Human Resources

New Strategic Position Alignment process (SPA)

SIUE will employ the Strategic Position Alignment process (SPA) for all position requests (civil service, extra-help, administrative/professional staff, graduate assistants, and all faculty positions except lecturers).

• Grant-funded positions are exempt from this process.
• Student worker positions are temporarily exempt from this process, pending further review.
• If a position is greater than 50% grant-funded and the remainder of the funding is from a non-state (2-account) then the position does not need to be submitted through the SPA process.

SPA Process Steps:

1. The SPA process initiates when a department has an open position(s) not approved at the beginning of the FY.
2. In each division, all SPA forms are submitted by hiring managers or academic deans to the Vice Chancellor (VC) or unit head for the initial review.
3. The hiring manager or academic dean is required to:
   1. Complete the SPA word document draft.
   2. Share the SPA draft with their VC or unit head.
   3. The VC or unit head shares all requested SPAs from their area with their Directors or administration or a review team, etc. for review and recommendations.
   4. The hiring manager or academic dean makes final edits.
   5. The hiring manager or academic dean completes the electronic SPA form on the HR website. https://www.siue.edu/human-resources/announcements/strategic-position-alignment.shtml
4. Before a SPA form is submitted electronically in Qualtrics, it must be approved by a Vice Chancellor or member of the Chancellor's Council. Without prior approval, the SPA form will be removed from the system and not reviewed. Once a SPA form (not the position) is approved by a Vice Chancellor or member of the Chancellor's Council, the SPA form may be resubmitted for review.
5. Staff Positions: SPA form(s) approved at the Vice Chancellor or unit level are forwarded to Chancellor’s Council for review at the Chancellor’s Council Planning (CCP) meetings held each Friday.
6. Faculty positions: After careful consideration by individual deans, SPA form(s) may be submitted for consideration by the Deans' Council SPA Review Committee. The Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and the Director of Institutional Research and Studies will serve on the committee in a non-voting, ex-officio capacity.
7. Graduate assistants (non-academic units and general assistants within Academic Affairs): SPA form(s) approved at the Vice Chancellor or unit level are forwarded to Chancellor’s Council for review.
8. Graduate assistants in academic units (Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants – not grant funded): SPA form(s) approved at the Vice Chancellor or unit level are forwarded to the Deans Council SPA Review Committee for review.
9. For staff positions and graduate assistants (non-academic units and general assistants within Academic Affairs): At the CCP meetings, Chancellor’s Council members will determine, by consensus, which positions are forwarded to the Chancellor. The Vice Chancellor for Administration will sign the form on behalf of Chancellor’s Council. Only approved forms will be forwarded to the Chancellor for review.
10. For faculty positions and graduate assistantships in academic units: The deans will choose a chair of their review process who will serve as the primary point of contact for the Provost.
    1. At Deans Council, academic deans will determine, by consensus, which
       positions are forwarded to the Provost.
    2. The chair of the Deans Council SPA Review Committee will sign the form on
       behalf of Deans Council. Only approved forms will be forwarded to the Provost
       for review.
    3. For faculty positions: SPA form(s) approved by the Provost will be considered
       by the Chancellor. If approved, the Chancellor’s Office will route the signed
       forms to the Office of the Provost for processing. The Provost (or designee)
       will communicate next steps to academic deans.
11. For staff positions and graduate assistants (non-academic units and general assistants within Academic Affairs): SPA form(s) approved by the Chancellor will be submitted to Human Resources (HR) by the University Budget Director for processing.
12. Contracts for graduate assistantships, however, will be initiated at the unit/department level upon notification from the Vice Chancellor or unit/area director of Chancellor approval and continue through normal processes once approved.

1. Approved positions are emailed from the Budget Director in the Office of the Chancellor to Employment Classification and Compensation.
2. The provided documentation is reviewed and logged on the SPA Tracking Spreadsheet (tracking information is added as the process moves forward).
3. The department contact from the provided documentation is contacted and a PDQ for the position is requested.
4. Once received, the PDQ is reviewed, and classification and salary are determined.
   1. If the classification is a negotiated position, the salary is determined per the guidelines of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). A SPA Supplemental Form is provided to the department with salary information and additional details needed from the department to enter the position into the ATS.
   2. If the classification is Open Range, a salary is determined by available salary data from CUPA-HR, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, local data, and/or campus-level information. The salary range will be provided to the hiring manager on the SPA Supplemental Information Form. The hiring manager returns the form with the selected salary and additional information needed to enter the position into HireTouch. Salary offers below the minimum or above the midpoint require Vice Chancellor approval. If the range may potentially cause compression or other issues, the Vice Chancellor is consulted.
5. When the SPA Supplemental Form is returned to HR, the SPA request, Chancellor Approval memo, PDQ, and Supplemental Form are used by an HR staff member to enter the position in the ATS.
6. Initiated positions are reviewed, coded and approved by two staff members from Employment in the ATS.
7. Once the ATS position is fully approved, a posting review is generated by Talent, Civil Service Manager for the hiring manager to review.
8. The position is posted. 
9. Approved SPAs remain valid through the fiscal year. For example, if a position is filled and becomes vacant within the fiscal year, the respective department notifies HR to streamline the position request.
10. SPAs that were not approved or positions necessary in the next fiscal year may be pre-requested for the next fiscal year beginning June 1.