LAUC-B 2024 Spring Assembly

May 7, 2024, 10-11 AM, via Zoom.

New and departing members.

1. New: Nicholas Dehler; Christine Hult-Lewis.
2. Departed: Simone Best, Mark Hemhauser; Marci Hoffman; Susan Edwards.

Research & Professional Development Committee.

1. Summary of report: Calls mentioned; new librarians event this week followed by happy hour; Professional development survey likely coming; librarian research group meetings.

CAPA.

1. Members introduced; report summarized; finishing early this year because of JMM’s retirement; updating fall workshop content: input sought; length of self-evaluations guidelines being revised.

Adding the values statement to the LAUC-B website.

1. Reiterated all the input that’s been gathered and incorporated; going up to website; any issues please contact José Adrián.

Proposed changes to the Librarian Series in the Academic Personnel Manual (APM, Section 360-4).

1. See attached documents; unclear what the process for revision will be and how LAUC will be involved; LAUC Statewide Executive Board is going to discuss how to constitute a 10-campus TF to analyze and respond to the proposed changes during the comment period; This could be an aspirational opportunity for defining what librarians could be.

Nominations Committee.

1. Introduced members; Executive Committee slate announced (see below); still seeking Library rep; still seeking volunteers for the various committees (web form link); call for nominations from the floor: Nadia Winters nominated for Library Rep.
2. Slate: Christina Velasquez Filder: Chair; Salwa Ismael: Chair Elect; Jackie Gossler: Treasurer (continuing); Becky Miller: Secretary; Jessica Tai: Library Rep; Charlotte Dougherty: Affiliated Rep Elect; Cyrana Dowell: Affiliated Rep/CALA Chair.

Proposed changes to the bylaws regarding the Distinguished Librarian Award (see attached PDF).

1. Notion to add staff to DLA; Change will be added to ballot for yes/no vote; procedural changes do not need a vote: they will be added to website; Origins came from Value Statement; SDC thought it was a good idea but did not have many specific recommendations; it will continue to be funded from LAUCB budget and there is no extra money for it; that staff are eligible for various campus awards was mentioned (librarians are not eligible for most of these) - yet LAUCB would be funding this; Hard to vote on this without knowledge of the specific implementation procedures; another idea is to talk to Cabinet: perhaps SDC could expand to have a recognition award, with their own funding: we could have a joint ceremony, but with separate - parallel - recognition awards; Also the question of whether librarians or staff should judge staff: is it appropriate for librarians to do this?; Any changes not made now will mean there will be no changes for this upcoming cycle.
2. Anonymized comments from chat: 
   
   1. SDC had a staff achievement award at one point (pre-2010), but I think that might have been because they had unused funds.
   2. Not all staff are eligible for SPOT awards. For example, staff represented by UPTE are explicitly ineligible for SPOT awards.
   3. Perhaps we should join forces in honoring distinguished staff and librarians in a bi-annual ceremony in Morrison but keep the awards and criteria separate.
   4. It feels to me that "Distinguished Librarian" is almost more than a one-time "award" and akin to a recognized status one is honored with.
   5. I can foresee the awards going routinely to 1 librarian + 1 staff out of a fear of appearing inequitable.
   6. It may be good to discuss this and broader issues with the incoming UL.
   7. “Distinguished Librarian” usually recognized someone for a distinguished career ; in the past advancement past a certain step in the Librarian Series was reserved for those who had been recognized as “distinguished”. (side note: The “distinguished step” was different from the Distinguished Librarian Award).
   8. This also seems tied up with Librarianship and Faculty Status concepts. Even though we don't have it, we try to compensate by modeling a Faculty-like structure...  and the "Distinguished" designation may be part of that.  Is our goal to further blur distinctions with other staff?
   9. There's an argument for leveling hierarchies, but it needs careful consideration. 
3. José Adrián states that it may be best for Ex Comm to take this to Cabinet at our next meeting with them, and not vote on it this cycle. New UL may also have thoughts.