Improved Communications
Working Group:
Lura Joseph, William Maher,
Scott Walter, and David Ward
Communication between
the EC and the faculty
Have been improved communications,
especially through use of the EC web
site
Vs.
EC unresponsive and does not adequately
consider both sides of issues
Concerns: not sufficiently detailed,
timely, or informative
Communication between
the EC and the faculty
Suggestions and Requests:
more direct communication from EC members
more opportunities to their opinions considered as
part of EC discussions
more time to provide feedback
eliminate short deadlines that suggest that faculty
input was perfunctory
acknowledge feedback when it has been received.
Communication between
administration & faculty
Anecdotal insights only. Ranging from
satisfied to: one-sided & echo chamber
 Satisified: LIBNEWS, State of Library, Faculty
Meetings
Need to generate more debate at faculty meetings
Administrative Council structure not always most
efficient way of communicating to units.
Divergence on whether should make EC more
representative based on Divisions, but regardless,
need for improving communications between EC
and divisions
Communication between
administration & faculty (contd.)
Sense that there is a timidity among faculty, or
even self-censorship
This concern came from untenured, senior
faculty, and some with administrative
responsibility
Must work to set fears at rest perhaps through
“point|counterpoint” presentations.
Communication within the
faculty
E-mail, LIBNEWS-L, and LIBFAC-L useful for
sharing, but not as discussion forums
Some concern re “dysfunctional”
communication, e.g., gossip
More concern re general lack of real discussion
of substantive issues in public forums,
disagreements should be possible without
concern for repercussions
Variance among divisions in terms of extent of
discussion and exchange
Recommendations: Communication
between EC & faculty
Continue to improve by:
Post EC agenda and documents on the website
sooner; provide a mechanism for feedback (e.g.
wiki, email, etc.) on agenda items prior to EC
meetings;
Email EC minutes to LIBFAC-L or announce
posting of minutes via RSS feed
Provide mechanism to suggest EC agenda items
Post EC minutes sooner; provide more details
Recommendations: Communication
between EC & faculty (contd.)
Anonymous feedback form on the EC website
similar to the NSM website
Set a deadline for all calls for feedback
Acknowledge all feedback received from faculty
(OTRS-like system?)
Have one open EC meeting per semester*
Schedule a timed discussion time for agenda
topics before some EC meetings
Have an EC member visit each division at least
once a semester
Recommendations: Communication
between EC & faculty (contd.)
Provide time at faculty meetings for a more
robust discussion on EC’s topics
Provide an opportunity for suggesting possible
EC agenda items
Discuss upcoming EC agenda items at faculty
meetings
Recommendations: communication
between administration & faculty
Achieve greater inclusiveness of faculty in
determining strategic directions
University Librarian should meet regularly with
each Division
Increase day-to-day, two-way communication
between administration and faculty
Associate Librarians should develop more
regular communication practices
Recommendations: communication
between administration & faculty (contd.)
The minutes and agenda of some of the key
groups need to be distributed by e-mailing
links, including for: Budget Group, Services
Advisory Committee, Executive Committee,
and Administrative Council
Administration should issue more focused
communications that clearly lay out what
decisions have been made, why, and with
what consultation
Recommendations for improved
communications within the faculty
Clarify understanding of shared governance, its
process, and extent
Provide guidelines for faculty meeting
procedure and etiquette to encourage
participation
Attempt to change the organizational culture to
encourage debate, discussion, and
participation
Create one online, library-wide bulletin board
which can be constantly updated by faculty
Recommendations for improved
communications within faculty (contd.)
Create more opportunities for casual
interactions.
Provide more means of across-unit/acrossdivision communication re whole Library
Reduce the amount of unexplained acronyms in
e-mails and documents.
Provide training, perhaps by outside specialists,
on effective communication
Make more effective use of technology and
build people skills