LSA Exec - Annual Report - 2024-2025

Library Staff Assembly Executive Committee (LSA Exec)

University of Kansas Libraries

2024-25 Annual Report

 

Members

Brian D. Moss, chair

Rebecca Schroeder, vice chair/chair-elect 

MC Mack, secretary 

Morgan Smith, member at large 

Tiffany McIntosh, member at large (July-October 2024)

Tonia Morgan, member at large (July-December 2024)

Chris Bohling, member at large (November 2024-June 2025)

April Friedl, member at large (January-June 2025)

  

Standing Charges

  • Ensures the orderly and effective operation of LSA
  • Is the first point of contact for any matters referred to the attention of LSA, save those which are specifically assigned to standing committees in the Code, and where appropriate, assigns such matters to standing or ad hoc committees 
  • Brings governance issues concerning all faculty and staff to the LFSA Executive Committee
  • Designates a liaison to the Organizational Development Unit and an ex officio liaison to LFA to ensure communication and information sharing 
  • Monitors KU governance issues that may affect LSA, including the Staff Senate and the University Senate Committee on Libraries
  • Takes no action contrary to the desires of the LSA 

 

Standing Charges Progress/Accomplishment Summary 

  • Chair and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect held monthly meetings with Dean Smith to advocate for unclassified and university support staff issues and concerns
  • Collaborated with library faculty on broader governance issues through LFA and LFSA
  • Monitored campus-wide governance activities (Staff Senate, University Senate, etc.)
  • Encouraged library staff to participate in the KEYS® to Creativity and Innovation in the Workplace survey (implemented by KU’s Achievement & Assessment Institute on behalf of Libraries administration) as well as the triennial USS-UPS Climate Survey (implemented by FHSU’s Docking Institute on behalf of the Kansas Board of Regents), both in April 2025
  • Removed an inactive Qualtrics form from the LSA website and explored options for a generic and/or anonymized point of contact for LSA constituents going forward

 

Committee Appointments and Charges

  • LSA Exec appointed staff to university governance committees 
  • LSA Exec issued no special charges to LFSA committees 
  • See below regarding creation of LSA Talent Development Committee

 

Meetings

  • LSA Exec met monthly from July 2024 through June 2025 and held one General Assembly of the entire LSA body on November 12, 2024
  • The November General Assembly meeting was coordinated to coincide with the Library Faculty Assembly (LFA) and Library Faculty and Staff Assembly (LFSA) general assembly meetings
  • Minutes for all LSA Exec meetings and the General Assembly meeting are available on the Library Governance Teams site
  • A joint transition meeting of the 2024-25 and 2025-26 LSA Exec committees was held on June 24, 2025

 

Special Charges

  • There were no special charges given to the current LSA Executive Committee in 2024-25, though the following activities were identified as potential areas of focus:
    • Consider keeping a single MS Teams site with one channel each for LSA, LFA and LFSA Executive committees, rather than creating a new channel for each year’s committee.  Each committee would maintain one body of files over time—perhaps with sub-folders for each year
    • The University Senate Committee on Libraries requires appointment of two ex officio library staff members, one UPS and one USS.  Since there are now eight USS staff members in LSA, LSA Exec should initiate conversations with USS staff to see if any wish to serve and, if not, discuss with LSA the possibility of changing the requirement in the Code to give USS staff the opportunity to serve first, and, if no USS staff wish to serve, elect an unclassified staff member.  Any potential changes should be discussed with University Senate.
    • Work with LFSA Exec to direct CRSA to remove or revise the “requirements” page in the CRSA web space. What is on this page only relates to faculty promotion and tenure processes and does not seem to be part of the charges for the committee.
    • Continue to focus on advocacy for staff, including funding for talent development and support; explore forming a permanent LSA committee re: staff talent development (programming, advocacy, etc.)
    • Monitor changes in LRF guidelines and application form and their impact on successful staff applications, suggesting changes as needed.   

 

Special Charges Progress/Accomplishment Summary

  • The most significant accomplishment of the Library Staff Assembly in 2024-25 was the creation of a permanent Talent Development Committee, which was approved by a vote of the full Library Staff Assembly in December 2024 (47 yeas and one nay)
  • The Talent Development Committee was approved with the following description:

     
  • The following staff members have been appointed as inaugural members of the LSA Talent Development Committee, with committee chair and secretary roles to be determined at their first meeting:
    • Meredith Snepp (2025-2026)
    • Warren Lambert (2025-2027)
    • April Friedl (2025-2027)

 

Mission. The Library Staff Assembly Talent Development Committee (LSA-TDC) is dedicated to fostering the growth and development of all KU Libraries staff by identifying, developing, and promoting professional development opportunities. Our goal is to enhance the skills, knowledge, and performance of staff to better serve our organization and its mission, and to encourage individual growth.

Membership. The Talent Development Committee is appointed by the LSA Executive Committee and is composed of at least three members, two of whom are chosen from committee membership to be the Chair and Secretary.

Terms of Office. Committee members serve two-year overlapping terms.

Standing Charges. The Talent Development Committee:

Promotes internal and external talent development opportunities for all KU Libraries staff

Helps identify and promote internal and external talent development funding sources

Maintains the LSA talent development website to help staff navigate talent development opportunities

 

Other Activities or Accomplishments

  • Building on the success of a K-State Libraries tour organized by LSA Exec in the summer of 2024, LSA Exec organized several activities for KU Libraries faculty and staff in 2024-25:
    • In coordination with library administration, Vice Chair Rebecca Schroeder organized bi-monthly Talent Development share-out sessions, providing a forum for library faculty and staff to share information about recent conferences and other professional development activities
    • LSA Exec organized a tour of Tommaney Library and the Cultural Center at Haskell Indian Nations University in December 2024
    • Vice Chair Schroeder organized a bus tour of Linda Hall Library and the KU Edwards Campus in June 2025
  • Initiated a Staff Service Survey in an effort to track staff service activities in order to better recognize and reward staff who contribute to the Libraries beyond their day-to-day positions
  • Approached Dean Smith about creating additional Celebration of Excellence awards specifically for staff, such as a Service Award and/or a Supervisor of the Year award
  • Drafted an updated staff profile template for the library website (currently on hold pending changes to the content management system in 2026)
  • Encouraged staff to submit accomplishments for recognition in KU Kudos
  • Encouraged staff participation in the strategic planning processes
  • Incoming LSA chair Rebecca Schroeder, outgoing chair Brian Moss, and past chair Marianne Reed have submitted a proposal for the 2025 Kansas Library Association annual conference to present about LSA’s ongoing engagement with talent development activities, and to encourage library staff at other institutions to develop their own governance bodies

 

Potential Charges for Future Committees/Recommendations 

  • The new Talent Development Committee should take over the primary responsibility of identifying, creating, and promoting professional development activities for library staff (such as the above-described conference share-out sessions and bus tours)
  • Additionally, the Talent Development Committee should explore the creation of an annual staff mini retreat, similar to the Professional Development Day activities frequently hosted by LSA Exec prior to the pandemic
  • Review results of staff service survey and repeat annually if results are deemed useful
  • Request periodic LFSA Exec meetings with the dean and/or invite the dean to occasional LFSA Exec meetings in order to better facilitate conversations on topics of mutual interest to library faculty and staff
  • Continue to collaborate with LFA on improving and maintaining the LFSA website and Teams site, including an anonymized contact form and/or generic LFSA email account
  • Continue development of a staff profile template for the KU Libraries website
  • Continue conversation with Dean Smith regarding creation of additional Celebration of Excellence awards specifically for staff, such as a Service Award and/or a Supervisor of the Year award
  • Continue to encourage staff to submit accomplishments for recognition in KU Kudos

 

 

Prepared by Brian D. Moss, outgoing LSA chair, June 2025