LSA Exec - Minutes - February 23, 2026

LSA Exec Minutes
2/23/2026

 

Present: Rebecca Schroeder, Melissa Mayhew, Andy Poland, Grace Brazell, MC Mack, Molly Bauer, Marianne Reed, Warren Lambert, Erika Earles, Nishon Hawkins, Alex McMillen, Mazzy Martinez

Absent: Sydney McFadden

Agenda:

  1. Approve January minutes
  2. LSA meet & greets
  3. Position descriptions
  4. TD updates
  5. Rebecca & Syd meeting with the Dean
  6. Recap special meeting with the Dean
  7. New Business

 

Notes:

  1. Approved January minutes.
  2. LSA meet & greets
    1. Delayed discussion until Syd is present.
  3. Position descriptions
    1. Rebecca and Syd further discussed this with the Dean.
    2. Compression is an issue, still no clear answer as to how people can make more within their current pay band aside from the incremental raises given by KU. 
      1. Question to why there are pay disparities between same job titles in other KU departments, and why jobs are reposted at much higher starting rates than the people who left were paid.
        1. Question on whether being a highly staffed department influences this.
        2. People’s starting salaries historically starting low as a contributing factor.
    3. Unofficial job changes – question as to whether those come with pay raises and how people would get them.
    4. Participating in surveys/committees as a venue for providing opinions even if follow-up actions aren’t satisfactory.
      1. Structurally limited avenue for getting issues addressed, though still useful in conjunction with other methods.
  4. Talent Development Funds
    1. Same supervisors are still presenting issues with allowing their units to use TD funds.
      1. Many of those staff are not comfortable pushing the issue of unsupportive supervisors due to fears of retaliation, hence the lack of reports.
        1. Carol requested specific examples, which are difficult to provide when retaliation is a real possibility.
          1. Email/Meeting with Carol and Supervisors specifically may be more effective than current messaging to library staff broadly.
  5. Rebecca & Syd meeting with the Dean
    1. Longevity, compression.
    2. Compensation challenges.
    3. Timeline for achieving market rate.
    4. TD Fund Usage
    5. Livable wage market adjustments.
      1. Carol referred to Jan 12th chancellor’s message and 2026 budget report.
    6. Tension remains about the emails sent over the listserv last month, which is affecting Carol’s relations with staff and her impression of the special meeting. 
  6. Talent Development Updates
    1. Nothing planned for March and April.
    2. No new decisions regarding a bus tour this year yet.