Training

Training & Staff Development

Training and professional development opportunities are offered to support the knowledge, skill, and productivity goals of University employees. Continued learning increases employee engagement, promotes equity and inclusion, and provides uniformity and proficiency in new, as well as basic, procedures.

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Past Newsletters

UP and Training

October 2023

August 2023

Development Opportunities

Welcome To New Staff!

One-on-One Orientation – Usually done on your new employee’s first day, be sure to make an appointment by contacting lcaggiano@uscupstate.edu. This is meeting’s purpose is to familiarize new staff with everyday processes.
New Staff Orientation Tour – Registration is required for this unique opportunity to meet all our senior leaders and visit outstanding areas of campus. Tours take place during fall break, spring break, and summer. Even employees who graduated from USC Upstate say they benefitted from this awe-inspiring tour.

Online Training Opportunities

Active Shooter Training

Shots Fired Videos

Shots Fired Quiz

Campus Security Authority (CSA) Training

Campus Security Authority (CSA) Training Video (network login required)

Campus Security Authority (CSA) Quiz

Cybersecurity Training

This critical training will help protect sensitive student, parent, employee, and donor information, University data, and reputation. It includes recognizing and handling threats like phishing and social engineering and other best practices.

Log in at this URL: Vector LMS, Higher Education Edition Training: Login (safecolleges.com)
Enter the first part of your email as the username in the username field.
After entering your username, the “My Assignments” page will load with the suggested four trainings.
Training is voluntary for current employees, and the due date for the courses may be disregarded.
Contact the Help Desk if you have questions at Helpdesk@uscupstate.edu or 864-503-5257.

FERPA Tutorial and Quiz

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 sets forth requirements regarding the privacy of student records and affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. All faculty and staff are required to complete a tutorial and quiz on FERPA and Student Rights. When asked for an email to send your verification of completion, please enter lcaggiano@uscupstate.edu. Those who need to submit a request for access to student records will be able to access the request form at the completion of the tutorial and quiz.

More Information

OSHA - Employee Safety and Risk Management Program

This training webpage is USC Upstate’s primary means of employee safety training. This campus-wide resource is intended for use by all USC Upstate employees to facilitate and promote safety, health and environmental management.

More Information

Administrative Professionals Certificate

Our administrative staff are the hub of our departments who are the first source of information for the students, faculty, and staff they support, and who are often on the front lines of interactions with new students and their families. These trainings identify skills to use in those situations.

Trainings required include:

Personality Profile — What type are you? And how does that type thrive in a team setting? Learning that everyone is not the same is the first step in improving our teams.
Communication Skills — Improving the way we speak and listen to others.
Handling Conflicts — Basic skills for positive outcomes in situations of conflict.
Business English — Special attention is given to our email structure, content focus, and tips specific to higher education.
Team Dynamics – Learning how to more effectively work with others to improve overall performance of the team.
Emotional Intelligence – Understanding your own emotions and how they affect others around you.
At least two other position-specific trainings such as HR Processes, PeopleSoft Proxy, etc.

Participation in this series of trainings benefits the individual learner and the University by fostering an environment that maximizes professional development and continuous improvement. Completion of the series of trainings is rewarded with a certificate and recognition at the University’s annual Administrative Professionals Event, which is held at the end of each academic year.

Equity and Inclusion Certificate

This certificate is for faculty, staff or student staff who complete a series of educational workshops by subject matter experts to advance our culture that respects and values the contributions of all its members and promotes a civil and just university environment. Trainings required include:

Multi-Generational Workplace — Improve your unit by highlighting and celebrating the best traits of each generation as well as emphasizing the common threads.
Cross-Cultural Communications — Understand one’s personal cultural assumptions and biases that may impact work relationships.
Green Zone Training — Learn about the issues and concerns faced by military affiliated students and the resources available to them. Persons who complete the training are included in the Green Zone Network.
Safe Zone Ally — Promote a community of respect and dignity where all people are free to thrive academically, professionally and personally.
Becoming Accessible — All of our communications should be accessible to everyone, regardless of physical challenges. Learn the basics of document accessibility to make assurance of accessibility a standard office process across our campus.
Civil Treatment — Learn how to identify and properly handle inappropriate behavior, including harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, so that we can work together productively to achieve our mission.

Participation in this series of trainings benefits the individual learner and the University by cultivating an inclusive campus environment that advances equity, wellness, and civility.

LEAD for Supervisors

LEAD (Learn, Educate And Develop) is a management skills development program designed to assist University employees in enhancing their knowledge, skills and abilities to lead people and get results. It also serves as a vehicle to prepare employees for career advancement. While crucial for new supervisors, experienced supervisors will discover new approaches to leadership and fresh ways to manage people effectively. Fostering an environment that maximizes employee professional development helps make us a university of choice, which is one of our main objectives in our strategic plan.

LEAD I — Supervisory Essentials: Fundamental skills for managing the University’s workforce

Writing Effective Position Descriptions
Hiring at UofSC
Interviewing & Selecting Employees
Flexible Leadership
Setting Expectations and Coaching
Tackling Difficult Conversations
Managing Expectations

All of these classes are presented live on line by the Office of Professional Development at UofSC. A comprehensive test will be given prior to awarding certificates. In addition to earning a LEAD certificate for these courses, supervisors on our campus are asked to attend the following class presented by our Director of Employee Relations, Sharon Woods, as soon as preparing EPMS becomes a part of your responsibilities.

Employee Performance Management System (EPMS): What Supervisors Need to Know

This course discusses the core elements of the performance management system. Specifically, participants will be introduced to:

the EPMS policy and process
performance cycle timeframes
performance management forms and resources
tools to address substandard performance
performance levels and ratings

This course replaces the Managing Performance Using EPMS: Planning Stage and Evaluation courses.

LEAD II — Leadership Enhancers: Beyond the basic skills to maximize development

Communication Skills
DiSC Personality Profile
Multi-Generational Workplace
Conflict Management Skills
Team Building
Effective Delegation
Cross Cultural Communication

LEAD III — Aspiring Leaders: For employees who do not currently supervise full time staff

Multi-Generational Workplace
DiSC Personality Profile
Situational Leadership
EPMS for Non-Supervisory Employees
Sexual Harassment/Discrimination
Communication Skills
Conflict Resolution

View the progress of your direct reports. Export to Excel by clicking within your list for the toolbar. Scheduled events are available on Training web page calendar.

Spartan Customer Service Excellence Certificate

The Spartan Customer Service Excellence Certificate is awarded for completion of a series of educational workshops by subject matter experts to improve our culture of service excellence. Trainings required include:

Customer Service Excellence – Create Disney-style service experience for both external and internal customers. Yes, we all have customers!
DiSC Personality Profile – Learn to appreciate personality styles that are different from yours.
Civil Treatment – Work through scenarios of workplace behavior to see the impact of our words and actions on others.
Communicating on the Front Lines – The focus in this session is on listening skills and body language as we interact with our customers and each other.
Stress Management – How are you coping with the anxiety and pressure of today?
Lean Basics – Maybe it’s not your call to make a change in procedure, but it’s best to speak up when you see a recurring work flow hiccup that could be fixed.
USC Upstate 101 – Learn about our campus and all its beauty. The more you know, the better advocate you can be.

This certificate opportunity aligns with our strategic plan’s goal in many ways. One of our main goals is to become a university of choice for faculty, staff, students and the community. This certificate program works toward that by cultivating an inclusive campus environment that advances equity, wellness and civility; by fostering an environment that maximizes employee professional development; and by operationalizing quality control and continuous improvement.

Cultivating Wellness

This development track highlights existing wellness trainings on our campus and online through USC, with emphasis on physical and mental well-being. Complete 7 out of 9 of these requirements to receive the certificate:

QPR - Question, Persuade, and Refer is a suicide awareness class offered regularly by Counseling Services. (1.5 hours) – refer to calendar on Training webpage above
OSHA - Annual requirement for all faculty and staff. (45 minutes – 1 hour)
Active Shooter - live training through University Public Safety or online, which is located under Online Training on Training web page (30 Minutes)
RAD – Rape Aggression Defense is a live training provided by University Public Safety (3 hours/3nights)
Stress Awareness - International Stress Awareness Day is celebrated in November. Other training options throughout the year are announced as they are confirmed. (1.5 hours)
AAA Driving Safety - offered by University Public Safety (6-8 hours)
Campus Security Authority Training - located under Online Training on Training web page (30 minutes). This training is suggested for all student-facing positions, but is open for all.
Emotional Intelligence – live class on our campus as announced and online via USC Professional Development (1.5 hours)
Psychological Safety – live on our campus March 2023 (1.5 hours) – refer to calendar on Training web page.

Sustainable Upstate

Our newest learning opportunity is a deep dive into all things environmental. The entire slate of requirements will be offered in our kickoff workshop on Wednesday, April 19, and individually in subsequent semesters. Participants in the Sustainability Certificate will learn information about sustainability topics and concepts, both on a macro-level and specifically relating to Upstate, as well as communication and behavior change techniques.

Green 101

Introduction to the vocabulary of sustainability
Overview of the United Nations Sustainability Goals, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and University Social Responsibility
Learn how to become Green Office Certified and plan Green Events

Waste-Less Solutions

Explore the concepts of reduce, reuse, recycle
Develop skills and tools to reduce human impact on the environment (purchasing, food waste, consumerism)

Water Wise

Learn about the importance of water usage and reduction strategies

Getting Dirty

Learn about composting, pollinator habitats, and gardening

Engaging with Nature

Discover the benefits of embracing nature
Develop a sense of connection to nature as you learn to interact with nature in ways that promote well-being

Hot Topics in Sustainability

Eco-labeling
Greenwashing
Corporate Social Responsibility

Benefits of completing the Sustainability Certificate

The certificate program provides participants with the resources, skills, and knowledge necessary to serve as leaders and change agents in their offices and the larger Upstate Community as a Sustainability Ambassador. By becoming a Sustainability Ambassador, you will:

Join a campus-wide network of peers working together to adopt a culture of sustainability
Contribute to an inclusive environment to share ideas, problem-solve, and facilitate change
Enhance your leadership skills and be an agent for change in your office through additional certification opportunities
Add to your professional and personal development, expanding your skill set and knowledge of sustainability concepts

At the conclusion of the certificate, participants will take a post-assessment inventory. After completing all the required trainings, participants will receive a sustainability ambassador sticker (to put on a reusable water bottle or anywhere) and a badge to put in their signature line.

Self-Paced Personal and Professional Development Materials

USC Upstate personal and professional development programs are offered to help achieve overall institutional goals by:

Improving interpersonal skills and increasing productivity by refining communication techniques.
Enhancing the quality of life for USC employees.

If you would like to borrow any of the following personal or professional development materials, please e-mail Lisa Caggiano or call ext. 5886.

CD Sets, Books, and Books on Tape

Blink

Malcolm Gladwell
(7 CD Set)
A book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant-in the blink of an eye- that actually aren’t as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work-in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

The Tipping Point

Malcolm Gladwell
(3 CD Set )
Find out how little things can make a big difference. Gladwell looks at why major changes in our society so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly. He introduces us to the particular personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends, the people who create the phenomenon of word of mouth. The Tipping Point is an intellectual adventure story and a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message-that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world.

Goals

Zig Ziglar
(2 CD Set)
If you have dreams, then you need goals. Zig Ziglar presents his dynamic seven-step formula for clearly defining your immediate and long-term goals…and then realizing your dreams. You’ll learn how to work around obstacles and change your strategies without changing your vision; how to become a team player, how to master your time; and to set goals for everything you want in life.

Bringing out the Best in People

Aubrey C. Daniels
(4 CD Set )
Daniels presents a powerfully positive system for gaining maximum performance from every employee. It will describe practical, precise, data-oriented methods to help you implement a management system that will maximize the long-term performance of every aspect of your employees.

The Sound of Your Voice

Dr. Carol Fleming
(4 CD Set)
This audio program helps you identify your “voice image” and provides techniques for correcting any communication problem. You will learn what your voice says about you, how to analyze your voice and diagnose its problems, how to modify regional dialects and get rid of annoying mannerisms, how to become more assertive, and breath and tonal support exercises to bring strength and clarity to your voice.

The World is Flat

Thomas Friedman
(7 CD Set)
The World is Flat is an essential update on globalization, its successes and discontents. Friedman demystifies the new flat world for listeners, allowing them to make sense of the advances in technology and communications that are creating an explosion of wealth in India and China, and challenging the rest of us to run even faster just to stay in place.

Good To Great

by Jim Collins
(5 CD Set)
Built to Last , the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning. What about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness. For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

Healthy Aging

by Andrew Weil, M.D.
(4 CD Set)
At the heart of Healthy Aging is Dr. Weil’s belief that although aging is an irreversible process, there are many things we can do to keep our minds and bodies in good working order through all phases of life. To that end, he dismisses the concept of anti-aging medicine, and draws on the new science of biogerontology (the biology of aging) as well as on the secrets of healthy longevity – diet, activity, and attitude- that he has gathered first hand from cultures around the world.

8 Weeks to Optimum Health

by Andrew Weil, M.D.
(3 CD Set)
Eight Weeks to Optimum Health is revolutionary in its thinking, yet simple and engaging in its application-enabling you to enhance and protect a lifetime of health. Dr. Weil provides information to help you keep your body’s inherent healing system in peak working order as you encounter the challenges of day-to-day life. He shows how to construct a lifestyle that will protect you from premature illness and disability, and teaches practices that will prepare you for any health crisis you may face.

The Proverbial Cracker Jack

Dale Henry, Ph.D.
(7 CD set)
How to get out of the box and become the prize. Remember how you used to open a box of Cracker Jack popcorn to get the prize? This will tell you how to be the prize in your organization; how serving well guarantees that you are in demand; how opening doors for others opens new doors for you.

How to Challenge Yourself and Others to Greatness

Dale Carnegie
(6 CD set)
Dale Carnegie Leadership Mastery Course. In a world quickly becoming more virtual, human relations skills are being lost--along with the skill of leadership. You'll learn to be flexible, adaptable, and trustworthy, as well as a tough and decisive distributor of power.

FISH for Life

by Stephen C. Lundin, Ph.D, John Christensen and Harry Paul
(3 CD set)
The authors turn their attention to life's daily personal challenges, helping readers deal with them simply and effectively. By applying the FISH! principles of Play, Make Their Day, Choose Your Attitude, and Be Present, FISH! for Life shows readers how to confront life's issues and to reach their full potential. With advice on such life issues as weight loss, personal finance, and relationships, this is a road map for achieving personal happiness and well-being n all of life.

Empowering Your Team

by Pat Heim, Ph. D.
Teams develop through four stages: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. Good facilitation skills will help teams progress through the stages. Teams can, and often do, move back and forth among the four stages based on team membership, outside forces or redirection of the team's purpose. (Approx. 60 Minutes)

She Said/He Said

by Pat Heim, Ph. D.
He seems domineering, she seems over-emotional. He appears uncaring, she appears to question authority. Are these real or imagined differences? This 60-minute audio explores the divergent rules men and women learned about "appropriate" adult behavior and how these can cause us problems at work. This audio covers the different ways the genders learn to communicate, what being a team player means, how to manage conflict, deal with authority, and talk about success. Strategies for managing differences are identified.

Productive Conflict Skills

by Pat Heim, Ph. D.
How do you deal with the person who barges in and blows up? What do you do with a co-worker who constantly creates problems for you but won't talk about what's wrong? Conflict is a reality of organizational life. This audio training covers fifteen strategies to make difficult discussions more productive. You'll find solutions to common problems such as what to do when attacked, how to find out what the conflict is really about and ways to prevent defensiveness. (Approx. 50 minutes)

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

by John Gray, Ph. D.
While it is crucial to never stereotype a person, there are some trends that you can be aware of to help communicate effectively across gender lines. (96 minutes)

Who Moved My Cheese

by Spencer Johnson, M.D.
Who Moved My Cheese is a simple parable that reveals profound truths about change. It is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a "Maze" and look for "Cheese" to nourish them and make them happy.

"Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life- good job, money, relationships, health, etc. "The Maze" is where you look for what you want- family, work, church.

First Things First

by Stephen Covey
First Things First is a revolutionary guide to managing your time. Rather than focusing on efficiency, this new approach emphasizes effectiveness.
72 minutes

Gung Ho!

by Ken Blanchard & Sheldon Bowles
Through the inspirational story of business leaders, the revolutionary technique of Gung Ho is revealed in three simple, but powerful principles that you'll learn about in this CD. (90 minutes)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

by Stephen Covey
A holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for adapting to change and taking advantage of the opportunities that change creates. (72 minutes)

The 8^th Habit

by Stephen Covey
So many people feel frustrated, discouraged, unappreciated, and undervalued – with little or no sense of voice or unique contribution. Being effective as individuals and organizations is no longer merely an option – survival in today’s world requires it. Accessing the higher levels of human genius and motivation in today’s new reality requires a sea change in thinking, a whole new habit. It is what Covey calls the 8^th Habit. (75 minutes)

The Leadership Pill

by Ken Blanchard and Marc Muchnick
Through the presentation of a parable about the competition between two leaders with totally different management styles, the story reveals the ingredients of truly effective leadership. (75 minutes)

How to Be a Winner

by Zig Ziggler
Your talents and skills are inert without a winning self-image to activate them. Winners are not born- they're made. (1 hour)

Family First

by Dr. Phil McGraw
(5 CD Set)
In Family First, Dr. Phil provides a proven action plan to help parents determine the strengths and weaknesses of their parenting style. His 7 Tools for Purposeful Parenting cover the most important elements for any parent: parenting for success – for the purpose of raising cooperative, caring, and competent children. Remember – you are not raising children you are raising adults, and everything you do today impacts what kind of adult your child will become. You are building the future.

The 5 Essential People Skills

by Dale Carnegie
(6 CD Set)
The 5 Essential People Skills will help you be the most positively assertive, prosperous and inspired professional you can be. You will learn to relate to the 7 major personality types, live up to your fullest potential while achieving personal success, and resolve any conflict or misunderstanding by applying a handful of proven principles.

The Millionaire Next Door

by Thomas Stanley and William Danko
(2 CD Set)
Can you spot the millionaire next door? Who are the rich in this country? What do they do? Where do they shop? What do they drive? How do they invest? How did they get rich? Can I ever become one of them? Get the answers in The Millionaire Next Door, the never-before-told story about wealth in America. You’ll be surprised at what you find out!

The Ultimate Weight Solution by Dr. Phil McGraw

(5 CD Set)
You know all too well that the “diet” experience can be bitterly disappointing. The Ultimate Weight Solution will change the way you behave and think about food, weight loss, and ultimately, yourself. You’ll get the real reasons you’ve lost control of your weight, with tools to identify what to eat, when to eat, how to eat, and why you eat when you don’t want to. Included is a CD-ROM that is in a printable PDF file. It contains weight standards, stress relief and relaxation scripts, nutritional assessment, food lists, and a lot more.

The Purpose Driven Life

by Rick Warren
(4 CD Set)
In 40 brief chapters (each of which can read as a daily devotional), Rick Warren answers the age-old questions: Why am I here? What is my purpose? Asserting that our responses to those quandaries must start with God, he explains how we can achieve fulfillment by enacting His plan. The Purpose-Driven Life is a blueprint for a lifestyle based on God’s eternal purposes, not cultural values. Well-grounded in Scripture, it offers fresh insights on worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.

The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy

by Jon Gordon
The Energy Bus, an international bestseller by Jon Gordon, takes readers on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals 10 secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment — at work and at home. Jon infuses this engaging story with keen insights as he provides a powerful roadmap to overcome adversity and bring out the best in yourself and your team. When you get on The Energy Bus you’ll enjoy the ride of your life!

Turn the Tide: Rise Above Toxic, Difficult Situations in the Workplace

by Kathy Obear, Ed. D.
Over the past 25 years, Kathy Obear has helped thousands of people in workshops and coaching sessions learn to effectively navigate difficult workplace situations. Now, she shares the tools and skills of her 7-Step process, The Triggering Event Cycle, so you can take back control of your emotions and successfully rise above toxic work environments. In the spirit of Brené Brown and Martha Beck, Kathy uses stories and realistic examples to make these concepts accessible and easy to apply in your life. Her book is full of tools and exercises designed to help you rise above workplace drama and create greater teamwork, productivity, and innovation in your organization. Discover practical tools to:*De-escalate unproductive workplace conflict *Interrupt automatic fight or flight reactions *Identify what is fueling ineffective reactions*Take back control of your emotions *Rebuild working relationships*Minimize feeling triggered in the future *Turn the tide of workplace drama with greater ease and confidence. Join Kathy on this transformational journey and make this invaluable investment in yourself!

Lisa Caggiano
Director of Professional Development

326 I Stockwell Administration Building

864-503-5886