LAUC 1999 SPRING ASSEMBLY PROGRAM
Wednesday, May 26, 1999

Librarian Series Top Step: Holy Grail or Holy Cow!

1:15pm - 1:35pm (20 minutes) Introduction; Historical overview; Statistical overview

1:35pm - 2:35pm (1 hour) Small group discussion questions: For each question consider the following scenarios to see how each might change the interpretation of the criteria for the barrier step.

Scenario 1: barrier step precedes top step.

Scenario 2: barrier at a middle step.

1:35pm - 1:50pm (15 minutes)

1. How attainable should the top step of the series be? Is ~10% university wide of librarians passing the barrier step satisfactory? What are our expectations for the number of librarians to attain the top step of the series: 20%, 30%, and 60%? Why? How do expectations match distributions?

1:50pm - 2:10pm (20 minutes)

2. Selected, anecdotal phrases and concepts that we use to apply the Step V criteria: "walk on water," possess a Librarian V aura, have one's name as easily identified as national library leaders such as the president of ALA, publish a book, use as a reward. Others you may have heard or used yourself?

What do the phrases and concepts we use tell us about the culture we have created and impose upon ourselves regarding passing the barrier step to attain the top step of the series? List some real life examples of "significant achievement" by which someone attained Step V.

What the official documentation states:

From the Academic Salary Scale Notes Librarian Series: "Advancement from Step IV to Step V is reserved for Librarians with a distinguished career history who have demonstrated significant achievement since attaining Step IV."

From LAUC Position Paper 1:

"Advancement from Step IV to Step V of the Librarian rank should be predicated upon a career history of outstanding service, capped by significant achievement in the period since attaining Step IV."

Just for kicks (and comparisons), faculty criteria from PPM 230-28.III.C.2.a.3:

"For the full professor rank" . . . "Service at Step VI . . . [out of 8 steps] will be granted on evidence of highly distinguished scholarship, highly meritorious service, and evidence of excellent University teaching. In interpreting these criteria, reviewers should require evidence of excellence and high merit in original scholarship or creative achievement, teaching, and service; and, in addition, great distinction, recognized nationally or internationally, in scholarly or creative achievement or in
teaching."

"Advancement to an above-scale salary (unspoken 2nd barrier) is reserved for scholars and teachers of the highest distinction, whose work has been internationally recognized and acclaimed and whose teaching performance is excellent. . . . Moreover, mere length of service and continued good performance at Step VIII are not a justification for further salary advancement. There must be demonstration of additional merit and distinction beyond the performance on which advancement to Step VIII was based."

"A further merit increase in salary for a person already serving at an above-scale salary level must be justified by new evidence of merit and distinction. Continued good service is not adequate justification."

2:10pm - 2:30pm (20 minutes)

3. How do we need to change the culture we have created surrounding passing the barrier step to attain the top step of the series? What can we do to change or influence the culture surrounding advancement to the top step of the series we have created? Divisions, university wide?

2:30pm - 3:00pm (30 minutes)

Review group results; strategies

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