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Trinity Institute

Main 131 | Hours by Appointment | Phone: 202-884-9121 | HumanResources@trinitydc.edu | Fax: 202 884-9123

About the Trinity Institute

The Trinity Institute is a continuing education and professional development program that will give all of Trinity’s staff and faculty an opportunity to grow and develop, personally and professionally. It aims to encourage and support a dynamic learning and working environment that aligns with the Office of Human Resource’s (OHR) departmental objectives, which support the University’s overall strategic goals. In order to respond to the diverse needs of our students and community, the Trinity workforce must continually improve its knowledge, skills and abilities.

Trinity Institute Goals

  • To encourage and reward a learning work environment
  • To provide a structured method of professional development which will increase the knowledge, skills and abilities of employees through classroom instruction, seminars, workshops and web based modules.
  • To improve customer service
  • To increase employee retention
  • To promote succession planning

Related Trinity Strategic Goals

  • Goal 1: Enrollment Development
  • Goal 5: Human Resource Development
  • Goal 6: Management Capacity
  • Goal 8: Service to Students and Community
  • Goal 9: Quality, Outcomes and Key Performance Indicators

The focus of the Trinity is to help develop two populations: professional staff and management staff. Its purpose is to strengthen the workforce in core competencies and job performance toward strategic goals. Courses are offered under the following categories:

  1. Job Knowledge
  2. Communications
  3. Technology
  4. Strategic Focus and Outcomes
  5. Risk Management
  6. Leadership
  7. Personal Development

Job Knowledge

These courses are defined by job-specific industry standards. They may be taken on or off campus; via online, webinars or teleconferences, and not necessarily a part of a degree program. The desired job knowledge courses must be approved by the supervisor and then the Executive Director of HR.

Communication

Communication courses are designed to help develop and strengthen the written, verbal and presentation skills of our workforce. In addition, an emphasis on internal and external customer service skills will be stressed. Courses may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Identifying Communication Styles
  2. Managing Conflict in Diverse Environments
  3. Customer Service at Trinity
  4. Public Speaking
  5. Professional Journaling
  6. Business Writing
  7. Professional Reports
  8. Email Etiquette
  9. Making Effective Presentations

Technology

Technology courses are designed to help develop and strengthen the technology skills of our workforce to improve workplace efficiency and effectiveness. Current courses include, but are not limited to:

  1. MS Word
  2. MS Excel
  3. MS PowerPoint
  4. MS Publishing
  5. MS Project Management
  6. Word Press for Web Content Managers
  7. Moodle
  8. Power Campus
  9. Job-specific systems, applications and software

Policy/Risk Management

Policy/Risk Management courses are intended to assist Trinity in diminishing risk; they focus on Trinity policy and stress ways in which we can manage risk in our day to day tasks. Course may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Preventing Harassment and Sexual Misconduct (required yearly – either online or classroom)
  2. Avoiding Litigation Landmines
  3. Legal and Effective Interviewing
  4. Ethics
  5. FERPA
  6. HIPAA
  7. Managing Student Accommodations
  8. Emergency Management
  9. Mitigating Violence in the Workplace
  10. Supervisory Skills

Strategic

Strategic courses focus on the university’s strategic plan and specific departmental goals. Emphasis on data gathering and analysis for annual reports, self-study documents and measurements will be covered. Courses may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Data Gathering and Analysis
  2. Writing a Self-Study
  3. Strategic Plan Review
  4. Outcomes Assessment
  5. Budget Management
  6. Operational Planning

Leadership

Leadership courses teach management staff (or aspiring management staff) how to be effective and influential leaders. The focus will be on how to create a motivating work environment to help the workforce reach its full and productive potential. Courses may include, but are not limited to:

  1. New Supervisor/Manager Workshop
  2. Supervisor/Manager Boot Camp
  3. Leading from the Line (Professional staff may use as an elective)
  4. Leadership Skills for Managers
  5. How to Create a Motivating Environment
  6. Staff Development / Succession Planning
  7. Holding Effective Meetings
  8. Performance Management and Assessment

Personal Development

These courses are for personal development, which are important in addressing the whole employee. Courses include, but are not limited to:

  1. Time Management
  2. Stress Management
  3. Sign Language
  4. Dress for Success
  5. Eldercare
  6. Financial Planning
  7. Retirement Planning
  8. Legal Services
  9. Spanish for the Workplace

Trinity Institute Essentials

New Staff Orientation

A 3/4 day event held every other month, or as needed. New staff employees review Trinity’s mission, vision, goals and organizational structure. OHR and guest speakers from different departments facilitate parts of the meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to allow new staff members to learn about Trinity’s past; to gain a better understanding of Trinity’s strategic objectives and to appreciate where they fit in the big picture of Trinity. Required of new staff.

Digital Literacy

All Trinity employees must demonstrate standard proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. Working knowledge of DocuSign, Microsoft Access, PowerPoint and Publisher will only enhance the skill sets of our workforce. In addition, student service staff and some faculty use Power Campus and Starfish for data inquiries, data management, and reports. Great Plains is used generally by operational areas for budget, data management and reports. The full utilization of these applications will only enhance productivity and efficiency. Job specific requirement

Diversity and Inclusion: It’s All About Respect

As stated in Trinity’s mission, “RESPECT for Human Dignity will continue to characterize Trinity’s campus life through honoring the broad diversity of races, ethnicities, cultures, languages, abilities, beliefs and interests of Trinity’s student body”. This course stresses the importance of respecting and embracing the diversity of the Trinity community and the importance of providing excellent service by recognizing the diverse needs of our customers. This course is mandatory for all new staff and required every other year of existing staff.

Preventing Harassment: Creating a Culture of Respect

As previously stated, RESPECT for human dignity characterizes the Trinity culture. Participants will be able to create an environment in their workplaces where harassment of any kind does not exist. Gender, racial, sexual and other types of harassment will be discussed. Participants will be able to explain how to respond if ever faced with any type of harassment. This course is offered in three categories: Staff, Faculty and Supervisors, and is mandatory every year.

Policy Workshops

Each month Trinity will highlight at least one university policy. The subject matter expert and OHR will facilitate the one to two hour training sessions. Examples of topics covered include, but are not limited to: The Purchasing Process; The Leave Policy; Technology Usage Policy; and Emergency Management Procedures: This may be a job specific requirement or required as indicated.

Performance Assessment

In the months of March-May, performance assessment workshops will be held for staff and supervisors. The purpose of these workshops is to give staff the tools to complete a self-assessment, and to give supervisors the tools to accurately and effectively complete the performance assessment document and conduct the performance assessment session with their staff. This course is mandatory.

Personal Development

Trinity recognizes the importance of taking care of those things personal to all employees, like finances; physical/mental health and wellness; retirement planning; family issues; etc. At least one personal development course will be offered each session. Examples of topics that will be covered include, but are not limited to: Financial Education; Stress Management; Time Management; (1 credit)

Other courses will be added over time. The goal is to standardize the Essential training courses, and create a menu of new and different training on an ongoing basis.

Upcoming Sessions

For notes from recent sessions, Log into Google Drive with your Trinity credentials, and browse the Trinity Institute folder.