Monday, June 10, 2002: SL104, 1-3pm

REVISED AGENDA

1. Approval of the meeting minutes of May 13, 2002

2. Discussion and Endorsement of the LAUC-I Professional Development Funding
Recommendations, Policies and Guidelines

***For some additional information, you may also refer to:
A. Sections 1, 3 & 5 Article II (Objectives): LAUC-I bylaws
http://sun3.lib.uci.edu/~lauciweb/foundations/3_2.html

B. Article 3 of the Memorandum of Understanding (Contract) on "Professional Activities & Development"
http://www.ucop.edu/humres/contracts/lib/

Announcements
FYI LAUC System wide related issues:
1. Copies of LAUC Information Literacy Resolution, adopted at the Spring Assembly 5/3/02
2. LAUC President, D. Murphy invited to University Librarians 6/24/02 meeting
3. LAUC Transition Meeting scheduled: 8/16/02 in San Francisco
4. Sally Tseng retires from the UCI Libraries at the end of June, after 21+ years of service. Sally has served LAUC and
LAUC-I on some of the following committees, the Professional Development Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the
Program Committee.

Next Agenda, July 8, SL104:
1. Annual review of the Academic Personnel Procedures for Librarians(APP-L) -- see Judy Kaufman's email of 5/31/02.

Thanks,
Pauline for Steve

LAUC-I Professional Development Funding
Recommendations

Background:

The final Report of the AdHoc Committee to Evaluate Professional Development Funding Process was submitted to the LAUC-I Executive Board on March 9, 2002 and discussed at the LAUC-I General Membership meeting on March 28, 2002. The Professional Development Committee and the Executive Board have worked with Judy Kaufman on developing new policies and procedures for professional development funding.

Recommendations:

Based on the previous concerns expressed by members of LAUC-I and Library Administration and the Report of the AdHoc Committee to Evaluate Professional Development Funding Process, the LAUC-I Executive Board recommends that LAUC-I and Library Administrative endorse and implement the following changes:

1. Discontinue the use of the base and tier method of allocation in favor of a flat-amount per librarian method. This change will greatly simplify the process for both the Library Professional Development Committee and Library Business Office. It would also allow for a more flexible calendar and a more predictable funding pattern.

2. The LAUC-I Professional Development Committee should develop a policy and procedures document to fully describe and guide the professional development funding within the UCI libraries [attached below]. This document should address the following:

· Specific criteria for how the funds can be used for activities in support of review criteria I-IV .

· Professional development activities should be discussed as part of the librarian annual plan process in consultation with the librarian's review initiator.

· Methods for ensuring oversight and accountability for how the funds are used by each librarian. Consider elimination of the requirement for librarians to provide a written report of their activities to the Professional Development Committee. Instead urge all Department Heads and AULs to encourage librarians to give feedback on their activities within their Departments and Divisions.

3. The amount allocated per librarian should be sufficient to cover the expense of one major conference per year--at least $1,200. This amount is comparable to the allocation received by librarians at UC-Berkeley, UC-San Diego, and UC-San Francisco.

4. Because not all librarians will use their full allocation, unused funds should be carried over from one year to the next in an overall professional development account (not per individual librarian).

5. If unused money cannot be carried over from one fiscal year to the next, we recommend that these funds be used to cover in-house professional activities and speakers, or mentorship activities and speakers.

6. LAUC-I should work with the Library Business Office to investigate the possibility of direct payment of conference registrations and airfare to help ease the financial burden of conference attendance on librarians. Further, LAUC-I should work with the Library Business Office to improve the efficiency of reimbursements for professional travel.

7. We recommend the use of one form for all types of travel requests. This would address the confusion we now have with multiple forms.

8. The Library Business Office should implement a reporting mechanism for librarians which tracks the use of their allocation (based on the UC Davis model).

LAUC-I Professional Development Funding
Policies and Guidelines

This document describes the Libraries' policies and guidelines relating to funding for librarians' professional development. Professional development funding is intended to support and encourage excellence in professional contributions and meaningful professional development activities on the part of LAUC-I members. LAUC-I encourages all librarians to participate in activities that will contribute to both individual professional development and the mission and goals of the Libraries and University.

All funds for LAUC-I professional development are allocated by the University Librarian from the Libraries' regular budget. Agreements between UC and UC-AFT have required the University Librarian to provide annually a stated minimum amount of money in professional development funds to librarians who are members of the bargaining unit. No funding is provided to the UCI Libraries for the professional development support of librarians by the Office of the President, campus administration, or any other source.

All members of the Librarian Series are eligible for professional development funding. Each fiscal year the University Librarian determines a flat amount to be allocated to each member of the Librarian Series for professional development activities. Members of the Librarian Series who are appointed at any time during the fiscal year are eligible for that year's allocation.

Each librarian's professional development allocation can be used for one or more professional development activities during the fiscal year. The allocation should be spent on costs associated with professional and scholarly meetings, workshops, institutes, symposia, etc. (e.g., registration, meals, lodging, travel). It can also be used to fund classes that are directly related to Criterion One responsibilities, or for other relevant professional or scholarly activities.

Funding may also be used for the purchase of books and software that support professional development. Materials acquired through professional development funding are the property of the University.

· Software requests need to be approved, ordered and installed to the requestor's workstation by the Library Systems Department. Systems will not provide any software technical support or install software outside the library. Copyright restrictions must be adhered to.

· Requests for books need to be approved by the Review Initiator. The librarian shall purchase the books and submit receipts to the Business Office for reimbursement.

Subscriptions for professional journals and association membership dues are not eligible for professional development funding.

Procedures for Requesting Funding and Released Time for Professional Activities

Professional development activities shall be discussed as part of each librarian's annual plan process in consultation with the librarian's Review Initiator.

Librarians shall submit to their Review Initiators a Professional Development Form in advance of each requested activity. Any requested released time requires prior approval by the Review Initiator. If the Department Head is different than the Review Initiator, any requested released time also requires prior approval by the Department Head. The Department Head shall forward the form to the Libraries' Financial Manager, who maintains a record of expenditures by each librarian and therefore provides final prior approval for funding. Copies of the approved form are sent by the Financial Manager to the employee, the Review Initiator, and the librarian's personnel file.

Librarians may submit a Professional Activity Form at any time throughout the fiscal year. Use one form for each event.

Requesting Reimbursement

All receipts shall be submitted to the Libraries Business Office as soon as possible but no later than 30 days after returning to the Libraries from the professional activity. This allows time for the Business Office to request backup data needed for travel processing if necessary. If the librarian is expecting direct reimbursement to campus credit card, receipts should be turned in immediately.

At fiscal closing time (late May through the end of June) receipts need to be submitted immediately upon return, preferably in person, so that the voucher can be processed and signed when the receipts are turned in.

Reporting Responsibility

Each Department or Division shall determine the most appropriate method for reporting on the nature of the activity and the most significant outcomes or issues that may be of interest to colleagues. Librarians should be advised of that responsibility, by their Review Initiator, at the time they are requesting support.