Key Takeaways:
• As of July 1, 2021, Lehigh will lift restrictions on staff hiring and position re-evaluation
• Teams seeking to fill vacancies should review the open position description to ensure it still meets their needs
• Staff hiring and position re-evaluation is initiated by the supervisor directly in the Page Up Talent Management System
• The temporary freeze on Spot Bonus and Tradition of Excellence Awards will also be lifted
Dear Colleague:
As you know, as part of a range of pandemic-related cost-saving measures enacted at Lehigh, the university froze hiring and re-evaluation of staff positions in spring 2020. During this time, hiring or re-evaluating a position required the permission of senior leadership. The Spot Bonus and Tradition of Excellence award programs were also temporarily suspended.
We are pleased to announce that we anticipate reaching our Class of 2025 admissions goals and, with growing optimism about the trajectory of the pandemic, as of July 1, 2021, we will be lifting our hiring and position re-evaluation freezes. Spot Bonus and Tradition of Excellence awards will also be reinstated. These changes come in addition to the previously announced resumption of employer retirement contributions and merit increases.
As we lift hiring restrictions, we ask that teams seeking to fill vacancies review the position description related to any vacancy to ensure that the position continues to meet the needs of their department. We also want to remind you that the staff hiring and position re-evaluation processes are initiated by the supervisor directly in our Page Up Talent Management System. The Talent Management Team in Human Resources is available to consult in this process.
The Spot Bonus and Tradition of Excellence awards programs have long been an opportunity to recognize staff members who have performed exceptionally. The criteria and process for nominations will remain the same and can be reviewed here.
While we move back to a fully active campus life, some offices will remain short-staffed while others may be flooded with requests. We ask for everyone’s consideration during the transition.
Sincerely,
Nathan Urban
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Patricia Johnson
Vice President for Finance and Administration