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KULSS Exec

Meeting Minutes

Thursday, September 20, 2007
Watson B, 10:00-11:30am

Present: Jill Becker (Chair), Nishon Hawkins (Vice Chair); Angie Rathmel (Secretary); Denise Swartz (Group 1); Kevin Fussell (Group 2); Julie Warrick (Group 3); Robert Szabo (Group 4); Monica Claassen-Wilson (IS Professional Development Council, KULSS-Exec Webmaster)

Absent:

Approval of 9/6/07 meeting’s minutes.
DONE
Approval of previous meeting’s action items (you can cut and paste or fill-in from agenda)

WHO?                     BY WHEN? WHAT?

1. Monica
DONE

Update Cataloging membership list on website.

Group Reports:
Grp 1:  Acq/Ser, Reference, Collection Development, Administration, Facilities

  • Administrative Assistant offer accepted, starts Sep. 24th
  • Acquisitions department:
    • Approved in budget to replace phones with phones that have button that flashes when you have a voicemail
    • LA position (to replace Linda Copp) been offered
    • Electronic Resource Management (ERM) software product being investigated.
      • Jan Waterhouse analyzed vendor options
      • Mary and Rachel will continue this analysis (with Jan’s departure) and report to Admin
      • If no vendor option, will need to revamp currently used access database.

Grp 2: Cataloging

  • Computer upgrades continue.

Grp 3: Access Services, Mail Room, ILL

  • Various scanner parts replacements ordered.

Grp 4: Anschutz, Annex, Art, Engineering, Music, RCL, Spencer

  • ANSCHUTZ
    • ILL paging being done now, going well. Students are helping ILL.
  • ANNEX
    • Hiring 2 more LA’s to deal with KState stuff that shares the space
    • Already 25% of its capacity.
  • ART
    • No report
  • ENGINEERING
    • No report, but see Jeff McAdams’ report (and photo) from John Peace Library at the University of Texas at San Antonio
  • MUSIC (Submitted by Nancy Hawkins)
    • Big news here is that I fell on campus two weeks ago and now George Gibbs just fell this AM outside Murphy while trying to get a way from a skunk!  I think his story is more interesting with the skunk angle and that it happened at 7am.  I just clumsily tripped on the concrete stairs for my spectacular fall.  After talking with Channette this morning (who also fell recently), we think there is a curse in this area, so tell anyone who enters the Murphy-Spahr Triangle to beware!
  • RCL
    • No report
  • SPENCER (submitted by Mary Ann Baker)
    • A person has been hired to fill Tanya’s position and she will start Oct. 1.  We have not been given the go-ahead to share her name.
    • KLafferty got the temporary unclassified professional position (UCP) and starts Sep 24th.  We are interviewing, apparently from the same pool used to fill Tanya’s position, to fill a temporary LA position while KLafferty is in her temp UCP role.
    • Bill Crowe has less than 2 weeks before he leaves to do the phased retirement special assistant deal for the Library Dean.
    • There’s been some noise about office shifting on the 2nd floor which includes having some space for Tyra as she assumes responsibility of the digital lab.
    • We’ve has lots of gatherings recently, most notably the Board of Regents met with the University Senate Exec Committee yesterday.  Friday evening we’re hosting an invitation-only reception for the Anderson family (major Athletic donors) who are important to Spencer Library because they also fund processing of our African American materials.

 

Committee Reports
University Support Staff (USS) Senate (Submitted by Mary Ann Baker)

  • Most of the University Senate's deliberation time on 12 Sept 2007 was spent reviewing the charges for the Senate committees during this calendar year.  As soon as they are posted, I will let you know.
  • We got a handout of the HayGroup report for the "Proposed Compensation Plans for Classified Employees" for Kansas State Employee Compensation Oversight Commission:  http://da.ks.gov/ps/documents/comp/summaryproppayplan0907.pdf.  A look at the commission home page -- http://www.kansas.gov/employee/comp/resources.html shows that there are other reports, e.g. benefits, as well.  Usual note -- we are not tied to the State for our salaries although what the State does for it's employees the university will try to at least match if not better (which it has the last three years).  Note too that we are getting the same benefits (for insurance, etc.) as State employees.
  • Look for health insurance information to come out soon for open enrollment time in October.  We've heard all sorts of rumors, some even saying that it's the best offerings we've had in a long time.  Time will tell.  The USS Senate is working to invite Sandy Praeger, Kansas Insurance Commissioner for a presentation and / or a Q & A session about the topic and the plan for the next few years.  It might end up being a university-wide meeting.
  • There are still some openings on the Senate -- you too could be called Senator and have folks try to win your influence.  Well, OK, perhaps only the former and then only if you insisted.  It hasn't worked for me so far …

University Senate (Submitted by Mary Ann Baker)
University Senate hosted a Q & A with the Provost Sept 13.  Among other things, he talked about the personnel vacancies in his purview, the possibility of shortening the mandatory number of hours/days that the University has to hold classes and lessening the number of required hours for general classes in the sciences, social sciences and humanities.  Both of these matters will need the OK of the Board of Regents and may have been part of the discussion in KSRL Sept 18th.   The Provost also voiced his support for online classes and encouraged the members present to plan programs/classes and submit ideas for him to consider.  Some profs voiced the concern that their departments were adamantly opposed to online classes and wouldn't support a request to set one up.  In response to questions about it, he also talked a little about the "sustained information management program" that he vaguely referred to at the Fac/Staff convocation.  It's still very vague in my mind but deals with privacy of personal information (current, no?) and will start with new employees. 

University Committee on Libraries (UCL)
Will meet Oct 2nd and Nov 6th this semester.  Charges are at: http://www2.ku.edu/~unigov/Libr08ch.shtml.  Committee membership is listed at: http://www2.ku.edu/~unigov/Libr08mem.shtml.

Diversity Committee
Not yet met.

IS Professional Development Council (ISPDC)
No meetings scheduled.

Planning & Resources Committee (PRC)

  • John Guillian (LFA Secretary and LFA Exec Liaison to PRC) will update the LFA/PRC website to replace the term Classified Conference with  KULSS.
  • LFA Liaisons are not members of the standing committees for which they serve and are not required to attend all meetings.  Their function is to keep updated on the progress of the committee charges and report back to the LFA Exec committee.  KULSS-Exec doesn’t have liaisons as this is the responsibility of both the KULSS members of each committee and the KULSS Exec Vice-Chair.
  • Sep 10th meeting minutes are posted
    • Links to the minutes of all committees is on the KULSS website “Minutes” page.   
    • Producing PRC minutes, posting to the web, and submitting to LFA and KULSS is both a PRC standing and special charge (to emphasize the importance).
  • PRC’s  next meeting is Monday, Oct. 8th at 2pm.

 

Meeting Updates
Meeting with Dean and HR Officer (9/10/07)

Meeting with the Dean 9/10/07
Management Council (9/19/07)

  • Public Interface Design (PID) Groups new expectations
    • “Contribute” software that allows more people to add and edit web content
    • Spreadsheet of “assumed authors” to clarify who is involved in updated sites.
  • Student pay rates
    • Jana Krentz wants to pay more to students with language skills.
    • Kent mentioned other skills i.e. technology, etc.
    • Would need to be requested on case by case basis.
  • Budget update
    • PRC presents budget typically, so used theirs as a model.
    • State of the libraries open meeting end October, Loraine will include this presentation.
    • Separate presentation to bibliographers focused on collections.
    • Most put towards onetime purchases and work the rest back into to next year’s serial increases.
  • Non-exempt (USS) timesheet changes
    • see back for signatures required for LWOP and Overtime Pay
    • Email coming soon from Shannon.
  • Exempt (UCP) yellow leave reporting card needs to be given to Sharon in a timely fashion.
  • Librarian Search Process discussion tabled due to lack of time.
  • Mgmt Council Retreat Priorities
        • Engagement with faculty and internal with staff
        • Defining service desk roles, training
        • Instructions
        • Collections: more database decision, approval plans
        • Scholar Services
        • Communication and Development

 

Agenda Items for the next Meeting with the Dean
Monday, October 8th , 11:00-11:45am

PRC’s role in Staff Development
Poster sessions posted on Anschutz bulletin board

 

Action Items for next meeting:

WHO?                     BY WHEN? WHAT?

1.  Denise

 

Reserve room for Fall General Meeting on 10/18

2.  Angie

 

Contact Mary Ann Baker about deadline for HR/EO Self Study

3.  Jill

 

Mentoring email

4.  Jill

 

Draft Staff Development plan

5.  Jill

 

Contact PRC about communicating with KULSS Exec

6.  Jill

 

Contact Al Mauler and Holly Mercer about KULSA membership

Next meeting will be Oct 4th  in Watson.