We recognize and appreciate that people are our greatest strength. We also understand that the workforce is evolving, and people’s needs are changing. HRedefined’s goal is to transform human resources services and support across the system, elevate the well-being and experience of our employees, and prepare USC for the future by upgrading HR systems, processes, technology, and practices.
HRedefined's goals to better serve the USC community include:
- Make USC a place where current employees and job seekers want to work.
- Improve and find new ways to recruit and retain world-class faculty and staff.
- Improve the employee experience with more responsive, efficient, and personalized HR services.
- Improve and implement innovative practices and solutions.
- Align our goals and services across colleges and units to maximize academic excellence, innovation, and engagement.
The two committees are made up of 19 different faculty and staff members combined spanning 14 different academic and administrative units.
- Rohit Verma, Dean of the Darla Moore School of Business (co-chair)
- Stacy Bradley, Vice President for Human Resources and Organizational Excellence
- Dagmara Bruce, Director of HR and EEO Coordinator for USC Upstate
- Anna Edwards, Chief of Staff for Student Affairs and Academic Support and Associate Vice President for Student Life
- Kelly Epting, Associate Vice President for Finance and Budget
- Carla Harkness, Senior Director, HR Business Partners
- Jason Lambert, Associate Vice President of Facility Services
- Shannon Means, Vice Provost for Strategy and Innovation
- Belinda Ogorek, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources
- Connie Thompson, Director of Strategic Partnership and Policy Administration for Human Resources
- Dana Woodward, Associate Director of Academic Affairs Communications
- Donna Arnett, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (co-chair)
- Ed Walton, CFO and Executive Vice President for Administration
- Brice Bible, CIO and Vice President for Information Technology
- Julius Fridriksson, Vice President for Research
- Bennie Harris, Chancellor of USC Upstate
- Joel Samuels, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
- Rex Tolliver, Vice President for Student Affairs and Academic Support
- Julian Williams, Vice President of the Office of Access and Opportunity
The HR Service Delivery Model includes four components:
The Expert Teams within Central HR will provide strategic guidance to the USC system and provide centralized
resources related to operations and administration.
An HR Service Center within Central HR will collaborate with HR Business Partners (HRBP) and units to ensure
compliance, complete HR-related transactions, review and enhance processes, among
other functions.
The HRBP refers to both a lead HR professional and a function within the unit(s) that HRBPs
support. HRBPs will provide strategic and consultative guidance to the leader(s) of
the unit(s) they support.
The Units will provide input, direction, and serve as partners to the HRBPs and Centers of
Excellence in order to advance people priorities within their areas.
Key benefits of HRedefined include, but are not limited, the following:
Institution
- Reduces institutional risk through consistent quality of services
- Greater ability to timely address local demands
- Enables cross-functional skill development and highly specialized resources
- Supports shared vision, mission, and common goals
Leaders
- Provides high-level, strategic HR consultation to guide and support people priorities within the unit
- Provides dedicated HR resources that understand the unique needs of the units they support
- Empowers HRBPs to make decisions quickly within University guidelines
HR Professionals
- Creates dedicated HR professionals
- Establishes a strong network of HR professionals across the University
- Provides professional development opportunities
- Creates clear HR career paths within the university system
USC will begin planning the implementation of HRedefined. The implementation planning effort will involve six teams that will be commissioned to develop detailed plans in the following areas:
- People Team - Outlines aspects of the HR model that involves people
- Process and Policy Team - Leverages currently documented workflows and outlines the detailed processes and policies necessary to implement the new model
- Technology Team - Outlines the technology hardware and software necessary to migrate business processes into the HR model and the technology and automation requirements to improve the efficiency and quality of delivery of various business services and processes
- Facilities Team - Outlines aspects of the physical space elements of the HR model, as necessary
- Financial Team - Outlines the one-time costs associated with implementing the HR model, along with the on-going operational budget of the HR function
- Strategy and Change Management Team - Outlines the information sharing, communication, training, and other activities necessary to build broad buy-in, support, and understanding of the goals, objectives, and purpose of the HR model and an understanding of the timelines, actions, accountabilities, and impacts of the HR model transition on internal resources and campus units
The six implementation planning teams are made up of various individuals spanning academic and administrative units.
- Alicia Bervine, Executive Director for Student Affairs and Academic Support
- Ashley Maciaszek, Chief Financial and Operations Officer
- Belinda Ogorek, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources
- Carla Harkness, Senior Director, HR Business Partners
- Carla Hayes, Director of Human Resources/EOO/Deputy Title IX Coordinator
- Cathy Donnelly, Assistant Director of Organizational Development
- Ciji Tolbert, Director of Classification and Compensation
- Teresa Limpalair, Human Resources Service Teams Director
- Belinda Ogorek, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources
- Carla Harkness, Senior Director, HR Business Partners
- Connie Thompson, Director of Strategic Partnership and Policy Administration
- Myra Segars-Szustak, Human Resources Director
- Philis Best, Facilities Human Resources Contact
- Stephanie Marrs, College of Arts and Sciences' Associate Director of Human Resources
- Teresa Limpalair, Human Resources Service Teams Director
- Tom Terez, Senior Associate for the Office of Organizational Excellence
- Bob Dyer, Director of Information Technology at Palmetto College
- Chris Poore, Senior Information System/Business Analyst
- Connie Thompson, Director of Strategic Partnership and Policy Administration
- Jeff Hostilo, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Technologies
- John Waters, Human Resources Systems Consultant
- Stacy Lee, Systems, Information, and Reporting Manager
- Stan Laraque, Information Technology Manager for the School of Medicine (Columbia)
- Belinda Ogorek, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources
- Ben Galloway, Associate Vice President for Financial Services
- Jason Lambert, Associate Vice President of Facility Services
- Justin Shinta, Director of Special Projects and Initiatives
- Steve Vedral, Director of Facilities Renovations and Infrastructure Construction
- Tena Crews, Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Professor
- Brad West, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Operations and Budget
- Cam Reagan, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
- Kelly Epting, Associate Vice President for Finance and Budget
- Lindsey Cox, Director of Compliance and Tax
- Liz Niehaus, Vice Dean for Finance & Business Operations
- Cathy Donnelly, Assistant Director of Organizational Development
- Connie Thompson, Director of Strategic Partnership and Policy Administration
- Dagmara Bruce, Director of HR and EEO Coordinator for USC Upstate
- Dana Woodward, Associate Director of Academic Affairs Communications
- Rohit Verma, Dean of the Darla Moore School of Business
- Stacey Bradley, Vice President for Human Resources and Organizational Excellence
- Teresa Limpalair, Human Resources Service Teams Director
HRedefined is an HR Service Delivery Model aimed at transforming HR services and support across the system, elevating employee well-being and experience, and preparing USC for the future by upgrading HR systems, processes, technology and practices.
Like many leading public research universities, USC is navigating real challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining exceptional faculty and staff. The shifting demographics, evolving needs, and rising expectations of today’s workforce have created an increasingly competitive labor market.
We conducted a comprehensive assessment of how our HR team supports our community. This review not only highlighted areas of strength but also underscored the critical role HR plays in shaping the USC experience for faculty and staff. With these insights—and a clear recognition from leadership of HR’s importance—we are embarking on a transformation to elevate and enhance HR services at USC. By doing so, we aim to strengthen our ability to attract, support, and retain the talented people who make our university thrive.
This initiative is supported by University Leadership and led by the Division of Human Resources. The Steering Committee and Working Groups consisted of several leaders from across the Columbia campus and System.
HRedefined is designed to bring greater consistency and balance to HR services, strategy, and support across the entire USC community.
This HR Service Delivery Model strengthens alignment and connection across the university system, helping us work more seamlessly together. For our HR professionals, it means greater visibility, stronger connections, and more opportunities to learn and grow within the university—creating a pathway for professional development while continuing to serve our community with excellence.
Yes. The Council of Academic Deans and other leaders will be briefed throughout the implementation of HRedefined and will have opportunities to provide input based on their HR needs.
HRBP Structure
This will vary by unit. HR staff whose roles are fully dedicated to HR will transition to the HRBP team. For positions with less than 50% HR responsibility, the appropriate level of HR support will be determined based on each unit’s needs.
The HRBPs will report to the HRBP Leader in the Division of HR with day-to-day work coming from the units. Their effectiveness will be evaluated in conjunction with the leaders they support.
HR Contacts will remain in their current units. Roles with primarily HR duties will be mapped to updated job descriptions that include delegated work and unit-level decision-making.
Staffing and Position Impacts
Currently, leadership is mapping the market and job titles that will directly correlate to the new positions.
The HRBP leader will work with the leadership of the college/unit/division to determine how best to divide such jobs.
Yes. Jobs within each unit will be updated to align with the new HR Service Delivery Model, with revised job descriptions reflecting the new roles and responsibilities.
The goal is to make HR jobs as consistent as possible across USC while still meeting the needs of each college, unit and division. Core roles will be similar throughout the university, with some specialized positions added or retained where needed to support the new HR Service Delivery Model.
We do not anticipate eliminating jobs. Instead, roles will evolve to better support faculty and staff.
HR Director roles will reflect the responsibilities of HR Business Partner units. Draft job descriptions have been developed for HR position levels and will continue to be refined as needed.
Professional Development and Growth
HRedefined will give HR professionals an opportunity to assess their current skills. We encourage them to participate in professional development opportunities that build their knowledge and support their career growth
Tools and Technology
Technology is an important part of how we support learning and professional growth. We encourage HR professionals to use available resources, including ChatGPT, DataCamp courses and training offered by the Office of Professional Development, to build their skills and explore new ways to support the university.