The Human Resources (HR) Division provides support, resources, and guidance to college and university leaders, HR offices, and the HR Service Center. We operate in a highly diverse, complex system of 54 campuses plus the system office. Approximately 16,000 people are employed by the system, most of whom are represented by one of eight collective bargaining units.
Division Leadership
Eric Davis, Vice Chancellor for Human Resources
Sue Appelquist, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources
Chris Dale, Senior System Director for Labor Relations
Deb Gehrke, Director of Human Resources for the System Office
Our Strategic Goals
- Provide efficient, high quality, and cost-effective human resources (HR) and labor relations (LR) support, resources, information, systems, and guidance for college, university and system leaders
- Support and enhance the value and capacity of campus and system HR professionals to more effectively attract, retain, and develop a diverse and inclusive workforce able to meet the current and future educational needs
- Develop and implement LR and HR strategies to support the system’s priorities, promote equity and inclusion, and improve workforce climate and readiness to address the changing needs of Minnesota State students across the system
Our Teams
Academic HR
This team provides leadership in the administration of faculty contract provisions, including salary setting and credentialing for college faculty, hiring practices, sabbatical, and salary equity reviews.
Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) and HR Shared Services
This team provides leadership in the design, development, and implementation of HRIS systems, training for HR staff, oversight of the HR Service Centers processes and procedures, and ensuring HR data security and integrity.
Labor Relations (LR)
This team works with campuses to ensure consistent and accurate implementation of all labor agreements. LR also provides advice on personnel investigations, employment disputes, and lawful employment practices. LR represents the system in labor contract negotiations, arbitrations, and in proceedings before the Bureau of Mediation Services.
Talent Management
This team is responsible for systemwide leadership development programs, supervisory training, and other mandatory training programs. They also oversee system workforce planning, classification, and compensation.
Total Rewards
This team provides systemwide leadership for executive compensation; retirement administration, including comprehensive management of the Minnesota State defined contribution retirement plan; job classification; benefits administration; and data analytics.
Workers’ Compensation
This area is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing a holistic approach to workers’ compensation management for the system.
System Office HR
This team provides HR services to system office employees and college and university presidents. The CHRO for the system office also manages executive and presidential searches.
