By Jeff Murphy,
August 22, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – Enhancing the University of Central Missouri’s efforts to navigate
through changes in higher education that affect employees, including the Fair Labor
Standards Act (FLSA), UCM announces the appointment of A. Ranea Taylor, Denver, Colo.,
to serve in the newly created position, Associate Vice President for Human Resources.
Taylor, who has more than 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience
in human resources, including work in higher education, begins her new duties Sept.
6.
The Associate Vice President of Human Resources serves as a member of the university
president’s Strategic Leadership Team, and is a senior leader and will collaborate
with the campus community to provide leadership and direction in the planning, integration,
and implementation of human resources programs and policies. Taylor will report directly
to Doug Hawks, Ph.D., vice president for finance and administration, who announced
her appointment.
"The Associate Vice President of Human Resource is a critical hire as UCM continues
to develop new and innovative ways to support and grow our staff, faculty, and students,”
Hawks said. “Ranea has a results-driven, optimistic, and collaborative approach to
human resources that I believe will be welcomed with excitement across campus."
He added that external forces, such as new regulations and limited resources, are
forcing UCM and other higher education institutions to focus on providing faculty
and staff with much-needed support and training.
“Someone with the leadership, experience, familiarity with higher education, and
passion for human resources that Ranea will bring to UCM is invaluable," Hawks noted.
"Ranea has a positive energy and level of excitement that has proven to be a competitive
advantage for her throughout her career. I'm very excited that the search committee
was able to recruit her and that the campus community can now be one of the beneficiaries
of Ranea's leadership and vision for human resources."
Among her many duties, Taylor will be responsible for the formulation, interpretation,
and administration of university personnel policies and practices. This includes wage
and salary policies, leave policies, employee discipline policies, complaints and
grievances, and separation policies. She will periodically review and make recommendations
for revisions to employee policies and handbooks; develop recruiting and hiring strategies;
monitor application and effectiveness of employee training programs; ensure compliance
with federal and state laws related to human resources issues; administer UCM’s employee
insurance, retirement, and other benefits programs; and provide direction and oversight
regarding development of employee relations strategies and programs designed to minimize
and mitigate workplace disputes and foster a positive and productive work environment.
Taylor currently works for the City of Denver Office of Human Resources, where she
has served as a senior human resources professional since 2011. Prior to this post,
she served for approximately seven years as Assistant Director of Human Resources
for Metropolitan State University in Colorado. She also worked for the state of Colorado’s
Department of Personnel and Administration and Front Range Community College. This
adds to her overall experiences in numerous human resources disciplines that include
management, consulting, coaching and counseling, benefits management and oversight,
employee relations, and training and development. She also developed a political and
business acumen that has given her skills in navigating through delicate and intricate
situations with a strategic and solution focus.
Taylor’s academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration degree
and Bachelor of Science degree in human resources, plus certifications as a Senior
Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Senior Certified Professional (SCP).
