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College HR & Staff Relations

Staff Professional Development

Professional development is a wide-ranging term that applies to activities and opportunities that help one grow in terms of performance, satisfaction, and status within the workplace. We believe that personal and professional growth and fulfillment of one’s potential are integral to each other.

Professional development can involve job enrichment and expanding one’s current position through adding new responsibilities or taking on new projects; lateral movement into different area of the organization; and/or vertical movement to positions of higher status and greater responsibility.

Emory provides a growing number of opportunities that staff can undertake to reach their full potential professionally and personally. Given our academic environment, professional development activities can take the form of staff attending classes, lectures, conferences, and other academic and cultural events that are part of the university calendar; participating in a number of service opportunities at the College and University levels; and undertaking training and mentoring opportunities aimed at staff.

Staff are encouraged to actively pursue professional development and to
achieve their full potential personally and professionally. Staff professional development is an important dimension of Emory’s Affirmative Action program.

New and existing employees may avail themselves of training opportunities. Lead staff are expected to ensure that each new employee receives training in the tools, policies and procedures relevant to their position and assigned duties. Existing employees may be recommended by supervisors for training during the performance evaluation process (or at any other time) as a means to addressing a skill gap, in response to expanded job duties and new roles, or as a means of professional and personal enrichment.

Training & Mentoring Opportunities


Service Opportunities for Professional Development

  • (i) College Committees
  • (ii) University Commissions

Training & Mentoring Opportunities

(i) Training available through Learning Services

Emory offers training programs and career counseling for employees through different avenues. Check Learning Services’ listing of classes for what is available.

During 2007-08 Learning Services has announced three new Certificate programs: Administrative Assistant Certificate, Supervisors’ Certificate, and Managers’ Certificate. Visit their website for additional information.

The Emory Center for Lifelong Learning coordinates a number of evening non-credit courses. For more information about their classes, go to http://www.cll.emory.edu/

For further information, please contact Denese Jester at djseter@emory.edu or 404 727 0122.

(ii) College Training Activities

College HR undertakes occasional customized training activities for College staff. We are currently completing the second year of the Program Administrative Assistant Learning and Development Program (PAALDC) for all College Program Administrative Assistants and Administrative Assistants. We are currently working on developing a Supervisory Training Program that will address the specific needs and skills of Supervisors of academic departments and other units within the College such as IT, as they pertain to an academic business environment.

(iii) Mentor Emory Program

Central HR runs the Mentor Emory program aimed to

  • Assist the University in retaining talent
  • Foster the professional growth of its mentors and mentees
  • Provide enhanced communication and connectivity
  • Instill a sense of belonging amongst its participants
  • For more information visit the Mentor Emory page

(iv) CSC Mentors

The College Staff Consortium maintains a list of staff mentors who are available to provide information and act as resource persons in specific areas. Staff are invited to contact the CSC at cscboard@emory.edu to volunteer to be added to the list of mentors.

Service Opportunities for Professional Development

There are several opportunities for staff to become involved in and contribute to the university and the College.

(a) College Staff Committees: Staff can volunteer to serve on staff committees constituted from time-to-time by College HR to discuss and decide on staff-related policies, strategic initiatives, training programs, and other professional and personal development opportunities.
Please indicate your interest in serving when opportunity arises on your SMART Goals forms.

In the past, the College convened a number of staff committees including:

  • FLSA Steering Committee
  • FLSA Working Committee
  • Department Core Responsibilities Committee
  • Professional Development Committee
  • Rewards and Recognition Committee
  • Staff Bonus Committee
  • PAALDC Curriculum Review Committee
  • PAALDC Registration Review Committee
  • Supervisors’ Discussion Group

The discussions of these Committees have been extremely fruitful and contributed to decisions on key staff-related policies and initiatives such as implementation of FLSA; and the Emory College Annual Service Award.

(b) College Staff Consortium

The College Staff Consortium (CSC) was created to provide three primary functions: to pursue concerns of interest to College staff and make recommendations to the Dean of Emory College, to sponsor programs of interest to College staff, and to provide a sense of camaraderie among College staff. To become involved contact them at cscboard@emory.edu.

(c) University-wide Organizations

Staff are also encouraged to become involved in university-wide organizations including:

Please note that membership to these organizations is solicited from the Dean of the College by the organization’s representative when a vacancy becomes available. College HR plans to maintain on file a list of staff interested in being nominated. To become involved in any of these university-wide organizations, please contact College HR and indicate your interest on your SMART Goals form

Non-Emory Professional Organizations

College HR encourages all staff to participate in organizations aimed at supporting professional development of administrative professionals and managers. A brief list of relevant organizations is provided below.