Staff notices
Higher Education Review
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
The Federal Government has recently released the Review of Australian Higher Education Discussion Paper June 2008 (4mb pdf) and the University is inviting staff to provide input to our submission.
The Government has issued a set of questions grouped under nine themes as a framework to ensure targeted consultation and stimulate productive debate.
We have created an executive summary of the discussion paper (68kb pdf) to enable you to digest the ideas quickly and provide productive feedback.
To view the discussion questions and provide your comments, please visit our online survey.
The Review is working to a challenging timeframe and all comments are required by Friday 11 July 2008. We recognise that this is short notice, and that this process coincides with the exam period, a time during which many staff are under increased pressure. Therefore, any time and effort you are able to spend assisting with the process is especially appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your support during this process.
Call for nominations for employee representatives on Zone OHS Committees
Monday, 19 May 2008
Nominations are being called for employee representatives on all twelve (12) of the University's Zone Occupational Health and Safety Committees.
The Zone OHS Committees play an important role in monitoring and promoting the health, safety and welfare of all University staff. Involvement with an OHS Committee provides University staff with a great opportunity to increase their OHS knowledge, expand their staff networks and understanding of University operations, and improve their consultation and communication skills.
Nominations for the 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2010 term of office must be made on the official nomination form and forwarded to OHS & Injury Management no later than 5:00pm Friday 30 May 2008.
If there are more nominees than vacancies for a particular Zone OHS Committee an online election will be held.
Enquiries relating to the nominations should be directed to Colin Chua, OHS Officer, OHS & Injury Management on 9351 4176 or email
Further information about the Zone OHS Committees is available on the OHS & Injury Management website
Thank you in advance for your interest in the activities of the Zone OHS Committees and participation in the election.
Jon D'Astoli
Manager, Occupational Health and Safety
OHS & Injury Management
Do you need help making promotional or educational videos?
Thursday, 8 May 2008
With the proliferation of videos on the internet, audio-visual material has become an essential marketing and communications tool used by universities around the world. If you would like to use videos for promotional or educational purposes, The Film Unit at the Faculty of Economics and Business can help.
We are committed to providing excellence in audio-visual products and services. In the past three years, we have produced over forty outstanding academic, educational, news and promotional films. Several of our films have won first prize at academic film festivals, including Jury First Prize at the 2006 Association for Consumer Research Film Festival, USA with the documentary: Empowering the Citizen-Consumer: Reducing maternal deaths and morbidity in Pakistan. In 2007, we produced eight video cases that were distributed to an audience of over 300,000 in the United States.
For more information, samples of our work and to find out how we can assist you, visit our website: http://filmunit.econ.usyd.edu.au or contact Suzy Devery on 02 9351 0045.
Marylouise Caldwell
Film Unit Director
Faculty of Economics and Business
Staff files moving from paper based to electronic format
[[b||Monday, 31 March, 2008]
From today, all new staff files and new documents for existing staff files will be filed and managed electronically using the University’s Records Online Management system (TRIM). A project is also underway to convert the 9000 active staff files from paper based to electronic format.
Benefits of electronic over paper based filing systems include:
- Instant access to files
- Files can be viewed simultaneously by (authorised) multiple users
- The contents of the files can be clearly and easily categorised
- The risk of files going missing or being damaged is virtually eliminated
- Audit and disaster prevention is enhanced
- Retention periods are automated
- Storage space is freed up
For information for staff about staff files, the electronic filing project and how to access your staff file visit: http://www.usyd.edu.au/sydneypeople/working/staff_files.shtml
For information for managers about staff files, the electronic filing project and how to access staff files visit: http://www.usyd.edu.au/sydneypeople/leading/staff_files.shtml
Tracy Martin
HR Service Centre Manager
SydneyPeople
New Australian Workplace Agreement (AWAs) legislation
Thursday, 27 March 2008
New legislation to abolish AWAs was introduced to Australian Parliament on 13 February 2008. The legislation has now passed and comes into effect on Friday 28 March 2008.
As a result of the new legislation:
- No new AWAs will be offered to prospective or existing University staff.
- Existing AWAs will continue to operate, the new laws do not affect existing AWAs in any way.
All the information you need regarding the AWA legislation, including a ‘frequently asked questions’ section, will be updated and available next week on the SydneyPeople website
Information for staff will be located in the ‘Staff at Sydney’ section and information for managers will be located in the ‘Leading at Sydney’ section.
Colin Streeter
Director, Human Resources
SydneyPeople
University of Sydney awarded 2008 EOWA employer of choice for women
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
The University of Sydney is extremely proud to be one of only 99 Australian employers included in the Australian Government Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) 2008 Employer of Choice for Women list announced on Tuesday 4 March.
The 2008 criteria contained six new pre-requisites which included:
- a minimum of 6 weeks paid maternity leave after 12 months of service,
- the ability for female managers to work part-time, and
- the percentage of female managers in an organisation be at least 27% or the industry average, whichever is greater.
Employers were also required to undertake a gender pay equity analysis in their workplace and outline how they would address any female/male pay gaps they identified.
Director of EOWA Anna McPhee said, ‘These businesses have moved beyond simply writing policies and providing basic flexibility. For these organisations creating equity is about changing culture, changing expectations, breaking down the outdated myths about women and finally valuing the massive contribution women make to the workplace.”
For more information about the 2008 Employer of Choice for Women list and the pay equity analysis visit the EOWA website
Anne Scahill
Director of Change and Development
SydneyPeople
Unisuper seminar 18 March 2008 - Welcome to new members
26 February 2008
If you’re a new UniSuper member this seminar provides you with all the information you need to know about your new fund, including:
- A brief description of UniSuper
- How your retirement benefits are calculated
- Your investment choices and how to choose
- Your death and disablement insurance options
- How to top up your super with voluntary contributions and rollovers
- Other UniSuper products and services you may wish to access – such as our retirement Pensions and Spouse Accounts.
Details
Date: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Venue: Quadrangle Building, History Room, S223
Audience: New University staff
Register online
The registration page is easily accessed through the Seminars section of the UniSuper website. Click here to view the seminars currently scheduled and to register to attend.
Call for honorary award nominations for 2009
Monday, 11 February 2008
Members of the University of Sydney are invited to submit nominations for honorary degrees and honorary fellowships for 2009. Details are at the following web address: http://www.usyd.edu.au/senate/committees/advisorycall.shtml
Nominations addressing the relevant criteria are due by 31 May 2008.
Dr William Adams
Registrar
SydneyLearning has a new name: Learning Solutions
Thursday, 15 November 2007
SydneyLearning, the University’s staff training and development unit has a new name: Learning Solutions. We also have a new website address: http://www.usyd.edu.au/learningsolutions
Our name has changed but everything else remains the same - still the same great service and commitment to increasing the capability of staff. We will continue to offer open calendar programs aligned with the University’s strategic objectives, especially in the areas of research and leadership.
Whether you’re an academic or a member of the professional staff, Learning Solutions can work with you and your team to identify your learning and professional development needs and design and advise you on programs that help you increase your personal capacity and the effectiveness of your organisational unit.
You can contact your Learning Advisor at Learning Solutions on 02 9351 7655, email learningsolutions@usyd.edu.au or visit our website.
Learning Solutions
Identifying needs, designing solutions
MacLaurin Hall Car Park
Thursday, 4 October 2007
On Monday 8 October 2007, restoration work begins on the façade and windows of MacLaurin Hall.
The project includes cleaning the stonework and the replacement of and repairs to gargoyles, bosses, parapets and finials.
The restoration is expected to take nine months to complete and unfortunately will have an impact on the carpark adjacent to the Hall on Manning Road.
From 8 October to 19 October, carparks 11 - 34 will be closed while the scaffolding is set up - see MacLaurin Hall car park map.
After 20 October, carparks 11 – 23 re-open, but spaces 24 – 34 inclusive will remain closed during the length of the project, which is expected to end in June 2008.
The three disabled carparks (marked in blue on the MacLaurin Hall car park map) will all remain open during the entire project.
From time to time, as the scaffolding is moved, or as OH&S requirements dictate, other parking spaces in this lot may be closed, however, we will advise you in advance of any changes.
Additional parking is available in the Shepherd Street carpark building, with a free shuttle service from there to Manning Road and the Great Hall.
If you have any questions about the works or the schedule, you can contact Fred Moise (the Campus Infrastructure Services project manager) on 9351 4541 or email him at .
Super Metro Buses for Sydney
13 September 2007
Staff at the University of Sydney will be one of the groups to benefit from the introduction of new ‘Super Metro’ buses by State Transit. The trial of the high capacity buses, carrying twice as many passengers as a standard bus, is scheduled to start in 2008. This will increase passenger capacity along Parramatta Road, with a new PrePay only service using these buses running from Leichhardt through to Oxford Sreet and Anzac Parade services via Central and Town Hall.
AWA Remuneration Update
31 August 2007
Important information about a salary adjustment for AWA staff and further details on the 2007 AWA Performance Bonus has now been released on the SydneyPeople website:
Current AWA incumbents and EBA staff contemplating switching to an AWA are encouraged to review this material.
Gavin Brown
Vice-Chancellor & Principal
2007 elections for staff Fellows of Senate
20 April 2007
Professor Simon Chapman has been elected and Dr Roslyn Bohringer, Professor Margaret Harris and Professor Iqbal Ramzan have been re-elected as Fellows of Senate by and from the academic staff for a two year term of office to commence on 1 June 2007.
Ms Kim Wilson has been re-elected as a Fellow of Senate by and from the non-academic staff for a two year term of office to commence on 1 June 2007.
The Declarations of election are on the Senate elections website.
Call for nominations for honorary awards for 2008
21 March 2007
Members of the University of Sydney are invited to submit nominations for honorary degrees and honorary fellowships for 2008. Full details.
Dr William Adams
Registrar
HR Service Centre is moving to G12 – Services Building
28 February 2007
As part of the process of improving the service to you and your staff, the HR Service Centre is undergoing a number of changes.
Phase 1 of the change will see staff moving to new premises at Level 3, G12 – Services Building. The move is taking place on Thursday and Friday this week and will be completed by Monday 5 March.
Although there will be no changes to the current phone, fax and e-mail contact details, they will not be available during the two days of the move.
If you need to contact the HR Service Centre on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 March, please call 1300 850 484 only. Please assist us by only contacting us with urgent issues on these two days.
From Monday 5 March, once the move is complete, it will be business as usual with only a change of address. Details of how to contact the HR Service Centre are provided below.
New contact details:
HR Service Centre, SydneyPeople
Level 3, G12 - Services Building
353 Abercrombie Street
Darlington Campus
To contact the HR Service Centre:
- Email your existing contact – on their current e-mail from 5 March 2007
- Phone your existing contact – on their current number from 5 March 2007
- Search under ‘HR Service Centre’ in the staff phone book
- Phone the HR Service Centre reception on 1300 850 484
To submit forms:
- Scan and email your existing contact
- Internal mail to your existing contact
- Fax to 9351 5310 (from 5 March 2007)
- Drop into level 3, G12 reception between 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday-Friday.
Superannuation contribution tax changes
8 February 2007
On 7 December 2006, the Federal Government introduced to Parliament changes to the taxation treatment of superannuation payments and superannuation contributions. These changes are expected to be legislated in March to take effect from 1 July this year. These changes are significant and it is important for you to understand potential impacts.
Full details.