The University of Kansas Libraries

KU Libraries Support Staff

KULSS Executive Meeting Minutes

Thursday, July 16th, 10:30-12

Music & Dance Library

Present: Julie Warrick (chair), Nancy Hawkins (vice-chair), Kristin Zachrel (secretary), Kyle Sederstrom (Group 1), Adam Reilly (Group 2), Meredith Huff (Group 4)

Absent: Sheila Orth (Group 3)

Guest: John Stratton, University Senate President. Informal meeting to discuss University Senate priorities and issues.

Previous Meeting's Action Items

Discussion

Revival of Cross Training Inquiry: Nancy discovered an old e-mail from Mary Ann Baker (sent April 11, 2003) of a draft for a cross-training survey (drafted by Al Mauler); the intent being to determine the level of interest in cross training. It listed three types of cross training:

1. "SWAT team": helping a unit that needs a short-term, intense influx of personnel.
   • Example: When Voyager was brought up a few months before the end of the fiscal year some people from Cataloging helped Retrieval Services create purchase orders to help meet the deadline.
2. Internship: temporary, part-time work in another unit to learn another library skill and see how regular duties effect the work of others.
   • Example: Reference internships
   • Success story: there are currently people from various departments who work shifts for the reference desk
3. Job rotation: working full-time at another job for an extended period of time while the other person works your job.

Would Cross Training be good for Community of Interest?

• Future action item pending Nancy's discussion with Mary Ann Baker.
• Find out if there is any interest in something like this.
• Ask individual groups if they are interested
• Challenge would be getting supervisors to agree.

Visit from John Stratton, University Senate President

Met with John to discuss the senate's priorities and issues.

• Open Access Policy: faculty gives the university license to deposit a copy of their journal articles in the open-access repository, KU ScholarWorks.
  • If the journal in which the article is to be published doesn't agree to this policy, the faculty member has the option to opt out.
  • Task force being created, which will be led by Ada Emmett, to work out the details of the policy and get the faculty on board.
• Domestic Partner Benefits: 2 years ago a task force was formed to discuss domestic partner benefits. It eventually led to a broader discussion about employee benefits. Unfortunately no substantive work was done and no recommendations were made because the focus was too broad.
  • New task force has been created to specifically discuss domestic partner benefits. They already have a shell written and are trying to get the details worked out this year. More to come...
• Upcoming Issues Regarding Classes:
  • Board of Regents approved KU to reduce classroom instruction days to 146
  • Questioning what to do about Stop Day
  • Questioning if classes should begin on a Monday instead of Thursday
• Budget:
  • Salary letters just released: University will retain option if the budget situation worsens to implement furloughs and temporary salary reductions. As it stands now, with a 12% reduction, there will be no furloughs or salary reductions.
  • FY10: review of financial exigency policy. John pointed out that this was a routine 5th year review of the policy and not to be alarmed by it.
  • Avoid rumor mongering. Make people aware of who to contact with questions. John invited us to e-mail him with questions and invite him back for additional discussion.

Group Reports

Group 1 (Kyle): Very slow; not much to report. Binding isn't getting much from Acquisitions/Serials. Preservation burned through other smaller projects as a result. Boxes arrived for the Wilcox boxing project.

Group 2 (Adam): Accomplishments party scheduled for July 21st to celebrate record year of sending items to the Annex and working through backlogs.

Group 3: Lots of moving.

Group 4 (Meredith): The roof of the Spencer is getting done and the terrace is going to be resurfaced between Spencer and Strong Hall. The Community of Interest for advanced degrees will tour the archives on July 22nd at 2:00

Committee Reports

Support Staff Senate: USS Senate met on July 8 for an annual retreat and watched the Budget Forum. Notes from the meeting include:

• Lactation Policy: scheduled to move forward to HREO for review, and eventually to the Provost for approval.
• Analyzing data from the SASM (Staff Assessment for Supervisors and Managers) and will submit a report to the Provost. If approved the information may be used for evaluating the supervisor individually and may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of STEP (Supervisory Training for Excellence in Performance).
• Publicize upcoming food drive.
• Plan to formally introduce the USS Senate to the new Chancellor and Provost in a letter.
• Awaiting formation of new employee benefits task force.
• Would like more nominations for Employee-of-the-Month awards.
• Pledged to communicate better with Parking Commission representatives as parking and transit are a big concern for those on campus.

Diversity Committee: Hasn't met for about a year. Dean wants to get a chair for the committee to keep it alive.

Information Services Development Council (ISDC):

• Anne Hayden is the Library Support Staff representative for ISDC.
• Wiki Wednesday July 15th session has been rescheduled for July 22nd, 1:30-3:00 in the Anschutz Instruction Center.
• Visit the ISDC Wiki to read about the retreat, which analyzes the results of the FY09 survey of programs and outcomes and includes planning for FY10. Copy and paste the following URL to access the Current ISDC Actions Wiki: https://apps.ku.edu/~intralib/index.php/IS_Development_Council_main_page#Current_ISDC_Actions

University Committe on Libraries: Chuck Marsh will be the new chair.

Planning & Resources Committee: Hasn't met yet. They're going through changes in membership.

Mentoring Committee: Nancy would like to involve Support Staff in this committee. Trying to get interest peaked and make Support Staff aware of this committee.

Action Items for Next Meeting

Parking Lot

(Items to be aware of for the future, not necessarily discussed in the current meeting)

• Flex time discussion
• Grievance Committee Task Force / Action on hold
• Staff Picnic (Action to begin 8/09). See Denise for KULSA Picnic budget. See Mike for support from Administration. ('Dad' Perry park reserved for Sept. 12, 4-9pm).
• Committee Recruitment - Diversity Chair (Dean is working on this)

Next meeting: July, 30, 2009 at Spencer.