Photograph of Ujima Donalson

A Message from Ujima Donalson
Assistant Vice President, Total Talent Management

In her annual address this autumn, President Cauce made a strong point that we at the University must do a better job of demonstrating our value to the community and across the state.

We in POD are no strangers to measuring success, whether through registration targets, course evaluations, or program assessments. However, when we communicate with leaders and staff, we’re typically publicizing development opportunities or sharing tools, resources, and information, rather than trying to tell our story or showcase our value.

In my own way, I’d like to answer President Cauce’s call “to not only be the story makers, but also the story tellers.”


The truth is that POD has added tremendous value to the University over the years. I am endlessly proud that a team 10-FTE strong supported the development, scheduling, and facilitation of nearly 200 in-person and 50 online workshops that received more than 7,000 registrations last fiscal year. In addition, in FY2018 we launched a new Administrative Excellence certificate and awarded 100 certificates in other areas to UW staff members. I like to think of POD as a small team with a big impact, and those numbers demonstrate the reach and breadth of our offerings to UW staff and leaders. Now that’s a compelling story!

On the consulting front, in FY18 we opened more than 150 contracts with dozens of clients across the University, assisting with everything from strategic planning to leadership coaching, custom workshops, and retreat facilitation and design.

Although we receive support from the University for select programming, the majority of our training offerings and all of our consulting services are self-sustaining. Our success comes from being good financial stewards, making data-driven decisions, engaging in regular team-wide strategic planning, and – last but definitely not least – partnerships.

In FY18, members of the POD team led dozens of trainings; the rest were facilitated by a combination of UWHR colleagues, subject-matter experts from across the University, and highly experienced external providers. Consulting work was performed by a small team of internal POD consultants along with 38 external consultants selected by clients from our University Consulting Alliance.

Our partnerships enable us to meet the needs of staff, leaders, and units across our diverse, complex, and vast institution. To honor our partners and the contributions they make to advancing individual and organizational excellence at the UW, for this issue of the Leading Edge we asked three external members of the University Consulting Alliance to contribute articles.

To be accepted into the Alliance, external consultants must complete an RFQQ and have at least five years of consulting experience as well as experience working with clients in higher education or the public sector. We are selective and strive to provide you with the best of the best in the Alliance every year. Each of our more than 80 external consultants brings a unique perspective, skillset, and experience, and I believe that shines through in the articles in this issue.

Our partnerships don’t just come in the form of the external providers who enable us to offer expanded services. Every day we partner with staff, leaders, and teams across the University. When we see individuals and organizations grow and develop, that is what makes our work rewarding and also what gives POD merit, so I thank you for putting your trust in us.

Autumn 2018 | Return to Issue Home