Faculty Meetings are Sacred?

In an attempt to foster communication between faculty and staff, I proposed a cross-representation at our individual meetings. I was surprised to learn that library staff would not be welcome at any library faculty meetings or any part of a faculty meeting.

Blondie declared “Faculty meetings are sacred.” Wow, I didn’t see that coming!! It was not part of my orientation.

There also seems to be some concern about other university faculty knowing that we even talk to the staff. Apparently when standing next to library staff it is of utmost importance to embody your faculty sacredness and move away from the riff-raff.

Staff II

Sad and withdrawn and angry and annoyed….

It is clear that there is an issue with the faculty/staff relationships in Library. The faculty treat the staff like second class citizens. Specifically, they make decisions without consulting the staff and they are entirely unhelpful when it comes to supporting technical services initiatives.

The technical staff knows there are better way of doing things but there is no one to give them the support to move ahead. Instead the faculty criticize when technical processes are less than stellar like it is just a matter of waving the wand with the right flick of the wrist …

Staff I

As part of Program Review, I need to speak with each staff person and get sense of what they do, any concerns that they have about their work processes and hopefully get them to buy into the documenting of their workflows. Steady doesn’t believe that they will cooperate so my first question is “why not?”

What is up with the staff. Twitchy says they have withdrawn and no one knows why; it is a big mystery…
I have heard them say that they are afraid to complain about anything because something bad will happen. Like what, I wonder?

Locked in the Basement

As part of Program review – a process that takes place every 5 years – I am on a committee looking at technical services in Library (1 area of 3). It is proving to be an education into the workings of Library and it is not a pretty picture. There are many angry people in basement, for instance. (Locked is just a metaphor, of course, or is it? There is the locked doors/key issue.) You can probably guess that that is where the majority of the staff work. I am getting the feeling that they feel so undervalued that they look at you with paranoid shock if you say something nice to them.

How very sad to spend so many hours a day in a place where you feel that oppression.