Report of the IPMAAC Representative to the IPMA Executive Council

Doris Maye

The IPMA Executive Council met in Washington, D.C. on March 13, 1999. I was unable to attend, but have excerpted the minutes of the meeting to provide information on actions and issues addressed. The next meeting of the Executive Council is scheduled for October 16,1999. Please let me know if there are any items you wish brought to the Council's attention.

IPMA Long-range Strategic Plan

IPMA President Philip Kundin advised that the Association had made substantial progress in implementing the goals contained in the Long-Range Strategic Plan. He reported that the Long-Range Strategic Planning Committee, which is chaired by IPMA President-Elect Sharon Morris, will be meeting later this year to recommend changes to the Long-Range Strategic Plan. Mr. Kundin indicated that there are a number of important issues including membership that will be examined by the Long-Range Strategic Planning Committee. He noted that the Committee would provide a report for the October meeting of the Executive Council.

Certification Committee Report

IPMA Past President Charles Blockett, Certification Committee Chairperson, reported that the Committee met on January 29-30. He advised that the Committee believed that establishing a certification program was important for the following four reasons:

1) enhance professionalism;

2) a large number of professional organizations already have certification programs;

3) there is a need to prepare new professionals; and

4) possible financial growth opportunity for the Association.

He indicated that the Committee recommend that the certification program consist of two parts, a behavioral component based on the IPMA Human Resource Competency Model, and a training and experience rating that evaluates technical capability. The Committee recommended that the program include a written examination based on the Competency Model training program. The minimum qualifications recommended by the Committee included: a Master's degree with two years of professional public sector human resource experience; a Bachelor's degree with four years of professional human resource experience, at least two years of which must be in the public sector or an Associate's degree and six years of professional human resource experience, at least two years of which must be in the public sector. Mr. Blockett stated that the Committee believed that there should be a one-time period of 18 months during which senior level professionals could apply for certification without having to take the written examination. Mr. Blockett reviewed the plan of action developed by the Certification Committee and advised that all of the program components should be completed by September 1, 1999. The Council voted to approve the establishment of a human resource certification program.

IPMA Human Resource Competency Model

IPMA Senior Director of Association Services Sarah Shiffert reviewed the train-the-trainer seminars that have been scheduled as well as the options for the delivery of the Competency Model Training Program. She discussed the need to develop a cadre of qualified instructors for the training program. She indicated that interest has been expressed from a number of organizations in identifying potential trainers who could become qualified instructors. She advised that Marketing General, the Association's marketing consultants have been working on repackaging the training materials and promotional literature. IPMA Executive Council Member Richard Heil advised that the instructor materials that have been developed were very impressive and provides everything individuals would need to be effective trainers in this program. Mr. Kundin expressed hope that the chapters, regions and sections would take ownership of this program and offer it to their constituencies. Neil Reichenberg, IPMA Executive Director, emphasized the need for the Executive Council members to assist the Association by serving as instructors at the train-the-trainer seminars that will be held prior to the regional conferences.

IPMA/NASPE Human Resource Benchmarking Project

Mr. Reichenberg stated that the Benchmarking Project has been successful and remains an important initiative for the Association. He stated that the initial best practice organizations will be available shortly and that additional areas will be selected later this year for benchmarking.

IPMA/ACA Compensation and Benefits Seminars

Mr. Kundin reported that as of this date, there are a total of 16 separate courses in the public sector compensation and benefits seminar series developed by the Association and the American Compensation Association (ACA). Mr. Kundin advised that there was a need to increase the number of instructors for the seminars.

1999 Conference Status Report

Ms. Shiffert reported that she is working with both the IPMA Program Committee and the Federal Section Program Committee on the development of the program for the 1999 International Training Conference. She advised that for the first time, the Association utilized a call for proposals procedure and there were about 50 responses. She noted that several general session speakers have been invited. For the first time, there will be two post-conference workshops offered. Fagan Stackhouse, 1999 Program Committee Chairperson, indicated that he anticipated a strong turnout at the Conference.

IPMA/Career Mosaic Public Sector Jobs Web Site

Karen Smith, IPMA Director of Publications, reported that the web site has been available for six months and that interest was growing in the IPMA/Career Mosaic Public Sector Jobs Web Site. She advised that the Association is striving to become the foremost site for public sector employment. She indicated that the Association is currently in the marketing/education phase with this program. She reported that the Association had sold its first job package to Los Angeles County. Mr. Blockett reported that he placed an ad on the site and received six resumes from the ad. IPMA Director of Personnel Research Eleanor Trice indicated that any jobs placed on this site are automatically included on the Career Mosaic site, which is the most visited job site on the Internet.

IPMA On-line Membership

Ms. Shiffert discussed a proposal that an on-line membership option be offered for the same price as individual membership and would provide access to everything contained on the IPMA web site. The advantage of this option, according to Ms. Shiffert, is that it would give individual members on-line access to the Center for Personnel Research and the benchmarking database. The council voted to approve the establishment of an on-line membership option.

IPMA Customer Service Survey

Ms. Trice reported that the Association sent a customer service survey to the membership in December, and about 850 responses were received, which was a 19% response rate. She noted that the results were positive. She stated that there is a committee made up of IPMA staff that is evaluating the responses. Mr. Kundin indicated that overall the results were positive and supportive of the Association's efforts. He suggested that the Association consider establishing customer service standards and providing cross training for the staff.

Internet

Ms. Trice reviewed the Association's on-line efforts and stated that there will be a redesign of the web site to make it easier to navigate. She noted that a searchable job description database will be developed that will allow people to search the database for job titles. Mr. Kundin recommended that the Association consider linking the database with salaries and create a virtual salary survey.

Assessment Services Report

Marianne Ernesto, IPMA Director of Assessment Services, reported that police and fire examinations remained the best selling assessment products. She noted that the customized promotional examinations have been extremely popular. She stated that the video based entry-level police officer examination was being completed. One significant change she reported is that the Association is partnering with two examination developers, Bruce Davey and Associates and Ergometrics and Applied Personnel Research.

Center for Personnel Research

Ms. Trice stated that the latest Center for Personnel Research (CPR) Series publication addressed Employee Recognition and Rewards Programs and that the Center is working on several additional publications. She noted that the Center is partnering with consultants and member experts in the development of future editions of the CPR Series. She reported that the Center has developed an interview guide and reference-checking guide that have been very successful. Mr. Kundin stated that these are excellent products.

Doris Maye serves as IPMAAC's Representative to the IPMA Executive Council. Throughout the year she keeps us informed of the Council's activities. Doris is the Assistant Director of Applicant Services for the Georgia State Merit System and may be reached at 200 Piedmont Ave. SE, #420, Floyd West, Atlanta, GA 30334. Phone: (404) 656-5820, Fax: (404) 656-9740, e-mail at dmm@sms.state.ga.us.