May 10, 2012
Sara Thompson, dean of the Metropolitan School for Professional Studies (MSPS) and associate provost for new programs and initiatives, testified yesterday before a Senate hearing on "Building and Maintaining an Effective Human Resource Workforce in the Federal Government."
Thompson, who was one of five panelists, spoke before the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia about Catholic University's academic programs for federal human resources professionals and how those programs meet the need for federal human resources development.
During her testimony , Thompson emphasized the role MSPS plays in educating adult learners in the D.C. metropolitan area and as "the bridge between employers and employees in helping to prepare the workforce." She noted that some MSPS students are current federal employees; others aspire to enter the federal workforce.
"We view our service to the largest employer in D.C., the federal government, and the federal workforce as vital to our mission of outreach," she said.
MSPS researches areas in which professional development needs exist, Thompson explained. That research found that federal human resources in particular has significant needs. Many current federal employees are approaching retirement age, which will create a need for more human resources professionals.
In addition, "there is a significant transition in the field, moving from a primarily transactional focus involving, for example, payroll, staffing, compensation, and benefits - all functions that are vitally important - to one that recognizes the importance of human resources' role as strategic consultant," Thompson said.
One of the solutions to the problem is employee training and development through programs like the ones offered by MSPS, according to the dean.
"Metropolitan School has put forth a comprehensive federal human resources professional development ladder for entry-, mid-, and senior-level personnel so that, no matter where federal human resources professionals are in their careers, our programs can help prepare them for the next level," she testified.
MSPS offers a certificate in human resources, a bachelor's degree in management, and a master's in human resources management with a specialized track in federal human resources. Thompson said during her testimony that she believes the master's degree with a specialization in federal human resources management is the only one in the country.
Catholic University offers these courses on campus, at employers' locations, and online. The school has developed partnerships with federal agencies such as NASA, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Office of Personnel Management, and the Chief Human Capital Officers Council to offer the University's programs to federal employees.
At the end of her testimony, Thompson read comments from students that demonstrated the strength and effectiveness of CUA's human resources programs.
"Employing agencies confirm that we have succeeded in moving their graduates from a compliance-driven framework over to more strategic thinking about how their projects and tasks relate to the organization's mission," she added.
The other panelists at the hearing included John Berry, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management; John Sepulveda, assistant secretary for human resources and administration at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Anita Blair, deputy assistant secretary for human resources and chief human capital officer at the U.S. Department of the Treasury; and John Palguta, vice president for policy at the Partnership for Public Service.
Thompson has served as a faculty member and senior administrator in higher education for more than 20 years. She is in her 10th year as dean of MSPS.