The University of Kansas Libraries

Ask a Librarian
Bookmark and Share

KU Libraries Support Staff

Home  ·   Code  ·   Guidelines  ·   Membership  ·   Minutes  ·   Committees  ·   SSEYA  ·   Links

KU Library Support Staff (KULSS) Exec
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Anschutz Library, rm. 421 – 10-11:30am

PRESENT: Monica Claassen-Wilson (FY06 Chair), Rebecca Claassen (FY06 Vice-Chair), Angie Rathmel (Secretary), Jill Becker (Group 3), Kevin Fussell (Group 2), Denise Swartz (Group 1), Robert Szabo (Group 4), Mary Ann Baker (University Support Staff Senate)

ABSENT:

Approval of Nov. 3, 2005 Meeting Minutes

Approval of Nov. 3, 2005 Meeting Action Items

WHO? BY WHEN? WHAT?
1. ALL: Next meeting - Review guidelines for Classified Employee of the Year Award (CEYA) DONE
2. Group Reps: Monday, Nov. 7 - Solicit feedback from groups on New Employee Orientation issues DONE
3. Monica: Tuesday, Nov. 8 - Compile and send Orientation feedback to Donna Brewer DONE

Committee Reports


Diversity Committee
N/A

University Support Staff (USS) Senate
University Support Staff Senate/Exec Council talked about job families and alary bands. This will be a no-cost implementation. No one will be getting a raise as a result of this change. Info is very much in draft form and not ready to circulate. Discussed development of 5 “job families”. Many of the “families” have worker and specialist category. Library Assistants are in paraprofessional/professional group (whereas our EEO is clerical rather than paraprofessional) and called Library Assistants (no I II III). No distinction b/w worker and specialist in Library family. In each band there is a 10% leeway for hiring purposes. There will also be reviews of market surveys. See www.salary.com, Dept of Labor, League of Municipalities and other regional surveys in the Midwest. Some draft discussion about job descriptions as well. Perhaps we can ask Ola for KULSS to be a focus group to present the concept of job families and salary bands and job families at KU.

The English position paper on the libraries was also noted during the USS Senate Exec Council Meeting.

USS Workgroup: Members of this group were chosen from Senate and are members until they want to leave. Ola takes notes for each of these meetings, it was suggested that Kathy fill Support Staff Senate in on the notes that Ola shares and then Mary Ann can report to KULSS-Exec.

University Council Meeting: Tax Payers Bill of Rights (TABOR) discussed. The KU Faculty and Student Senates are each considering a resolution concerning support for the KS Board of Regents' opposition to the TABOR. USS Senate is proposing to mirror the faculty resolution.
Essentially TABOR would limit increases in state spending to population growth plus the rate of inflation. Revenues raised above that amount would be refunded to taxpayers, and any tax increase would have to be approved by voters.
Supporters said the proposal would stimulate the Kansas economy and protect taxpayers. They have proposed TABOR as a constitutional amendment, which would require two-thirds approval in the Legislature and a statewide vote, or simply by statute, which would require a majority of the Legislature and approval of the governor.
The State of Colorado, the only state thus far to enact a TABOR, voted to suspend the continued implementation of that legislation on 1 November 2005 due to adverse effects on funding for the sick, elderly, higher ed, etc.
On 19 October 2005, the Kansas Board of Regents adopted a resolution <<http://www.kansasregents.org/download/news/101905%20-%20Press%20Release%20-%20TABOR.pdf>> opposing TABOR to establish fiscal limitations on the State of Kansas. They said automatic limits on spending and taxes might sound appealing but were simplistic and would lead to an increase in tuition, and reduce state dollars available for education, social services and highways.
.

Review Classified Employee of the Year Award (CEYA) information on website


Tabled to next meeting Dec 1, 2005.

Guidelines - http://www.lib.ku.edu/kulss/ceya/Guidelines.shtml
Nomination form - http://www.lib.ku.edu/kulss/ceya/form.shtml
Selection committee - http://www.lib.ku.edu/kulss/ceya/ceyacom.shtml

Group Reports


Group 1

Janet wondering what steps to solicit input on Dean Search. – We have given a list of names of KULSS, Nancy Hawkins and Robert Szabo are on the committee representing KULSS. Will that rep communicate to KULSS? Yes, through KULSS Exec. KULSS-Exec will ask to meet with Dean candidates when they interview.

Group 2

Advertising 3 LAIs on HR website. 2 listed for Support Services Unit (Carmen Orth-Alfe, Head) and 1 listed for Monograph Cataloging & Authorities Unit (Miloche Kottman, Head)

Group 3

Voyager will be done tomorrow (no Circulation). Working out procedures for Circ desk, some reluctance to do circulation as part of ref desk duties. Do ref volunteers have to do circulation? Will find out who is responsible for “volunteer ref” and refer this question to them. (John Stratton?)

Group 4

N/a

Agenda items for Meeting with Stella and Donna (Nov. 23).

1) Concerns from a KULSS Supervisor and other KULSS and Unclassified staff across the library were brought to our attention regarding a new library policy (independent from the University policy) that does not allow supervisors to serve on search committees for new employees. We understand that as the supervisor their role in the search is as follows:

  • see resume of interviewees
  • meet with them for 30 minutes (though it is unsure who should be at this meeting i.e. direct supervisor, or supervisor and the supervisor’s supervisor).
  • recommendations to Assistant Deans (only pro and cons, no recommendations)
When/How/Why did this change take place? Has it been announced? Librarians and Unclassified staff who are hired in this way don’t have the same day-to-day supervisor relationship that KULSS do. What is the upside? Is there concern that supervisor is influencing the search too much? What about “supervisors group”

2) Communication in general

  • Staff feels that information is not trickling down effectively. What can Admin do, what can KULSS-Exec do to improve this?
    o FYI
    - last issue sent in June
    - gets SPAMMED
    o Role of HR Librarian in communicating to staff.
    - The FYI and the HR Lib’s role we brought up as a concern previously, but felt difficult to address b/c Sandy was getting ready to retire and Sharon was interim.
    - How can we address this now that we have Donna here in permanent position?
    o What meetings do we need to be watching in order to get information? (Management Council?)
    o “How are we doing” are very effective. Every one can easily know what the meeting’s content will be and who is relevant to attend. But, a lot of info was given in the last Mgmt Council and many people may not know about it because they don’t know what Mgmt Council is. Same is true for KULSS meetings. We need to have and give more CONTEXT in emails regarding meetings, minutes, and other events.

Meeting Reports


Robert on University Committee on Libraries (UCL)

Surprised that people from all over the University cam to these meetings and have no ideas what’s going on in the Libraries. Main concerns were Annex issues: (f/Mgmt Council also). Humanities feel strongly about this, especially in the inability to “browse”. Watson does not keep browse statistics, only circulation statistics. Voyager allows browsing by call number and the new Voyager will allow this search to be faster. Richard, Susanne to meet with faculty to present as much info on why and what we are sending to annex, etc. While we have been talking about this for years, why hasn’t this gotten to faculty? Mentioned that Engineering libraries’ move of collections to the Annex. Seemed to go well and faculty we well informed. This is the responsibility of the subject liaisons. Change in Ref desk also a major issue.

Mary Ann noted that UCL only recently had representation from each school. Also students are members of the UCL and give input.

Kevin on Library Faculty Assembly (LFA)

Talked about Planning and Resources Committee (PRC) and Staff Development Committee (SDC), but nothing new that KULSS-Exec has not discussed.

Stella talked about the English Dept.’s position paper and admitted the word is not getting out well enough. There will be an open meeting on this issue at Union, Centennial Rm at 2:30pm. Kevin and Jill will attend and report back to KULSS-Exec.

Monica on Management Council meeting of Nov. 16th 2005.

This group is chaired by the Dean, and is composed of library faculty from department heads on up. The KULSS Exec Chair is the only Support Staff person invited to attend these meetings (which may give my notes a different spin). These notes will be sent out to Group Reps to circulate among staff. Some items to highlight:

  • Formation of an Interpersonal Skills Group and their goals
  • Timeline for USS evaluations
  • What's happening with book drops, self-check systems, Watson 3rd floor painting, Watson 2nd floor entrance upgrades
Action Items for next meeting:

WHO? BY WHEN? WHAT?
1. Monica: Email Mgmt Council notes to reps to circulate to groups
2. Group Reps: Email Mgmt Council Notes to your groups

The next meeting of KULSS-Exec will be Dec. 1 in Watson Conference Rm A.