-2022 AY) Past-President, UT Martin Faculty Senate (2021-2022 AY) Professor of Behavioral Management College of Business and Global Affairs University of Tennessee at Martin Non-Attorney Mediator, Rule 31 Practitioner Licensed Minister, UPCI "Focus on your blessings, the rest will take care of itself!" Skyhawks fly high because Skyhawks fly TOGETHER! From: Gross, Louis J Sent: Friday, July 16, 2021 11:50 AM To: Walker, Sean C ; Pourmotabbed, Tayebeh ; Donaldson, Martin E ; Patterson, David A ; Starling, Anderson Milton ; Garland, Tammy ; Crawford, Elizabeth ; Richey, Phyllis ; Cathey, Robert Cc: Gross, Louis J Subject: System miscommunication and lack of forethought - new HR policy UFC colleagues, This concerns the new policy on parental leave – I attach it. Below is correspondence with our senior HR officer here at UTK expressing my concern (which I imagine is also being expressed around the System) about the misleading announcement of this and how it is applied. This situation would not have arisen if the UFC had been given a chance to read the policy and comment – I’m sure any of us would have asked about the intention regarding when births occurred. As it is, the System miscommunicated about something that should have been very positive. Stay well, Lou From: "Gross, Louis J" Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 12:41 PM To: "Lucal, Mary Elizabeth" Cc: "Madison, Stephanie Lin" , "Schussler, Elisabeth Ellen" , "Spurgeon, Shawn Lamont" , "Gross, Louis J" Subject: Re: New Parental Leave policy and timing Mary, Though it may be that the intent was to not have this apply to births before July 1 that is NOT what the policy states. I understand that this is now going to lead to a new version of it that is more limiting than the original, but this is simply indicative of inadequate System leadership and lack of care in developing policies. If this policy had been brought before any faculty group for vetting (e.g. that is what transparent shared governance at System level should be doing so this should have at least been shown to the University Faculty Council), this situation of miscommunication and misleading our faculty and staff would have been avoided. Please express my concerns to the “system partners” who developed this. It is really a shame to have this new enlightened policy start off in completely the wrong manner as it has been. Stay well, Lou -- Louis J. Gross (he, him, his) Chancellor’s Professor and Alvin and Sally Beaman Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics Director Emeritus, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS.org) Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling University of Tennessee - Knoxville President, 2006-2007, 2021-2022, UTK Faculty Senate Past-President, 2003-2005, Society for Mathematical Biology