We use several ways to communicate with faculty and staff such as e-mail and our Web site, but usually the most effective means is talking to people in person.
Last week, I met with two employee groups, talked about their concerns and answered questions. I discussed with both groups the proposed System administration reorganization.
The UT Knoxville Employee Relations Committee for Operations includes employees from the UT Police Department, Facilities Services, Parking Services and the Bookstore. Generally these employees have limited or no access to e-mail or the Internet while at work.
The System-wide Employee Relations Advisory Board meets with the president every six months, and June 3 marked my first meeting with them. I explained the reasons behind the System administration reorganization and how it would impact our UT employees. We also talked about issues concerning Human Resources and Information Technology and potential cost-savings that could prevent layoffs in the future. I challenged employees to continue using UTALK as a means of sharing their ideas.
I plan to meet with more employee groups in the future, and I look forward to discussing their concerns.
