In campus discussions, President Schill reflects on the role of staff

With the Fall Quarter winding down, President Michael Schill sat down to discuss the staff experience with Lorraine Goffe, vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer. 

During campus events Nov. 30 in Evanston and Dec. 1 in Chicago, in the company of hundreds of staff members, they explored a range of topics, including Schill’s thoughts on higher education and his early observations of Northwestern.

> Related video: Watch the entire Evanston event on YouTube

Having officially taken the helm on Sept. 12, he said he is still listening and learning from staff, as well as faculty and students across campus. But he highlighted one key point that he asserted should not be taken for granted.

“Everybody here has great ambition,” he said. “No one is here to mark time. They all want to get better and better.”

Schill also talked about the importance of belonging and making sure that staff members are supported so that they can do their best work. All organizations, he said, including Northwestern must continue to work on this aspect of workplace culture.

Members of the audience were able to submit questions for the president in advance, and the discussion touched on issues of compensation and the need to address inflation, pay equity and workplace flexibility, plus staff recruitment, retention and the progress that Northwestern has made regarding job vacancies. 

Emphasizing their importance to Northwestern’s values, vision and mission, Schill said staff members are critical.

“There isn’t any piece of the University that does not rely on staff,” he said. “They are part of everything that we do.”