University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 21, Feb. 27, 1997

Advanced Defensive Driving Course
"Coaching the Experienced Driver" is for those with several
years of driving experience but who may need to freshen up
their driving skills. Through films, slides, discussion and
individual work, the program gives the driver important cues
that can be used in daily driving to reduce the number of
near misses or actual accidents. Employees who complete the
program receive a 15 percent discount on insurance (not in
addition to the 10 percent from basic defensive driving).
Note: There is a $15 fee for this class. Registration must
be made by campus or U.S. mail and accompanied by a check,
made payable to the Delaware Safety Council. Send payment to
Employee Training and Career Development, 87 East Main St.
Date: Wednesday, May 7
Time: 5-9 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: April 28
Audience: All University employees and their dependents
Prerequisite: Participants must have completed the basic
defensive driving class.


Writing with Confidence
This two-part course is designed for staff who regularly
write memos, letters, reports, etc. In addition to reviewing
grammar and punctuation issues, the course focuses on
effective writing techniques. These will include determining
the audience, keeping the reader interested, generating
accurate information, choosing the appropriate style,
staying on the subject, building confidence and writing
concisely.
Dates: Friday, April 11
     Friday, April 18
Time: 8:30 a.m.-noon
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 28

Service Success!
The customer service program, "Service Success!" is a three-
part series. Each session builds on the previous session's
topics. A certificate of completion will be awarded to
individuals who complete the entire program.

Session 1: Introduction to customer service
Instruction includes defining the "education" customer,
discussion of service issues and learning how customer
perceptions influence situations.
Date: Tuesday, March 11
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Location: To be announced
Deadline: Feb. 28

Session 2:     Communication/listening skills
Topics include effective use of direct and open-ended
questions, information-sorting techniques, blocks to
listening, reading body language and learning to paraphrase.
Date: Tuesday, March 25
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 14

Session 3: Effective call management/ handling difficult
situations
This program deals with telephone skills for effectively
serving customers, as well as covering tips for dealing with
difficult people, delivering "bad" news and negotiating
effective agreements.
Date: Tuesday, April 8
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 28

Asserting Yourself on the Job
Passive? Assertive? Aggressive? Which are you? What are some
of the components of assertive behavior? Why is being
assertive especially important for women? What are some of
the blocks to acting assertively? Every day on our jobs-in
dealings with co-workers, supervisors, those we supervise,
parents, students and others-many occasions arise where
assertive behavior could benefit us in our communications.
This workshop will answer your questions about assertiveness
and provide you with opportunities to discuss its
application in the workplace.
Date: Monday, April 14
Time: Noon-1:30 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: April 4

Supervision Training
This series of workshops is designed to enhance skills used
regularly in supervisory relationships. Participants should
have at least one to two years of supervisory experience.
Employees attending all three workshops will receive a
certificate of completion from the Office of Employee
Training and Caeer Development.

Session 1: Effective communication and listening skills in
supervision
Research indicates that being an effective communicator is
one of the most important skills for a successful
supervisory career. Listening is a critical communication
skill for all people, especially supervisors. This
supervisory program teaches how to listen for understanding
and to assure that the messages sent and received are the
same. Evaluating non-verbal signals and the proper uses of
questioning techniques also will be covered.
Date: Wednesday, March 12
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Location: To be announced
Deadline: Feb. 28

Session 2: Performance appraisal for supervisors
This workshop is designed to enhance a supervisor's
evaluation skills through setting and communicating
performance standards, providing on-going feedback,
documenting performance and conducting effective performance
reviews.
Date: Wednesday, March 26
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 14

Session 3: Problem-solving and conflict- resolution skills
for supervisors
This session examines the effect of conflict in the
workplace and the supervisor's role in its management.
Conflict-resolution strategies, methods to confront co-
workers and ways to keep conflicts from escalating will be
reviewed. Join us to learn how to keep cool, stand your
ground and reach a positive solution.
Date: Wednesday, April 9
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 28

Labor Relations Training Series
This series of six workshops is designed to provide managers
and other supervisory personnel with an overview of current
labor and employment issues. These sessions are geared
toward personnel with all levels of experience in the labor
management area. Individuals attending all six sessions will
receive a Certificate of Completion from the Office of
Employee Training and Caeer Development.

Session 1: Labor and employment laws
This session will provide participants with an overview of
state labor laws, wage and hour issues and discipline and
termination practices.
Date: Tuesday, March 4
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: Feb. 28

Session 2: Discrimination in employment
Participants will receive information on several issues,
including the Americans with Disabilities Act, age
discrimination in employment, sex discrimination and sexual
harassment and the federal and state investigatory process.
Date: Tuesday, March 25
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 17

Session 3: Personal and institutional  legal liability
Information will be shared on legal liability issues,
including defamation of character, common law torts and
sexual harassment vis-a-vis the institution, supervisors and
co-workers.
Date: Tuesday, April 8
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 31

Session 4: Collective bargaining/contract negotiation
This session will examine the elements of a collective
bargaining agreement, contract administration, grievances
and arbitration and the Public Employment Relations Board.
Date: Tuesday, April 22
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: April 14

Session 5: Unemployment and workers compensation/FMLA
Participants will receive information related to
unemployment and workers' compensation, including
eligibility and financial criteria, the Unemployment
Compensation Appeals Board and Industrial Accident Board and
the interface between Workers Compensation, the ADA and the
FMLA.
Date: Tuesday, May 6
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: April 28

Session 6: Violence in the American workplace
This session will examine the nature and magnitude of the
workplace violence problem, sources of employer liability,
civil liability to third parties and issues around negligent
hiring, retention and supervision.
Date: Tuesday, May 20
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: May 12

Staff Performance Appraisals
Completing the performance appraisal form for professional
and salaried staff will be the focus in this workshop. Each
section will be briefly reviewed as will the annual
performance appraisal system. The importance of the
discussion between the individual and their supervisor also
will be emphasized. Using the performance appraisal system
to improve performance and identify career development needs
will also be discussed.
Dates: Thursday, March 13, and
     Tuesday, March 18
Time: 11 a.m.-noon, March 13
     1-2 p.m., March 18
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 5

Performance Appraisal for Supervisors
The workshop is a must for new supervisors. It is designed
to enhance supervisors' evaluation skills through setting
and communicating goal setting for personal improvement.
Dates: Tuesday, March 11, and
     Monday, March 17
Time: 2-3 p.m., March 11
    11 a.m.-noon, March 17
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 5

Writing Business Correspondence
This four-session program takes the skills learned in
"Mastering Correct English" and helps participants develop
their ability to write clear, concise and result-oriented
messages.
Participants will receive a copy of Send Me a Memo, a
handbook of model memos.
Dates: Thursdays, March 6, 13, 20
     and 27
Time: 1:30-4 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: Feb. 27
Prerequisite: Mastering Correct English

General Accounting Workshop
An overview of the University accounting system, as well as
an introduction to the responsibilities of the General
Accounting Department, will be provided in this session.
Topics will include an overview of account codes and their
structure, exploring General Accounting on the web for
object code transaction information, journal voucher (JV)
and internal charge (FAI) preparation, General Accounting's
audit of submitted journal vouchers for adherence to
accounting rules and exploring General Accounting's online
query system for accounting statement information and
reconciliation.
Date: Wednesday, March 12
Time: 8:30 a.m.-noon
Location: 910 S. Chapel St. First-floor conference room
Deadline: March 3

Survival Skills for the Workplace
This series of one-hour training units was developed to
enhance the workplace skills of time management, stress
management, effective listening, assertive communication and
change management. The series is designed to introduce
participants to a core set of work skills, strengthen their
ability to overcome barriers that might impede practice of
these skills, enhance productivity and promote greater job
satisfaction. The program focuses attention on barriers that
may hinder attempts to use core skills in the improvement of
job performance. The instructional units address the
following concepts:
* Skills for the workplace can be learned and adapted to
individualized situations.
* Typically, we mirror skills modeled by others learned in
childhood, school or previous jobs.
* Often, people develop strategies to cope with difficult
circumstances and continue to use them, even though they may
be inappropriate in many situations.
* Many people contribute to their problems through beliefs
about themselves and the way the world works.
* Everyone occasionally has difficulty with time management,
stress management, effective listening, assertive
communication and change management. While these problems
are inevitable, people can improve their skills to manage
these situations better.

Stress management
Date: Wednesday, March 12
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 3

Effective listening
Date: Wednesday, March 26
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: March 17

Assertive communication
Date: Wednesday, April 16
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: April 7

Change management
Date: Wednesday, April 23
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Deadline: April 14

Employees attending all five workshops will receive a
Certificate of Accomplishment. This certificate program is
sponsored by the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program and
the Office of Employee Training and Career Development.