UT Libraries Idea Hopper

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Forwarded to the Personnel Issues Work Group for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

Forwarded to the Strategic Planning Task Force for review.

At this time, there are no plans to re-hire staff who accepted the Voluntary Exit Incentive as this would be counterproductive to the goal of the incentive, which was to generate a source of recurring funds to return to the University.

When the UT Libraries offered the Voluntary Exit Incentive to Classified staff (Professional Librarians were not eligible for the Exit Incentive), there was no mention or promise that any of those staff would be re-hired in the libraries in a part-time capacity. The Exit Incentive Agreement included a condition that those who took the Exit Incentive would not work in either a part-time or full-time benefits-eligible position for the University for two years from the date of their exit. We understand that a few supervisors would probably have liked to keep retiring employees and may have discussed it with them. These discussions may be a source of the rumors you have heard.

The only returning retiree is a Professional Librarian (who was not eligible for the Exit Incentive), who will be working hourly, part-time for a period of 2-3 months on collection move planning.

-Carol Johnson

Dear Doubting Thomas,

The currently posted reports – Discovery, Programmatic Budget, and Staff Inclusion –were submitted to the Administrative Council at the same time they were posted on the planning wiki.

Idea Hopper will serve as the primary vehicle for taking input on the recommendations, and we will initiate a starter thread on each Final Report as they are released. Other options for providing feedback include sending suggestions directly to any Administrative Council members, or providing feedback to Doug Barnett for anonymous presentation to the Administrative Council. In addition, the convener of each working group will present a summary of the recommendations at a VP Coffee, which will provide another venue for feedback.

As for staff review prior to submission of reports to the AD Council, we have intended for staff input to be solicited by each working group as they move through their charges. The strategic initiative working groups have tried hard to listen to, and sense, our organization while undertaking their work. The working groups have reviewed existing data (like ClimateQUAL) and generated new data by conducting staff focus groups and forums and administering staff surveys. Working Groups have also posted meeting minutes and documents to the planning wiki and encouraged staff to contact them with any comments or questions about their work. We’ll continue to emphasize these feedback opportunities as other working groups pursue their charges.

Long answer to a good question. Thanks for asking.

-Meredith Taylor