LFA Exec - Minutes - May 29, 2020

LIBRARY FACULTY ASSEMBLY (LFA) EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING NOTES

May 29, 2020

Present:

  • Betsaida Reyes – Chair
  • Brian Rosenblum - Vice-chair/Chair Elect
  • Erin Wolfe - Secretary
  • Fran Devlin - Representative (Librarian rank)
  • Sarah Goodwin Thiel - Representative (Associate Librarian rank)
  • Josh Bolick – Representative (Assistant Librarian rank)
  • Carmen Orth-Alfie - Member at Large

Agenda:

  1. Approval of minutes of previous LFA Exec meeting (4/24/2020)
  2. Report on meeting with Dean Smith (5/8/2020)
  3. How to address the recommendations of the Ad Hoc committee on Governance website and SharePoint site
    • Add minutes, reports, etc. from this FY to the website
  4. Drafting LFA end of the year report
  5. Anything to/from LFA Committee liaison reports
  6. New business

Opening

Meeting was held via Zoom.

General discussion of current working conditions and experiences.

Approval of minutes of previous LFA Exec meeting (4/24/2020)

Minutes were approved unanimously.

Report on meeting with Dean Smith (5/8/2020)

Discussed several items re: current situation at KU and Libraries: Several people from the Libraries are on the KU COVID response planning teams. Libraries are continuing to plan ways to reopen to staff and the public (hand sanitizing, masks, etc.).

KU-wide announcements regarding salaries, furloughs, etc. are expected mid-June. General committee discussion about the recent announcements from KU Athletics’ re: salaries/furloughs and how it may be reflected/different across KU. The Dean has said that he does not yet know, but intends to continue sharing as much information as possible as he has it.

How to address the recommendations of the Ad Hoc committee on Governance website and SharePoint site

Erin will add minutes, reports, etc. from this FY to the CMS, so that gaps in documentation are from previous years rather than the current FY and to help facilitate transfer to next year committees.

Drafting LFA end of the year report

Betsaida will begin drafting this; others can help.

Anything to/from LFA Committee liaison reports

Committees need to create end of year reports.

New business

LFA/LSA has not yet had voting for next FY committees. Brian is still recruiting nominees for two committees. Per the code, committee members cannot be elected to the same position without a two- year intervening gap, but exceptions can be made in extenuating circumstances (or the code may need to be changed). Scott McEathron or Sara Morris might be good consultants to see what the best path forward might be.

Coming back to previous discussions of morale. With working at home, engagement has been higher (e.g. attendance at all-staff meetings). However, with upcoming uncertainty around furloughs, salaries, or even continued employment (along with numerous external factors), morale can be greatly affected. Continuing to maintain a positive work environment is essential – prioritizing people over content, listening to people, sharing information and being available, expressing understanding and flexibility, etc. Further discussion of the role and responsibilities of Admin (Deans and Associate Deans) in morale. How might LFA Exec communicate our observations and ideas (e.g. inclusion in final report, reframing morale as “wellness”, continuing discussions with Dean during next FY).

General discussion of the relationship between admin/supervisor/supervisees. What methods could there be to allow feedback about/evaluation of supervisors?