LIBRARY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
January 15, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 12 noon
Present: Baughman, Day, Lowry (notetaker), Ruschoff (timekeeper), Vikor, Williams, Wray (facilitator)
Absent: Schreibman
Topic: Meeting Agenda
Outcome: Agenda as submitted was approved with the addition of three pop-up topics.
Topic: Priorities for Filling Positions
Discussion: Draft Criteria for Filling Regular Positions (vacant or new) was discussed. It was noted that we have two exceptions used in a minority of cases - reassignments of an individual or conversion of an interim appointment to permanent. It was agreed that there should also be a clause capturing the idea that position responsibilities may be reassigned to others or that they may not be essential to the mission of the libraries or productivity of other positions and the position may be reassigned. The Criteria for Filling Contingent Positions was accepted.
Outcome: Williams and Brown will incorporate the changes discussed and LEC will formally approve the policy for use.
Topic: Staff Assessments (Merits, PRCs, PRDs, etc.)
Discussion: A general discussion of all assessment processes was conducted to assure common understanding with the HR Office on development and purpose of current practice. The history of the evolution of each of these processes was discussed in detail with particular emphasis on the distinction between annual review of individuals and the merit processes. Specific emphasis was placed on the notion that the individual PRD and PRC processes are intended to assist the individual in developing strong performance and was intentionally separate from the merit review process that is a comparison of all staff in each of the three categories. It was noted that the three categories of University employees - faculty, exempt and non-exempt - are "ruled" by different sets of practices due to the terms of the two AFSCME contracts for exempt and non-exempt staff and the rules applied to library faculty. There is a recognized need to strengthen PRD and PRC processes and a key piece is supervisory training for performance review.
Outcomes: The emphasis in the discussion was on PRDs and it was agreed that a fuller discussion of PRCs needs to come back to a future LEC.
Topic: Pop-ups
- Mellon grant PR (Ruschoff: the Columbia University draft announcement was reviewed and it was agreed that Ruschoff and Williams would add a section for UM for review by days end.
- Administrative travel (Vikor: request to send Jennie Levine to attend the "Rare Book School-Archival Description Course" at UVa that deals with more advanced uses of EAD. LEC approved the request.
- NIH deposit requirements (Lowry: the final notice of requirements for deposit of NIH funded research have been promulgated. Lowry will be alerting the VP for Research to encourage an early campus discussion. The URL for more information is: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html.
Topic: Announcements
- Williams reported from last week's campus Facilities Advisory Committee on the campus' energy conservation improvements, including lighting retrofits, renewable energy resources and HVAC work. Lighting, which is 30-40% of total campus electrical energy use, is being looked at to reduce intensity, reduce hours of operation of lights, install more efficient fixtures, and test hallways for various combinations of fixture placement and wattage. Both indoor and outdoor lighting is being examined. A study is underway for renewable energy sources.
- Lowry mentioned the Washington Post story in the Metro section today about the Governor again requesting tuition freeze. Both President Miller and Speaker Busch have expressed reservations about the affordability of a freeze for the third year in a row.
- Ruschoff announced that PLCT held a retreat last week. The group made great strides in team building and developed some progress toward division-wide planning. Ruschoff thanked Sue Baughman for assisting with the planning of the retreat and facilitating the day¡¦s events.
- Ruschoff reported that the interviews for the System Administration Team Manager have been completed and expects an offer will go out soon.
Topic: Agenda for Next LEC Meeting on January 22, 2008
- LARC annual report
- Dean's recognition and rewards work update
