Indiana University Human Resources: Cultivating a Thriving Workforce

Indiana University (IU) recognizes that its people are its greatest asset. As one of the state’s top employers, IU significantly contributes to the economy and empowers communities through research, innovation, and service. IU Human Resources (IUHR) plays a vital role in championing a thriving work environment and cultivating employee success across all its campuses. This article provides an overview of IU Human Resources, its functions, benefits, and resources available to employees.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity and Accessibility

Indiana University is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and providing ADA services. The university prohibits discrimination in hiring and all employment practices. The Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination provides detailed information, including contact information for reporting concerns.

Ensuring Safety and Security

Indiana University prioritizes the safety and security of its employees and students. The Annual Security Reports, containing policy statements and crime statistics for all IU campuses, are accessible through Public Safety and the IU Police Department's website. These reports provide valuable information for maintaining a safe campus environment.

Onboarding and New Employee Orientation

The IU Columbus Office of Human Resources supports the campus by managing all HR activities. To ensure a smooth transition for new employees, IU offers a comprehensive New Employee Orientation program. This orientation is available online through Canvas for all IU campuses. New staff employees are automatically enrolled on or before their first day of employment.

The self-guided New Employee Orientation course covers essential topics, including:

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Benefits information
University policies
Professional development opportunities
Parking regulations
Campus-specific perks

Any IU employee can register and view the course by visiting the provided link and choosing the option to “Enroll in Course”.

Employee Benefits Overview

Indiana University offers a comprehensive range of benefits designed to support employees' personal and professional well-being. These benefits aim to help employees and their families achieve healthy lifestyles, meet educational goals, and build long-term financial security.

Benefits Enrollment

New employees can enroll in benefits by following the step-by-step enrollment instructions, which include creating an IU computing account and completing the online enrollment process. Resources such as the "Benefits Overview for New Employees" and the "IU Benefit Programs Brochure" provide detailed information about available benefits.

Key Benefit Areas

Health and Wellness: IU medical plans cover in-network preventive care at 100%, including wellness exams, routine immunizations, and screenings for various health conditions.
Financial Security: IU offers retirement plans, life insurance, and disability coverage to help employees build long-term financial security.
Work-Life Balance: Benefits such as paid time off, holidays, and employee assistance programs support employees in balancing their work and personal lives.
Professional Development: IU HR provides professional development sessions and series that foster employee growth, improve performance, and increase employee engagement.

Holidays

Indiana University observes several holidays throughout the year. Each holiday is considered to be eight hours for 100% FTE Staff. Holiday hours are prorated by FTE for Staff employees with less than 100% FTE. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is observed on the Friday immediately preceding the holiday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the Monday immediately following the holiday.

2024 Holidays

New Year's: Monday, January 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 15
Campus Holiday: Accrues on March 1 of each year.*
Memorial Day: Monday, May 27
Juneteenth: Wednesday, June 19
Independence Day: Thursday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, September 2
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29
Winter Break: Wednesday, Dec. 25, Thursday, Dec. 26, Friday, Dec. 27, Monday, Dec. 30, Tuesday, Dec. 31

2025 Holidays

New Year's: Wednesday, Jan. 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, Jan. 20
Campus Holiday: Accrues on March 1 of each year.*
Memorial Day: Monday, May 26
Juneteenth: Thursday, June 19
Independence Day: Friday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 1
Thanksgiving: Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28
Christmas Day: Thursday, Dec. 25
Winter Break: Friday, Dec. 26, Monday, Dec. 29, Tuesday, Dec. 30, Wednesday, Dec. 31

*The Campus Holiday is either a “floating” holiday or a day designated by the president of the university or the chancellor of the campus. On campuses that treat the holiday as a floating holiday, Campus Holiday is available to use on or after March 1.

Payroll Information

IU employees have access to various payroll resources, including information on tax forms and setting up direct deposit. Timekeeping is managed through Kuali Time for support and service staff and temporary employees. Professional staff can refer to the PTO User Guide for information on paid time off.

Pay Schedules

Faculty and exempt professional staff at IU Columbus are paid monthly on the last working day of the month, except in December, when checks are paid on the first working day in January.
Clerical, technical, service maintenance, hourly, and non-exempt professional staff are paid biweekly.

New employees receive their first paycheck according to the following schedule:

If hired in the first half of the month, the first paycheck is received on the last working day of the month of hire.
If hired after the middle of the month and payroll has already closed, the first paycheck is received on the last working day of the following month.

Performance Management

Performance at IU is a uniform program of conversations about performance and development, which includes four guided conversations:

Expectation Conversations: These conversations, occurring from January to April, involve setting clear expectations for the employee's role and responsibilities. Employees submit their expectations by May 15.
Check-In Conversations: These ongoing conversations throughout the year provide opportunities for regular feedback and adjustments as needed. At least one 30-minute conversation per month is recommended.
Development Conversations: These conversations, held one or two times a year for 30-60 minutes each, focus on employee growth and development opportunities.
Annual Performance Conversations: These conversations, occurring from January to March, provide a comprehensive review of the employee's performance over the past year. Leaders submit their performance evaluations by April 15.

Division Head & Program Director Annual Leadership Review

Division Heads and Program Directors complete an administrative review form each year to note their accomplishments and set goals for the coming year. The completed items, including narrative evaluations of all full-time faculty prepared by division committees and updated CVs, are submitted to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs by March 2, 2026. All faculty review information is then forwarded to the Vice Chancellor and Dean for review by March 14, and to Human Resources by March 28, 2026.

SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

SupportLinc, administered by CuraLinc Healthcare, is a confidential resource that provides 24/7 access to professional counseling and referrals. Eligible employees and household members have access to SupportLinc services at no cost, including:

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Unlimited 24/7 telephone access to licensed counselors
Up to six (6) face-to-face counseling sessions per presenting issue (in-person or virtual)
Access to SupportLinc’s comprehensive technology suite
Expert referrals for local service providers
Financial and legal planning support and consultations

SupportLinc’s licensed counselors can provide short-term assistance with issues such as grief and loss, substance abuse, relationship problems, work-related pressures, stress and anxiety, and more.

Wellness Initiatives

IU Columbus Wellness Ambassadors promote health and wellness initiatives on campus. Employees are encouraged to get involved and share their ideas for improving employee wellness. IU Columbus offers programs and workshops ranging from nutrition and physical well-being to parenting and mental well-being.

Preventive Care

IU emphasizes the importance of preventive care, which includes routine well exams, screenings, and immunizations. All IU medical plans cover in-network preventive care at 100%.

Staying Active

Physical activity is critical to the health of both body and mind. IU encourages employees to stay active and provides resources to support physical activities.

Work + Life Resources

Work + Life is designated to help all employees lead productive, sustainable, and thriving professional and personal lives. Several classes and webinars are available covering a wide array of topics.

Support for Nursing Mothers

New parents can breast or chest feed or express milk while returning to school or work. A private space for IU Columbus Academic, Staff and Students who are lactating is available in the Research Center (RC Room 105) and in one of the Summerville breakout rooms (LC Room 1403).

Sustainability Initiatives

The IU Columbus Office of Sustainability creates a culture of sustainability in the administrative, academic, and community engagement programs at IU Columbus.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

IU employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Submitting the PSLF form annually allows IU to track and verify qualifying payments. FedLoan Servicing recommends initiating the PSLF application at studentaid.gov.

Career Opportunities

When you join Indiana University, you become part of something bigger than yourself. IU is known for its relentless pursuit of breakthrough discoveries as a world-class academic research institution, our global engagement initiatives, and service to our local communities as we contribute to strengthening the cultural and economic vitality of the state of Indiana.

Master of Arts in Human Resources and Employment Relations

The Master of Arts in Human Resources and Employment Relations is a multidisciplinary, graduate-degree program designed to prepare professional practitioners in the fields of human resource management and employment relations in the public and private sectors and the training of neutrals and those wanting to work for employee service organizations. The 36-semester-hour program consists of a required core of 24-semester-hours and elective course offerings totaling 12-semester-hours. In consultation with the Advisor, each student will individually build the elective sequence of the program of study by choosing 12-elective-semester hours from among human resource and employment relations courses and courses approved by the Advisor that are offered by other departments.

Admission Requirements

Minimum QPA of 2.6 if graduated with a BS or BA within five years of the application date.
One letter of recommendation. If bachelor’s degree was earned within five years, at least one letter must be from a faculty member or the dean/director of undergraduate program. If degree is older than five years, both letters must be from employers or professional colleagues.

Required Coursework

All your degree requirements are based on the semester and year you entered IU Bloomington. However, significant restrictions apply, see your academic advising report (AAR). Students may not “double count” courses within this major.

The following four courses:

SPEA-V 202 Contemporary Economic Issues in Public Affairs (3 cr.) (P: ECON-E 251 or ECON-B 251)
SPEA-V 236 Managing and Leading Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 246 Elements of Governmental and Nonprofit Financial Accounting Cycle (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 186)
SPEA-V 373 Human Resource Management in the Public Sector (3 cr.)**Iterative Writing Assignment Course

The following six courses:

SPEA-V 361 Financial Management (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 246 or BUS-A 201)
SPEA-V 443 Managing Workforce Diversity (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 476 Compensation Strategy and Systems (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 373)
SPEA-V 477 Strategic Human Resource Management (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 373)
SPEA-V 478 Employment Law for Human Resource Management (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 184)
SPEA-V 479 Employee Recruitment and Selection (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 373)

Four of the following courses (at least three courses must be offered by SPEA):

SPEA-V 203 The Call of Public Service: History, Philosophy, Values and Outcomes (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 326 Communication for Government and Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 336 Managing External Collaboration and Networks (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 185)
SPEA-V 348 Management Science (3 cr.) (P: SPEA- K 300, MATH-M 025 or MATH-M 118)
SPEA-V 370 Research Methods and Statistical Modeling (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-K 300 or equivalent)
SPEA-V 374 Intermediate Public Budgeting and Finance (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 186)
SPEA-V 378 Federal Government Processes (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 379 Performance Measurement and Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 404 Advanced Public Management (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 185)
SPEA-V 409 Federal Policymaking and the Hearing Process (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 412 Leadership and Ethics (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 415 Data Science in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 432 Labor Relations in the Public Sector (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 373)
SPEA-V 435 Negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (3 cr.)
SPEA-V 450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs (1-3 cr.) (approved topics only; consult SPEA advisor; repeatable with different topics)
SPEA-V 457 Human Resources Training and Development (3 cr.) (P: SPEA-V 373)
SPEA-V 482 Overseas Topics in Public Affairs (0-15 cr.) (approved topics only; consult SPEA advisor; repeatable with different topics)
SPEA-V 499 Honors Thesis (3 cr.)
SPH-S 201 Introduction to Industrial Hygiene (3 cr.)
SPH-S 210 General Industry Standards (3 cr.)
SPH-S 214 OSHA Construction Standards (3 cr.)
SPH-S 251 Incident Investigation and Analysis (3 cr.)
SPH-S 332 Ergonomics and Human Factors (3 cr.)
SPH-S 345 Safety Program Management (3 cr.)
SPH-S 415 Safety Education and Training (3 cr.)

Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (BSPA) with a Major in Human Resource Management

The O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (BSPA) degree with a major in Human Resource Management. This program prepares students for careers in human resources within the public and non-profit sectors. The curriculum provides a comprehensive understanding of HR principles, practices, and legal frameworks.

Core Requirements for BSPA

Students pursuing a BSPA degree must complete a set of core requirements, including courses in:

Environment & People
US Policy & Administration
Policy-making around the World: Comparative and International Approaches
Law & Public Affairs
Management of Public Problems and Solutions
Introduction to Public Budgeting and Finance for Public Affairs

Career Core

The Career Core consists of 15 credits, including:

Fundamentals of Economics
Statistical Techniques
Oral Communication
Computer Skills
Experiential Learning

Human Resource Management Major Requirements

The Human Resource Management major requires 14 courses, including:

Contemporary Economic Issues in Public Affairs
Managing and Leading Organizations
Elements of Governmental and Nonprofit Financial Accounting Cycle
Human Resource Management in the Public Sector
Financial Management
Managing Workforce Diversity
Compensation Strategy and Systems
Strategic Human Resource Management
Employment Law for Human Resource Management
Employee Recruitment and Selection
Four elective courses from a list of approved courses

Electives

Students can choose electives to fulfill the remaining credit hours required for the degree.

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