Librarian Personnel Handbook

Michigan State University Librarian

Personnel Handbook of Policies, Procedures,

and Practices

Revised June 19, 2023

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1, General Academic Policies

Chapter 2, Continuing Appointment System

Chapter 3, Goals and Performance Evaluations

Chapter 4, Evaluation for Reappointment, Promotion and Continuing

Appointment (RPCA)

Chapter 5, Personnel Benefits

Chapter 6, Schedule for the Annual Evaluation and RPCA Processes

Introduction

The purpose of the Michigan State University Librarian Personnel Handbook of Policies,

Procedures, and Practices (referred to in this document as the Handbook) is to bring together all

the various policies, procedures, regulations, and practices relating to personnel matters which

affect librarians of Michigan State University. An objective of the Handbook is to make this

information readily and conveniently available to all librarians when they join the staff as well as

during their tenure with the Library.

The information included in this Handbook has been derived from a variety of sources,

including: the MSU Faculty Handbook, the Library Faculty Bylaws, the affirmative action

program, travel guidelines, etc.; and, specific information issued by several University offices

and departments. This document does not replace or modify other existing University policies

which remain in effect for all University employees. In circumstances where the Librarian

Personnel Handbook is silent on an issue, the applicable policy contained in the Faculty

Handbook prevails.

The Library administrative staff, in consultation with the Steering Committee of the Library

Faculty Assembly, is responsible for changes in the Handbook that do not affect the Library

Faculty Bylaws. When an amendment to the Bylaws requires revision of the Handbook, the

Bylaws Committee, in consultation with the Library administrative staff, is responsible for

revising the Handbook to bring it into conformity with the amended Bylaws.

Chapter 1: General Academic Policies

• Equal Opportunity & Non-Discrimination

• Affirmative Action

• Status of Librarians in the University Community

• Librarian Appointments

• Appointment, Reassignment, Reappointment, Promotion and Continuing Appointment

Recommendations

• Definitions

• Appointment Period

• Dismissal for Cause

• Resignations

• Grievances

• Other University Policies

o Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct and Title IX

o Drugs and Alcohol

o Smoke-Free Workplace

o Ergonomics Policy

o University Policy on Use of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Hazards

o University Policy on Occupational Health and Safety Rules and Regulations

o University Policy on Borrowing University Equipment

Equal Opportunity & Non-Discrimination

Michigan State University Libraries affirm the policy of the University in its dedication to a

policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination.

“Michigan State University is committed to the principles of equal opportunity,

nondiscrimination and, in the context of employment, affirmative action. University programs,

activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity,

religion, national origin, political persuasion, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, height,

weight, veteran status, age or familial status. The university is an affirmative action, equal

opportunity employer. In carrying out this commitment, the university is guided by the

applicable federal and state laws and regulations and policies adopted by the Board of Trustees.

The university has a comprehensive employment Affirmative Action Plan that includes

placement goals for academic and support staff employment and an affirmative action policy for

the employment of veterans and persons with disabilities. The Office for Inclusion and

Intercultural Initiatives oversees the Plan by reviewing individual academic and support staff

hiring recommendations, and advises the President and other university administrators on equal

opportunity, diversity and inclusion matters.

MSU is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively

encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans and persons

with disabilities.”

The following policy on Anti-Discrimination was approved by the Board of Trustees on April 9,

1993 and revised on December 5, 2003, April 13, 2007 and October 30, 2015:

“Michigan State University's scholarly community-building efforts occur within the context of

general societal expectations, as embodied in the law. The University, consistent with its policies

and governing law, promotes institutional diversity and pluralism through mechanisms such as

affirmative action, within an over-arching strategy promoting equitable access to opportunity.

The University's commitment to non-discrimination is the foundation for such efforts.

This policy states expectations for institutional and individual conduct. It applies to all

University community members, including faculty, staff, students, registered student

organizations, student governing bodies, and the University's administrative units, and to the

University's contractors in the execution of their University contracts or engagements.”

The complete policy is available in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

Affirmative Action

The Academic Hiring Manual and the Handbook for Faculty Searches with Special Reference to

Affirmative Action describe the policies and procedures that are utilized in making

recommendations for appointment. The latter states, in part:

“Since 1964 the federal government has passed legislation and issued executive orders designed

to achieve equality of employment, end discrimination in hiring and remedy the effects of past

discrimination. Michigan State University has not only complied with these measures, but has

also frequently and in a variety of ways, demonstrated its commitment to ameliorate the negative

effects of discrimination and to achieve the ideals of affirmative action. MSU prohibits

discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, political persuasion,

sexual orientation, marital status, disability, height, weight, veteran status or age. While

significant progress has been made, MSU has not yet reached its goal of a heterogeneous faculty

and student body with substantial representation of women and minorities. …

Affirmative action should not be confused with passive compliance with regulations, tokenism,

or good intentions. It is, instead, a proactive concept which implies initiating aggressive,

vigorous, and systematic activities to achieve equality and equity for all individuals. There is no

single activity at this University more essential to realizing MSU's affirmative action goals than

the selection of new faculty and academic staff. Hiring women and minorities, it has been

demonstrated, adds cultural richness to an institution and enhances its vitality and excellence by

broadening instructional, curricular, and research efforts. A diverse faculty also encourages

greater pluralism in the student body by attracting women and minorities, while their presence as

role models and their efforts at mentorship increase the retention and development of students

from protected groups.

Equity, educational, organizational and business reasons require MSU to advance the diversity of

its faculty/academic staff complement.”

The Academic Hiring Manual notes:

“The University Bylaws for Academic Governance (1975) defines a key role for the chairpersons

and unit directors (2.1.2.), (2.1.2.1.) and provides for strong faculty involvement (2.1.2.1.),

(2.1.3.), (2.2.1.), (2.2.8.) in the search and selection process.”

Further:

“This handbook is designed to assist in attracting and retaining women and minority scholars and

creating a diverse workforce at Michigan State University.”

Therefore, responsibility for implementing affirmative action policies in the MSU Libraries rests

with the Dean of Libraries.

Resources for affirmative action can be found in the Handbook for Faculty Searches with Special

Reference to Affirmative Action.

Status of Librarians in the University Community

Section 1.1.1.1. of the Michigan State University Bylaws for Academic Governance states:

"The regular faculty shall consist of all persons appointed under the rules of tenure and holding

the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor, and persons appointed as

librarians."

Persons appointed as librarians carry faculty status within the University community with respect

to academic governance as defined in the MSU Bylaws for Academic Governance. Regular

librarians are appointed under the librarian continuing appointment system rather than under the

tenure system applicable to teaching, research, and service faculty. The term library faculty used

within the Libraries and in the Library Faculty Bylaws refers to those individuals appointed as

regular and temporary librarians in the MSU Libraries under the librarian continuing

appointment system.

Librarian Appointments

Librarian appointments are academic appointments made by the President or the Provost, as

appropriate, upon recommendation of the Dean of Libraries. All librarians are appointed to

positions with the academic rank of Librarian I, II, or III.

Regular librarians are appointed in the librarian continuing appointment system. Temporary

librarians are not appointed under the rules of continuing appointment. Their appointments are

short-term, usually limited to one year or less. The termination date of the appointment is always

specified in the terms of the appointment.

Appointment, Reassignment, Reappointment, Promotion and Continuing Appointment

Recommendations

Library personnel decisions are based on recommendations formulated with the objective of

building a progressively stronger Library system, in accordance with the principle of excellence

and the goals of equal opportunity and affirmative action. Professional growth is systematically

encouraged in individual librarians.

Deliberations which result in Library personnel recommendations for reassignment,

reappointment, promotion and continuing appointment follow Library-formulated criteria,

procedures and guidelines which are consistent with University-wide policies. These serve the

objective of improving the academic strength and quality of the Libraries, by taking into account

the mission of the Libraries, program needs related to the mission, and available resources. This

Handbook and the Library Faculty Bylaws describe the processes that result in these

recommendations.

The final recommendation for all Library personnel actions is the responsibility of the Dean, who

has a special obligation to build a strong Library system. The Dean makes these

recommendations while taking taking library academic governance, peer review, supporting

data, personnel needs of the Libraries, and other relevant factors into consideration. The Office

of the Provost reviews all recommendations for actions that do not involve the award of

continuing appointment status, including appointments and reappointments. for final approval.

The President approves, upon recommendation of the Dean of Libraries and the Provost, those

actions that involve the award of continuing appointment status.

Once approved for appointment as a regular librarian, a librarian is eligible for the following:

1. to apply for posted positions within the Library system;

2. for reassignment to other positions within the Library system;

3. for consideration for reappointment for another required probationary period after

successful completion of a first probationary period;

4. for consideration for continuing appointment status after successful completion of all

required probationary periods.

Temporary librarians are eligible to apply for posted positions and for reassignment to other

positions in the Library system.

Definitions

The following Library personnel actions are all preceded by consultative or peer review

processes. The definitions below apply to these terms as they are used in this Handbook and in

the Library Faculty Bylaws.

Appointment is the selection of an individual to fill a vacant or newly established posted position

through a search and selection process which follows the University's planning and hiring

procedures.

Reassignment refers to a situation where a regular or temporary librarian changes positions

within the library system, takes on significant new or additional responsibilities, or takes on a

full-time or partial interim assignment.

Reappointment may be granted through the reappointment, promotion and continuing

appointment process to give a regular librarian another required probationary period, prior to

eligibility for continuing appointment.

Continuing appointment status may be awarded to a regular librarian through the reappointment,

promotion and continuing appointment process upon successful attainment of all relevant

requirements set forth in this Handbook. Continuing appointment status eliminates the terminal

date of the librarian's appointment. Once achieved, continuing appointment status is not affected

by reassignment.

Promotion is an elevation in ranking of a regular librarian.

Appointment Period

Librarian appointments, either regular or temporary, may be on an annual (AN) or academic year

(AY) basis. The University's commitment for continuing appointment, however, is limited to the

academic year. The current interpretation is as follows:

"Effective January 1, 1982, all new appointments, including those on an annual year (AN) basis,

in the tenure system; the specialist job security system; and the librarian continuing appointment

system, will involve the University making a continuing basic employment commitment to

academic year (AY) appointments only. This policy is to insure that any individual employment

commitment to annual appointment (AN) status is justified by current unit missions,

programmatic needs, and the related responsibilities of individual faculty and academic staff

members. If unit missions and programmatic needs change, the annual appointment status may

no longer be appropriate and, consequently, the individual would then change to academic year

status which is the basic employment commitment for academic personnel systems designated

above. (This policy applies exclusively to individuals appointed or changed to an AN status on or

after January 1, 1982.)"

From the statement Academic Personnel System Appointments: Basic Employment

Commitment on an Academic Year Basis, Office of the Provost, December 6, 1981.

Dismissal for Cause

Librarians with continuing appointment, librarians in the continuing appointment system who

have not yet attained continuing appointment, and temporary librarians may be dismissed for

cause.

From the statement Discipline and Dismissal of Tenured Faculty for Cause:

“The University’s commitment to “promote the welfare of mankind through teaching, research,

and public service” is furthered by the intellectual integrity and professional honesty of faculty

members mindful of their rights and responsibilities. Essential to sustaining an environment of

mutual trust and respect is the need for impartial investigation of alleged violations of policies

related to faculty conduct; due process; and, when necessary, disciplinary action up to and

including dismissal for cause. Discipline, dismissal, or the threat of either action, may not be

used to restrain faculty members in their exercise of academic freedom.

From Discipline and Dismissal of Tenured Faculty for Cause, section IV:

A faculty member

may be disciplined, or dismissed, for cause on grounds including but not

limited to (1) intellectual dishonesty; (2) acts of discrimination, including harassment, prohibited

by law or University policy; (3) acts of moral turpitude substantially related to the fitness of

faculty members to engage in teaching, research, service/outreach and/or administration; (4) theft

or misuse of University property; (5) incompetence;

(6) refusal to perform reasonable assigned

duties; (7) use of professional authority to exploit others; (8) violation of University policy

substantially related to performance of faculty responsibilities; and (9) violation of law(s)

substantially related to the fitness of faculty members to engage in teaching, research,

service/outreach and/or administration.

”

The MSU Faculty Handbook contains the procedures to be followed if a librarian is to be

considered for dismissal. These procedures stipulate that gross misconduct or incompetence will

be determined by a representative body of the librarian's peers. The Dean of Libraries submits a

recommendation for dismissal to the Provost.

Resignations

Librarians planning to resign should give at least sixty days' written notice to the Dean of

Libraries. Letters of resignation should include information regarding the last day to be worked,

as well as the termination date. A forwarding address should be left with the Libraries Human

Resources Office so the final check can be delivered. The Library is required to send the

resignation form to the Provost's Office at least thirty days in advance of the librarian's last

working day at the University.

Librarians may contact the University's Benefits Office for information concerning the possible

extension and conversion privileges of their Staff Benefits Programs. Identification cards and

keys should be turned over to the Library Main Office.

The Libraries Human Resources Office will contact the librarian to offer an exit interview. The

librarian may choose to meet with the Dean, the Head of Libraries Human Resources, or

Assistant/Associate Dean of their Division.

Grievances

Any librarian may initiate a grievance alleging a violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication

of existing policies, legislation, or accepted standards of fairness in a unit of the Library, the

Library as a whole, or the University. Informal resolution of a grievance should be attempted

through discussion with appropriate Library administrators and/or the Faculty Grievance Official

of the University prior to initiating a formal grievance.

Procedures for grievances are included in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

Other University Policies

Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct and Title IX

The University policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct and Title IX states:

“Michigan State University (“MSU” or the “University”) strives to provide an academic and

work environment that fosters the values of safety; mutual respect; dignity; equity;

responsibility; and clear and timely communication. Relationship violence, sexual misconduct,

and stalking are in direct conflict with our institution’s values and policies and present barriers to

fulfilling the University’s missions.

The University’s commitment to preventing and responding to relationship violence, sexual

misconduct, and stalking applies to admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in

University programs and activities.

The policy also addresses confidentiality, prohibited acts, examples of relationship violence and

sexual misconduct, seeking assistance or filing a complaint, and awareness. The complete policy

is available through the Office of Civil Rights.

Drugs and Alcohol

The University policy on drugs and alcohol was approved by the Board of Trustees on October

12, 1990. In part, the policy states:

Consistent with state and federal law, Michigan State University will maintain a workplace free

from the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of a controlled

substance. [Five schedules of controlled substances are defined in the comprehensive Drug

Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, 21 U.S.C. 812.] The unlawful manufacture,

distribution, dispensation, possession or use of controlled substances, illicit drugs and alcohol are

prohibited on any property under the control of and governed by the Board of Trustees of

Michigan State University, and at any site where work is performed by individuals on behalf of

Michigan State University.

The complete policy is available in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

Smoke-Free Workplace

The Board of Trustees approved a tobacco-free ordinance in 2015, which applies to all property

governed by the Board of Trustees and includes not only the main campus but also all MSU sites

across the state, nation, and globe. The policy states, in part:

No person shall (a) smoke, or (b) otherwise use any product derived from or containing tobacco,

on any property governed by the Board.

“Product(s) derived from or containing tobacco” include, without being limited to, cigarettes

(including clove, bidis, kreteks), electronic cigarettes, aerosol or vapor nicotine delivery devices,

cigars and cigarillos, pipe tobacco, hookah-smoked products, and oral tobacco (spit and spitless,

smokeless, chew, snuff).”

Additionally, the University Policy on a Smoke-Free Workplace states:

1. Smoking will not be permitted in any closed space, regardless of location, except specifically

designated private residential space and hotel rooms. Smoking will not be permitted near exits

and entrances of buildings, except at a reasonable distance or unless otherwise designated.

2. Cigarettes and other tobacco products will not be sold on university grounds.

3. This smoke-free policy applies to all Michigan State University facilities and vehicles, owned

or leased.

The complete policy is available in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

Ergonomics Policy

The University policy on ergonomics was developed by Human Resource Services in December

1993. In part, the policy states:

Michigan State University strives to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all University

employees. Workplace ergonomics is of increasing importance to employee health and safety.

This policy is established to promote and protect employee health through ergonomically-sound

practices.

Several general principles guide MSU efforts in the ergonomics area, including the following:

Immediately after hiring a new employee or making significant changes in assigned

responsibilities of an employee in place, supervisors should determine the adequacy of the

employee's familiarity with ergonomics principles and practices applicable to the new job

responsibilities and locale. When needed, training should be provided.

Employees receiving ergonomics training should be encouraged to consider the applicability of

training content to activities undertaken outside the workplace.

When employees are provided unfamiliar or significantly changed new tools, equipment, or work

stations, the training in the use of the tool, equipment, or work station should routinely address

ergonomics issues.

Ergonomics features of equipment, tools, and work stations (whether existing or under

consideration for acquisition, construction, or renovations) should be evaluated. The employee(s)

who will be working with the aforementioned should participate in the evaluation.

Ergonomics training and improvement efforts by administrative units should receive appropriate

programmatic and budgetary priority. The efforts should be continuous, to ensure periodic

reconsideration of ergonomics issues in light of environmental change and recent research. As

with all such unit-level activities, a unit's intentions, priorities, and results achieved are properly

discussed within the context of the annual APP&R or SSPP&R process, which permits major

administrative unit (MAU)-level review and reinforcement.

In short, routine and widespread consideration of ergonomics issues should be institutionalized

as a natural component in the conduct of University affairs.

Implementation of this policy is a shared responsibility of various administrative units and of all

University employees. In particular:

Training: Departments/MAUs are responsible for ensuring provision of ergonomics education

in their units. For example, employees working with video display terminals or highly repetitive

tasks should have training in the fundamentals of ergonomics and cumulative trauma disorders

(CTD) risk factors. Supervisors should have training in how they can work with employees to

reduce the risk of injuries and illnesses. Units that provide primary training in the use of tools or

equipment are responsible for routinely incorporating ergonomics concepts within such training.

Work station design: Incorporation of ergonomics principles in work site construction or

renovation planning is a shared responsibility of all participating units, including the University

Architect, Physical Plant, and Facilities Planning and Space Management. For this purpose, the

work station should be considered to include furniture, electronic and other tools, lighting, and

other environmental features. Departments/MAUs are responsible for individual work stations,

once established. Each job site should provide an appropriate fit between the worker, the

technology, and the working environment. Employees should be empowered to share in the

responsibility for the safety of their workplace with their supervisor or appropriate others.

Job design: With leadership from departments and MAUs, supervisors are responsible for

ensuring appropriate work methods. When considering an employee’s regular job assignment,

both pace of work and job flow should be reviewed to avoid excessively repetitive work for any

one employee and their specific position.

Medical management: Employees suffering from job-related CTDs will have access to medical

treatment and rehabilitative processes through MSU Human Resources Workers' Compensation.

In these cases, ergonomics accommodations or improvements may be coordinated by Workers'

Compensation. However, work station modifications and equipment cost decisions are line

responsibilities, both financially and administratively.

Individual compliance: Employees are responsible to follow ergonomics policies and work

practices directed or recommended for ergonomics purposes.

The complete policy is available on the MSU Human Resources website.

The Libraries provide its own ergonomics evaluations to employees.

University Policy on Use of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Hazards

The complete policy is available in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

University Policy on Occupational Health and Safety Rules and Regulations

The complete policy is available in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

University Policy on Borrowing University Equipment

University equipment is used only for University activities. Personal use or use for private gain

is forbidden. University equipment must not be loaned to non-campus organizations except,

under special circumstances, to departments of the state or federal government.

University policy stipulates that equipment cannot be taken off campus. Any exception to this

policy can only be made with written approval of the department chairperson, director of

administrative head, and dean. The department or unit is responsible for equipment loss or

damage. Laptops and their associated peripherals (chargers, mice, etc) are understood to be an

exception to this policy.

Chapter 2: Continuing Appointment System

Policy Statement

• Policy Statement

• Relation to Academic Freedom

• Operating Principles

• Terms of Appointment

o Librarian I

o Librarian II

o Librarian III

• Appointment Process

o Process for Appointment of Regular and Temporary (More than Half-Time)

Librarians

o Process for Appointment of Administrative Librarians

o Process for Appointment of the Dean of Libraries

o Reassignment Actions

 A Librarian Is Selected for an Externally-Posted Position

 A Librarian Is Selected for an Internally-Posted Position

 A Librarian Is Reassigned to a Different, Unposted Position

 Reassignment of a Librarian Who Has Not Been Granted Reappointment

or Continuing Appointment Due to External Factors

• Reappointment, Promotion, Continuing Appointment

o Professionalism

o Professional Development

o Released Time for Continuing Education

 Short-term conferences, workshops, professional meetings

 Course Work

 Released Time for Extended Professional Activities

 Participation in Academic Governance

Michigan State University librarians are appointed under a system designated as continuing

appointment at three professional levels. The statement on continuing appointment and ranks for

librarians, approved by action of the Board of Trustees, June 24, 1977 and revised on June 12,

1987, September 3, 2003, and April 13, 2012, is as follows:

"The Provost of Michigan State University, in recognition of the essential contributions of

librarians to academic programs, appoints, upon recommendation of the Dean of Libraries,

librarians at those professional levels (Librarian I-II) which do not involve an immediate award

of continuous appointment status. The President approves, upon recommendation of the Dean of

Libraries and the Provost, appointments of librarians at the professional level (Librarian III)

which confer immediate continuous appointment status to those librarians who exhibit strong

evidence of the capacity for sustained professional growth.

Continuous appointment, as used in this statement, assures a librarian that they will not be

dismissed due to capricious action by the Library administration nor will dismissal be used as a

restraint on a librarian's exercise of academic freedom. Continuous appointment does not

guarantee employment if positions are not funded, if there are gross violations of University or

Library policies, if the librarian refuses to perform reasonable assigned duties or fails to fulfill

contractual obligations, or if the librarian no longer renders satisfactory performance in their

professional capacity at the University."

Relation to Academic Freedom

Continuing appointment status is awarded to librarians upon the successful completion of

probationary period(s) in a process involving peer evaluation. The rights and responsibilities

which flow from continuing appointment are those commonly associated with the appointment

of faculty and follow the provisions detailed in such documents as the Bylaws for Academic

Governance and the MSU Faculty Handbook. In general, the provisions of the continuing

appointment system parallel those of the tenure system. They differ in the norms and standards

of evaluation, but are identical in their foundation and rationale: the affording of academic

freedom protection based upon the public interest in ready access to and unfettered exchange of

information in the interest of research, instruction, and public service.

Operating Principles

The operating principles of the continuing appointment system parallel those of the tenure

system as listed in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

The following have been adapted for the Libraries:

1. Appointment periods for continuing appointment purposes are calculated from August 16

of the calendar year in which the appointment is effective.

2. A librarian granted a leave of absence will have their appointment period extended

appropriately.

3. Librarians serving abroad with one of Michigan State University's projects are treated for

continuing appointment action as if they were serving the University on campus, except

that:

1. A librarian without continuing appointment whose initial appointment to

Michigan State University is to an overseas assignment of six months or more

will have their appointment period under the continuing appointment system

extended by a period equal to the duration of their overseas assignment.

2. Any other librarian without continuing appointment who serves abroad on a

Michigan State University project may have their appointment period under the

continuing appointment system similarly extended only with the concurrence in

writing of the individual involved and the Dean of Libraries, the Provost, and the

President. Such agreement should be reached prior to departure for the overseas

assignment.

4. A librarian who is not to be recommended for reappointment by the Dean of Libraries

must be notified in writing by the Dean by December 15 preceding the expiration of their

appointment. Copies of the notification are to be sent to the Provost. Upon written request

of the librarian, the Dean of Libraries shall transmit in writing the reasons for not

recommending further appointment.

5. If the librarian who was recommended by the Dean of Libraries is not reappointed, or if

proper notification as stated in 4 is not given, an extension of one year is automatic; and

the librarian shall consider this arrangement as official notification of separation from the

University at the end of the one-year extension.

6. A librarian may not be transferred out of the continuing appointment system during or

immediately after an appointment under the terms of the continuing appointment system,

except as approved by the University Committee on Faculty Tenure upon written petition

of both the librarian and the Library as a department. Subsequent appointment in the

continuing appointment system requires approval of the University Committee on Faculty

Tenure.

7. A foreign national holding non-immigrant status may be appointed within the continuing

appointment system; however, they may not be appointed with continuing appointment

unless (a) they have acquired permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship or (b) they

enter into and comply with the terms of a Faculty Tenure Policy Exemption Agreement

approved by the Provost.

8. Questions about the interpretation of the continuing appointment regulations, or about the

solution of continuing appointment problems arising from situations not specifically

covered in these regulations, are referred to the University Committee on Faculty Tenure.

The Committee, after thorough study, submits its recommendations to the President of

the University, the Provost, or other appropriate administrative officer or body.

Terms of Appointment

Appointments in the continuous appointment system are only at the ranks of Librarian I, II, and

III. Following are the lengths of appointments at each ranking level and eligibility for

reappointment and continuing appointment status. The individual librarian will always be

notified of upcoming reappointment and continuing appointment deliberations and must submit a

dossier to the Libraries Human Resources Office for consideration by the Reading Committee

and the appropriate library faculty.

Probationary appointment periods are calculated from August 16 of the calendar year in which

the appointment is effective.

Personnel actions involving the award of continuing appointment require final approval by the

President; these include appointments at the Librarian III level, appointments at the Librarian II

level in those unusual cases in which continuous appointment has been granted from the date of

appointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, and reappointment with

continuing appointment (Librarian II). Final decisions on personnel actions that do not involve

the award of continuing appointment are made by the Provost; these include appointment at the

Librarian I level, appointment at the Librarian II level without continuing appointment,

reappointment (Librarian I), and promotion to Librarian III.

Librarian I

1. The initial appointment as a Librarian I will be for a probationary period that expires on

the fourth August 15 after the appointment year. To be considered for reappointment to a

second three-year probationary period, the librarian must submit a dossier no later than

the third July 1st after their appointment year. The initial probationary appointment will

terminate on its specified end date unless the librarian is reappointed for a second

probationary period. To be considered for promotion to Librarian II with continuous

appointment in the MSU Libraries, the librarian must submit another dossier prior to the

second July 1st of the second probationary period.

2. If at any time during these two probationary periods a Librarian I is promoted to the rank

of Librarian II, continuous appointment is granted.

3. If not promoted to the rank of Librarian II at the conclusion of the second probationary

period, the individual is ineligible for an additional reappointment unless a special

extension is approved (see below).

4. Extensions in the probationary appointment periods for all librarians appointed in the

continuous appointment system require approval of the Dean of Libraries and the Provost

(or designee).

5. If at any time during these two probationary periods a Librarian I is approved for a

change of position, the provisions for probation and continuing appointment pertinent to

the initial appointment as a Librarian I apply.

6. During the probationary appointment periods, a Librarian I has the option to request

reappointment or promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment prior to the

conclusion of the stipulated probationary appointment period. The librarian is strongly

encouraged to consult with their Assistant/Associate Dean prior to requesting early

reappointment or promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment. A negative

decision on such a request shall not preclude consideration for reappointment or

promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment at the normal time.

Librarian II

1. The initial appointment as a Librarian II without continuous appointment will be for a

probationary period that expires on the fourth August 15 after the appointment year. In

some cases, upon the recommendation of the Dean of Libraries, and with the prior

approval of the Provost, the probationary period may vary in length from two to five

years.

2. To be considered for reappointment with continuous appointment in the MSU Libraries,

the librarian must submit a dossier no later than July 1st in the year prior to the expiration

of the probationary period. If a Librarian II is reappointed, continuous appointment is

granted.

3. If at any time during the probationary period as a Librarian II the individual is approved

for a change of position, the provisions for probation and continuing appointment

pertinent to the initial appointment as a Librarian II apply.

4. During the probationary appointment period, a Librarian II without continuous

appointment has the option to request reappointment with continuing appointment prior

to the conclusion of the stipulated probationary appointment period.

The librarian is

strongly encouraged to consult with their Assistant/Associate Dean prior to requesting

early reappointment with continuing appointment. A negative decision on such a request

shall not preclude consideration for reappointment with continuing appointment at the

time specified upon appointment.

(1) Consideration of such requests shall occur at the time normally devoted to

reviews for reappointment.

5. In unusual cases, on recommendation of the Dean of Libraries (following consultation

with all regular library faculty with continuous appointment, to provide the appropriate

peer review of the individual’s qualifications for appointment with continuous

appointment), and with the prior approval of the Provost and the President, a librarian

initially appointed at the rank of Librarian II may be granted continuous appointment

from the date of appointment.

Librarian III

1. A librarian with the rank of Librarian III in the continuous appointment system is granted

continuous appointment (appointment for an indefinite period without a terminal date)

from the date of appointment at that rank. Prior to appointment, the Dean of Libraries

will consult with all regular faculty with the rank of Librarian III, to provide the

appropriate peer review of the individual’s qualifications for appointment with

continuous appointment at the rank of Librarian III.

Appointment Process

A request to post a position usually originates in one of the Library's major administrative areas.

The Divisional Dean, in consultation with library faculty within the Division, reviews Divisional

programs and objectives, personnel needs, fiscal constraints, and other relevant factors in

determining whether to recommend filling an established vacant position or to create a new

position. The establishment of a new position is subject to approval by the Office of the Provost.

Out of the above process may also come a recommendation to limit the search to librarians

already appointed to the Libraries. When the Dean approves or initiates such a recommendation,

external posting of the position is eliminated and the personnel action which results will be a

reassignment rather than an appointment. Peer review and the search process, however, are the

same.

If the Dean approves external posting, a recruitment, search and selection process is conducted

following the University’s Academic Hiring Manual which results in the recommendation of a

candidate to the Dean. The recommendation for appointment is made by the Dean, with final

approval by the Provost or President, as appropriate.

Process for Appointment of Regular and Temporary (More than Half-Time) Librarians

When a librarian position is to be filled, the librarians (through the Steering Committee of the

Library Faculty Assembly) share responsibility with the Dean of Libraries or the Dean’s

designee for the appointment of the library faculty members of the ad hoc search committee.

The ad hoc search committee is responsible for screening the applicants, interviewing candidates

on the final list, and recommending candidate(s) to be appointed. The Academic Hiring Manual

and guidelines developed by the Divisional Dean are used to guide the process.

Composition of, and procedures for, ad hoc search committees for appointment of regular and

temporary librarians:

1. Members:

1. supervisor(s) of the unit(s) concerned

2. appointed members

2. The committee shall select a chair and an affirmative action advocate.

3. A recommendation is made to the Divisional Dean who reviews the recommendation and

forwards it with their recommendation to the Dean of Libraries.

4. The recommendation for appointment is made by the Dean, with final approval by the

Provost or President, as appropriate.

Process for Appointment of Administrative Librarians

Administrative librarians may include deputy, associate, and assistant deans. When an

administrative librarian position is to be filled, the librarians (through the Steering Committee of

the Library Faculty Assembly) share responsibility with the Dean of Libraries for the

appointment of the library faculty members of the ad hoc search committee. The ad hoc search

committee is responsible for screening the applicants, interviewing candidates on the final list,

and recommending candidates to be appointed. The Academic Hiring Manual and guidelines

developed by the Dean of Libraries are used to guide the process.

Composition of, and procedures for, ad hoc search committees for appointment of administrative

librarians:

1. Members

1. An Assistant or Associate Dean

2. Appointed members

1. Librarians from the affected Division

1. two supervisors

2. two or more librarians from the rest of the Division

2. One librarian from each of the other Divisions

3. Two other members from the Libraries support staff and/or the University

community may be appointed at the discretion of the Dean of Libraries.

2. The ad hoc search committee shall select a chair and an affirmative action advocate.

3. The recommendation of the ad hoc search committee is made to the Dean of Libraries

who forwards their recommendation to the Provost or President, as appropriate, for final

approval.

4. When an administrative position not included in one of the Library's major administrative

divisions is to be filled, the composition of the search committee is the same as detailed

above, except for the restrictions involving Divisional representation. Instead,

representation from all Library Divisions will be sought.

At the time of the initial appointment to an administrative position within the Libraries, a portion

of the salary rate will be designated as an administrative increment. The administrative

increment will be withdrawn if the librarian is returned to regular librarian duties in the Libraries.

Process for Appointment of the Dean of Libraries

The MSU Bylaws for Academic Governance (section 3.2.5.5.) stipulate that the University

Council shall develop procedures for the appointment of specified University-level

administrators, including the Dean of Libraries. The voting faculty of the Libraries shall have

shared responsibility with the Provost to determine procedures for the selection of the Dean. The

Steering Committee, as elected representatives of the Library Faculty, shall have shared

responsibility with representatives of the Provost's Office in developing procedures for the

review of the Dean. (Bylaws, 3.1.8.)

Reassignment Actions

The term reassignment may refer to a situation where a regular or temporary librarian changes

positions within the library system, takes on significant new or additional responsibilities, or

takes on a full time or partial interim assignment. The probationary period(s) required of a

regular librarian who has not yet attained continuing appointment status and the continuing

appointment status of librarians already awarded continuing appointment are not affected by

reassignment actions.

Reassignment involves peer review. A search and selection process is involved in reassignment

only when a librarian is selected to fill a posted position. The situations and processes related to

reassignment actions are summarized below.

A Librarian Is Selected for an Externally-Posted Position

The process to recommend this type of reassignment is identical with that described in the

preceding section, "Appointment Process."

A Librarian Is Selected for an Internally-Posted Position

1. Appropriate members of the Division and the Divisional Dean recommend limiting the

search for an open position to librarians already appointed to the Libraries.

2. When the Dean approves such a recommendation or initiates the same, external posting is

eliminated. The search and selection process includes:

1. peer review of the applications, qualifications, and credentials of each applicant;

2. interviews with each qualified internal candidate;

3. an advisory recommendation to the Dean on a librarian to fill the position.

3. The search and selection committee submits a recommendation to the Dean, and if the

position is filled internally, no further action outside the Library is necessary.

A Librarian Is Reassigned to a Different, Unposted Position

A reassignment of this type may be related to program changes which eliminate an occupied

position, or to reorganization of a unit or department. In other instances, reassignment to another

position may better suit a librarian's particular talents and skills. It is important that all

consequences of a person's reassignment are taken into consideration and that consultation with

their supervisor(s) occurs.

The different position may already exist or be newly-established. When this type of reassignment

is not initiated by the librarian, the Library administration will make every effort to make the

reassignment acceptable to the individual. Changes in a librarian's responsibilities which may

constitute a reassignment include, but are not limited to:

1. a full- or part-time assignment on a temporary or interim basis (one year or less)

2. significant new responsibilities previously outside the scope of the position

3. new supervisory responsibilities or a significant increase in supervisory responsibilities,

such as supervising librarians in addition to support staff, or a large increase in the

number of people supervised

4. new responsibilities which are anticipated to take more than 25% of the librarian's work

time

5. new duties which have a significantly higher level of complexity or responsibility than

previously assigned

6. new responsibilities outside of the Division

Peer review of a proposed reassignment is provided by the Faculty Affairs Committee through its

assigned responsibility to "advise divisional administrators on other personnel matters such as

reassignments." (Library Faculty Bylaws 4.3.1.1) Administrators should consult with the Head of

Libraries Human Resources if there is any doubt about whether a particular situation is a

reassignment which should be reviewed by the Faculty Affairs Committee.

In regard to reassignments, the Faculty Affairs Committee's recommendation is based on two

essential issues (although FAC may consider and comment on other issues germane to the

reappointment in question):

1. Is the librarian being reassigned qualified to carry out the new responsibilities?

2. Are the goals and objectives and the assigned responsibilities of the new position

appropriate and realistic? (The phrase "new position" refers not only to the newly-

reassigned responsibilities but to the individual's entire position.)

In order to answer these questions, the Faculty Affairs Committee reviews the following

documents provided by the supervisor of the librarian being reassigned:

Re: Qualifications of the librarian being reassigned:

1. CV or resume of librarian being reassigned

2. librarian's most recent position description

3. librarian's most recent annotated goals and objectives statement

4. librarian's most recent supervisor's evaluation

Re: Description of the new position:

1. proposed new position description developed by the supervisor or by the supervisor and

the librarian

2. statement by the supervisor, with Divisional Dean's approval, indicating the reasons for

the reassignment and why the individual was chosen to take on the reassigned duties

3. statement that the current supervisor is aware of the proposed reassignment and concurs

The Faculty Affairs Committee will forward its recommendation on a proposed reassignment to

the Divisional Dean, with copies to the supervisor and the Head of Libraries Human Resources,

within two weeks of receiving all the materials listed above. The Divisional Dean forwards their

recommendation as well as the FAC recommendation to the Dean for final approval. No further

action outside the Library is required.

Reassignment of a Librarian Who Has Not Been Granted Reappointment or Continuing

Appointment Due to External Factors

This situation occurs only when factors external to the librarian's performance result in their not

being granted a reappointment or continuing appointment status.

In these instances, the librarian is eligible for reassignment consideration through any of the

processes described under points 1 through 3, above.

Reappointment, Promotion, Continuing Appointment

Peer review recommendations which result from the evaluation procedures outlined in this

Handbook form an essential component in reappointment, promotion, or continuing appointment

for a librarian. Judgmental decisions are made by the Library's administrative staff, taking into

consideration peer review evaluations, supporting data and information, Library personnel needs,

and other relevant factors.

All recommendations for reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment are submitted

to the Office of the Provost and the President, when appropriate, for review. The MSU Faculty

Handbook lists additional factors considered by the Provost in making the final decision.

Four principles which reinforce and complement each other underlie all steps in consideration

for reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment. They are:

1. dedication to the concept and promotion of excellence;

2. commitment to equal opportunity/affirmative action planning and goals;

3. the importance of collegial involvement and participation in the process leading to

recommendations for personnel action; and

4. recognition of the need for administrative flexibility.

MSU librarians and the Library administration are committed to the active encouragement of

individual librarians in striving for professional advancement, and will support applicants for

reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment considerations in instances where

evidence substantiates adherence to the principles above.

The RPCA (i.e., the Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment) evaluation

process is used to arrive at recommendations for reappointment, promotion, and continuing

appointment. This process is outlined in Chapter 4 and in the Library Faculty Bylaws.

Professionalism

Michigan State University librarians are expected to exhibit their professionalism and

commitment to librarianship by:

1. carrying out the responsibilities of their positions as specified in their individual goals

and objectives statements in a competent manner;

2. being aware of and contributing to successful completion of Library-wide, Divisional,

and unit missions and goals;

3. keeping themselves aware of current developments in the Library profession, especially

in those areas directly related to their duties;

4. maintaining productive working relationships with supervisors, colleagues, and

supervisees both in their own and in other Library units; and by

5. creating and maintaining dossiers which are utilized in making reappointment, continuing

appointment, and promotion decisions.

Supervisors are responsible for explaining the continuing appointment system to newly

appointed librarians and for orienting them to the goals and objectives system upon which

performance evaluation is based. Supervisors are to conduct evaluations periodically to help

individuals improve their performance and their service to the Libraries and to the University.

The Library administration is obligated to assure all librarians, including those who have not yet

attained continuing appointment, the right to exercise academic freedom in carrying out their

duties. Reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment decisions are based upon

relevant and objective criteria and procedures which are delineated in this Handbook. The

decision not to reappoint or award continuing appointment to a librarian may be made because

the librarian has failed to meet the standards of professional competence outlined above, or

because of program changes, financial exigencies, or other external factors unrelated to the

individual's performance. The librarian is eligible for reassignment only if reappointment or

continuing appointment is denied due to external factors unrelated to their performance.

Any librarian not reappointed or awarded continuing appointment who believes the decision was

made at variance with the criteria and procedures outlined in this Handbook may initiate a

grievance following the current procedure (Faculty Grievance Policy in the MSU Faculty

Handbook).

Professional Development

Part of the mission of the MSU Libraries is to "support the University's mission of preservation,

creation, transmission, and application of knowledge... We accomplish this mission through

broad, relevant, and accessible collections, appropriate facilities and quality service by helpful

and expert staff using current technologies, collaborative strategies, and expanding information

networks." Because the success of this enterprise rests ultimately on the effectiveness of the

staff, it is important that library faculty have the skills, knowledge, and commitment necessary to

provide appropriate levels of service. In addition, scholarly and creative activities, as well as

professional service, are significant criteria considered in the evaluation process. Therefore,

professional development is an integral part of the Libraries' efforts to fulfill its mission.

Flexibility, perspective, and broad knowledge are valued assets in library work, a field that is

affected by technology and economic realities. Professional development enables faculty to

develop a range of skills within, and a broader perspective of, their area of work, thus creating a

more versatile faculty better able to meet the changing needs of the Libraries and the University

community.

Released Time for Continuing Education

Short-term conferences, workshops, professional meetings

Librarians are encouraged to take advantage of special conferences, seminars, workshops,

institutes, and other short-term activities and programs designed to update their professional

knowledge, competencies, and job-related skills. Attendance and participation in these programs

are a normal and necessary activity. However, as attendance at meetings affects the operation of

the work unit when programs are held during regular working hours, librarians must consult with

their supervisors concerning participation in these programs. Attendance at professional

meetings and participation in programs which are held outside of the Library and the immediate

area require the approval of the Dean of Libraries, or their designee, for insurance purposes and

to arrange for reimbursement of expenses.

Financial assistance for travel and program fees is given whenever possible and appropriate. As

funds for financial assistance are limited, the extent of reimbursement is considered individually

and made in conformity with the travel guidelines listed in Chapter 5 - PERSONNEL

BENEFITS.

Course Work

The mission of the Libraries and the continuing appointment system call for the professional

development of each librarian. Continuing education through advanced degree or non-degree

course work contributes significantly to the growth of the library faculty member. All full-time

members of the regular library faculty are eligible to enroll in courses during the scheduled

working hours upon appointment to their position. Released time for course work requires the

approval of the library faculty member's supervisor. A library faculty member may appeal the

supervisor's decision to the Faculty Affairs Committee.

In order not to unduly interrupt the work schedule of the unit, the individual librarian may carry

an average of four credits a term for released time during no more than three consecutive terms,

up to a maximum of twelve credits. All further study program cycles with released time

allowance call for the same restrictions.

The Libraries Professional Activities Development Support Reimbursement allocation may be

used to support tuition expenses.

Released Time for Extended Professional Activities

Library faculty professional leave is intended for the mutual benefit of the Libraries and the

library faculty member granted a leave. The purpose is to encourage professional and

institutional revitalization by providing sustained time for scholarly and creative activities;

acquisition of expanded and/or new qualifications and skills; extended contribution to

professional associations (e.g., major office holder, national conference program chair); and

contribution to the Libraries' plans to improve and/or refocus activities in accordance with the

mission of the University.

Leave is not granted automatically. Each leave request must include a detailed description

outlining the purposes, objectives, and professional activities for the leave and normally should

be submitted at least six months in advance of the starting date of the leave. The plan should

indicate how the objectives and accomplishments of the leave will advance the interests,

objectives, and goals of the Libraries or the University. All leaves must have the approval of the

appropriate administrators and of the Provost.

Within thirty days following the conclusion of the leave, a leave report, with a separate summary

not to exceed one page in length, must be submitted to the Divisional Dean and Library Dean.

The report should include an assessment and evaluation of the leave accomplishments in relation

to the leave plan. The Library Dean will forward the report, with comments, to the Provost. The

report summary will become part of the library faculty member's personnel file.

Eligibility: Only library faculty members with continuing appointment will be eligible for leaves.

A leave shall not be granted until the library faculty member has completed six years of service

to the University. Years of service shall count from the date of full-time appointment or from

ending date of the previous leave; however, all leaves of absence shall be excluded in

determining years of service for a leave. Length of leaves shall not be extended on the basis of

more than six years of service since the previously compensated leave.

Applications: All applications for professional leave must be made on forms available from the

Libraries Human Resources Office and must be submitted to the Library Dean. Responsibility

for review of leave requests is shared by the Faculty Affairs Committee and the Library Dean. If

the application is rejected, specific reasons for the rejection are given to the applicant. The

committee may also recommend revisions to the proposal.

Participation in Academic Governance

All librarians, regular and temporary, in the Michigan State University Libraries may actively

participate in matters concerning academic governance of the Libraries. Such participation is

recognized as an important and integral part of the individual librarian's responsibilities and as an

element in continuing professional development. The nature and the means for participation in

academic governance matters are set forth in the Bylaws, which are developed as the shared

responsibility between the Dean of Libraries and the librarians.

In order to assure consistency with changing Library policies and practices and with the

University's Bylaws for Academic Governance, the Bylaws are subject to review at intervals not

to exceed five years by the Library's Standing Committee on Bylaws. In addition, the Bylaws are

subject to periodic review and approval by the University's Committee on Academic

Governance.

Librarians formally participate in matters pertaining to academic governance by: their

involvement in the search and selection process for appointment of individuals to the Library

faculty; their participation in peer review for consideration and evaluation for merit,

reappointment, continuing appointment and promotion; and their participation in elected and

appointed membership in Library-wide and University committees and councils. Participation in

these matters follows the several recommended modes as set forth in the University's Bylaws for

Academic Governance.

Informal participation and involvement is also actively encouraged and supported in matters

pertaining to program development of the individual Divisions, departments and units of the

Library.

Chapter 3: Goals and Objectives and

Performance Evaluations

• Goals

o Divisional Goals

 Characteristics of Divisional Goals

o Unit Goals

 Characteristics of Unit Goals

o Individual Goals

 Position Description

 Formulation of Individual Goals

• Annual Performance Evaluation

o Evaluation at the Individual Level

o Mid-Year or Periodic Reviews

o Conducting the Annual Performance Evaluation

 1. The Librarian’s Self-Evaluation

 The Self-Evaluation Document

 Outline and Maximum Page Limits

 Formatting

 2. The Supervisor’s Evaluation

 3. The Primary Supervisor’s Evaluation Document

 Part I

 Elements of Criterion I (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

 Elements of Criterion II - Scholarly and Creative Activities

 Elements of Criterion III - Service and/or Professional

Activities

 Guide to Evaluating Candidates

 Exceeds Expectations

 Meets Expectations

 Approaching Expectations

 Does Not Meet Expectations

 Part II

 4. Secondary Evaluations

 5. The Evaluation Conference

o Evaluation of Temporary Faculty

o Evaluation of Administrative Faculty

o Annual Evaluation for Merit

Goals

The Libraries’ goals system forms the basis for the performance evaluation program. It employs

a hierarchical model, beginning with the formulation of the Michigan State University Libraries

strategic plan, followed by divisional and then unit statements of goals, and culminating in the

annual statements of each librarian’s goals. Starting with the MSUL strategic plan, each

subsequent goals statement in the process is designed to be contingent upon, and to be

compatible with, the one upon which it is based.

The hierarchy of levels for which goals statements are formulated is as follows:

• The strategic plan represents the overall statement of the MSU Libraries’ mission and

goals.

• Divisional goal statements are the goals of each major division within the Libraries’.

They are developed under the coordination of the associate dean of the division to

directly work toward the achievement of the Libraries’ strategic plan. They are prepared

with participation of employees in the division.

• Unit goal statements are the goals of each reporting unit within a division, developed by

the units to direct their work. They are prepared with participation of all employees in the

unit under the coordination of the unit head.

• Individual goal statements are the goals of each librarian within the Libraries. They are

prepared yearly in collaboration with, and with the approval of, the individual librarian’s

immediate supervisor(s). They direct the librarian’s work toward the achievement of the

unit’s goals.

The primary purpose of the goals system is to improve the Libraries’ performance, both

organizationally and individually. Specific purposes include the following:

1. To clarify the Libraries’ role in the provision of services to the University, the academic

community, and the profession.

2. To identify and establish priorities among programs and projects.

3. To promote the best possible use of available resources.

4. To ensure systematic planning based upon long-range needs, thus identifying

underutilized units and obsolete programs.

5. To promote library faculty development through active participation in the planning and

problem solving process relating to library programs.

6. To further understanding and working relationships among and within the different

divisions and units of the Libraries.

7. To improve communication and understanding between individual librarians and their

supervisors.

8. To promote a better understanding of the role of the individual library faculty member in

the overall programs of the Libraries, the division, and their unit.

9. To identify training needs necessary for successful completion of performance objectives.

10. To identify and eliminate problem areas that prevent the individual librarian from

meeting their stated goals.

11. To identify and assign accountability.

12. To provide the framework for performance evaluation at all levels of the MSU Libraries,

including library-wide, divisional, unit, and individual.

The divisional and unit goals statements are organized into a mission statement and goals.

Mission statements are statements of broad direction and intent or major purpose. They are

general and timeless, not concerned with particular achievements within a specified time period.

These statements are used as vehicles for planning purposes and in themselves do not call for

action.

Goals are statements of intention that make it possible to fulfill the mission. Goals statements

should include performance measures, that is, standards specifying the manner in which a goal

will be achieved, measured and evaluated. These performance measures constitute the accepted

level of performance of a unit, given the needs of the library and the resources available to the

unit. They are the specific, observable indicators of success in achieving unit goals, and may be

both quantifiable and subjective. They should indicate to members of a unit how they can know

when the unit is successfully achieving its goals.

On the individual level, performance measures constitute the acceptable level of performance of

each librarian. They reflect an agreement between the individual and the supervisor of when,

how well, how much, or how often the librarian will achieve their stated goals. They should be

observable and should provide a means for the individual to know when their work is acceptable.

All goals, divisional, unit and individual, should follow the SMART format to the extent

possible. The SMART format should be viewed as a guideline for creating goals, not as a format

that must be rigidly followed.

• Specific. Specific goals are well-defined, clear and unambiguous.

• Measurable. The manner in which a goal will be achieved, measured, and evaluated,

quantitatively or qualitatively.

• Attainable given the time and resources available.

• Relevant. Goals should directly relate to the job description, unit goals, division goals,

and/or the Libraries’ strategic plan.

• Time Based. Goals should have a target end date. Projects that span evaluation years can

be broken into smaller components to create waypoints that can be accomplished within

the evaluation year.

Divisional Goals

The Libraries’ strategic plan is used in the development of divisional goals. The

creation/revision/review process in each division is coordinated by the divisional dean and

involves participation from the component units.The divisional deans meet with the Dean of

Libraries to review the goals and after the dean has approved the goals, they are posted to the

intranet. Divisions may review and revise goals during the year as the need arises. Changes

should be approved by the Dean of Libraries, posted to the Intranet, and communicated out

appropriately.

Characteristics of Divisional Goals

1. Divisional goals advance the Libraries’ strategic plan.

2. Divisional goals foster transition between the Libraries’ strategic plan and the more

specific unit goals that follow them.

3. Goals are formulated in accordance with the resources available to the division.

4. Goals follow the SMART format to the extent possible.

5. Goals meet with the general approval of units within the division.

6. Goals are approved by the Dean of Libraries.

7. Goals undergo periodic review and revision as required outside of the formal annual

review process.

Unit Goals

Under the coordination of the unit head, all employees in the unit are involved in the annual goal

revision process. The draft goals are submitted to the divisional dean for approval. The divisional

dean submits the final, approved statement to the Dean of Libraries. Fully approved goals are

distributed to members of the units where they become the basis for the individual librarian’s

goals.

Unit goals are reviewed periodically and informally throughout the year, and revised as needed.

This review occurs as the head of the unit and its members deem necessary as unit resources,

demands, and perceptions of what can be accomplished by the unit change. Revisions resulting

from the periodic review process are made known to the divisional dean for that administrator’s

information and approval. The revision is also communicated to the members of the unit.

Librarian goals may also need to change to reflect revisions.

Characteristics of Unit Goals

1. Unit goals advance the Libraries’ strategic plan and the divisional goals.

2. Unit goals contribute to the achievement of divisional goals.

3. Goals follow the SMART format to the extent possible.

4. Goals are formulated in collaboration with unit members and are clearly understood by

the employees who will be charged with the responsibility for carrying them out.

5. Goals may undergo periodic review and revision as required outside of the formal annual

review process.

Individual Goals

Position Description

The librarian’s position description is used in goal creation and consulted during the annual

performance evaluation. Each librarian reviews their position description in relation to present

responsibilities before revising annual goals, and whenever changes are perceived as necessary.

An up-to-date position description reflects current requirements of the position as related to the

best utilization of the librarian’s developing knowledge, talents, and skills.

The position description is brief, simple, and specific. It consists of the following parts:

1. The position title.

2. A position summary which describes the function or purpose of the position as well as

lines of communication and reporting channels both inside and outside the library

organization. Included are those the librarian reports to, works with, and supervises.

3. A list of the responsibilities for which the librarian is accountable.

4. The signatures of both the librarian and the supervisor which signify the agreement

between them concerning the content of the document, and the date of the current

revision or review. Administrative approval is also required. (The presumption is that

agreement is to be reached on these matters. In the event of unresolved disagreements,

the librarian, pursuant to University policy and the provisions of the Librarian Personnel

Handbook, has access to the Faculty Grievance Procedure (See section 1.5 and Faculty

Grievance Policy in the MSU Faculty Handbook).

Formulation of Individual Goals

All librarians formulate annual, individual goals which are based on the goals of the specific

unit/division to which the librarians are attached and the Libraries’ strategic plan. The statement

of individual goals is developed with the supervisor(s) concerned.

Just as the strategic plan, divisional, and unit goals provide the basis for evaluation of

performance at each level of the organization, librarians’ annual goals provide the basis for

evaluating individual performance. In the evaluation process, the individual’s performance is

appraised in relation to attainment of the goals that have been agreed upon with the librarians’

supervisor(s) in advance. Individual goals:

1. Are formulated in relation to the position description and are compatible with the goals of

the unit.

2. Should follow the SMART format to the extent possible.

3. In addition to Criterion I, should include appropriate goals for Criterion II (scholarly and

creative activities) and Criterion III (service and professional activities).

4. Are submitted to the librarian’s immediate supervisor(s) for review and approval

(generally between April and June). The librarian and the supervisor(s) sign the goals

indicating agreement and approval.

5. Are periodically reviewed and revised throughout the year as the librarian and their

supervisor(s) perceive necessary, but no less than semi-annually.

6. Prior to the year-end evaluation conference, the individual goals are annotated with brief

statements of accomplishment. If further explanation is needed, it should be incorporated

into the self-evaluation.

7. The librarian’s immediate supervisor is responsible for training in effective goal setting

and management.

Annual Performance Evaluation

Annual evaluation of performance is an integral part of the goals system, with the hierarchy of

goals forming the framework for an effective evaluation program. It is conducted at all levels of

the organization: library-wide, divisional, unit and individual. At the first of these four levels, the

program is directed toward an evaluation of organizational performance based on how well the

Libraries have executed the strategic plan. At the individual level, the program is directed toward

how well the librarian has attained their goals.

Evaluation of performance at the overall library-wide level is primarily the concern of the

Executive Committee and is carried out in consultation with members of the Steering Committee

who represent the entire library faculty in the process.

At the division level, performance evaluation is conducted under the leadership and coordination

of the divisional dean as a part of the division’s annual review and revision of its goals. Criteria

for conducting the evaluation are developed under the direction of the divisional dean with the

participation of members from among the various divisional units. The review group evaluates

each divisional goal in relation to its success in helping to carry out the strategic plan.

Evaluation of unit performance is conducted with the participation and involvement of all

members of the unit under the leadership and coordination of the unit head during the annual

review and revision of unit goals.

Responsibility for presenting documentation of the results of performance evaluation at each

organizational level of the library is that of the appropriate administrator or unit head.

Evaluation at the Individual Level

All librarians are evaluated formally and regularly for the purpose of improving how the

Libraries serve the students, faculty, and staff of MSU, in addition to the profession of

librarianship through scholarly & creative activity, and professional service. Annual evaluation

of the library faculty, regular or temporary, is directed toward successful attainment of the

individual’s goals with the librarian a fully involved participant in the evaluation process. The

performance evaluation process is designed to give both the librarian and the supervisor an

opportunity to discuss events pertaining to the librarian’s performance during the year and to

make preliminary plans for the upcoming year.

Other purposes of the annual evaluation are:

1. To document in a consistent manner the total contribution that each librarian makes to

library programs.

2. To enable librarians to see the relationship between their performance and their position’s

responsibilities.

3. To improve communication and clarify perceptions of responsibilities between the

librarian and the supervisor.

4. To determine the librarian’s ability to handle tasks and duties assigned to their position.

5. To examine possible new assignments and revised responsibilities within the librarian’s

position in order to best utilize the individual’s special abilities, talents, and knowledge.

6. To assist the librarian in their orientation, training, further professional and career

development in order to realize the full potential of the individual.

7. To provide a record that presents a continuous overview of the librarian’s performance

which can be used by supervisors and administrators in making informed personnel

decisions and in planning career development of employees.

8. To provide documentation, the contents of which are known to the individual, for peer

review recommendations and for administrative decisions on appropriate personnel

actions.

9. To promote an evaluation process characterized by self-evaluation, self-direction, and

self-control of the individual.

10. To prepare a plan for the librarian’s future activities based on what has been learned from

the past.

Written documentation of the evaluation conference and review provides a record to which

supervisor, librarian, and appropriate administrative staff contribute.

The annual review and evaluation of the librarian’s performance is conducted between the

librarian and their immediate supervisor (or supervisors, if the librarian is attached to more than

one unit) generally during the months of April or May.

Forms for documenting the performance evaluation are maintained online by Libraries Human

Resources. The records of appraisal are confidential documents. For regular faculty, these

records are retained for eight years. The librarian, the supervisor and appropriate administrative

staff have access to the documents. They will also be made available to library advisory

committees for the purpose of peer review recommendations for reappointment, continuing

appointment, appointments to other positions, reassignments, and promotions. These individuals

or groups may not divulge information included in the records unless the librarian involved

concurs.

Mid-Year or Periodic Reviews

In addition to the formally scheduled annual performance review, informal, periodic discussion

and evaluation of progress take place throughout the year between the librarian and their

supervisor(s) whenever either of them perceives it to be necessary, but no less than semi-

annually. During these periodic review sessions, the librarian’s progress toward achievement of

current personal goals is discussed; and the librarian’s goals may be revised. All supervisors will

write a mid-year review that contains a brief summary (no more than one or two paragraphs) that

addresses performance. The supervisor and the librarian sign the evaluation. This document is

forwarded to Libraries Human Resources in October; it is not part of the documentation that goes

to the Faculty Affairs Committee, but is retained for RPCA review.

Conducting the Annual Performance Evaluation

The annual performance appraisal consists of a written self-evaluation of performance, an

evaluation conference between the librarian and supervisor(s), and a written evaluation of the

librarian’s performance by supervisor(s). Along with the supervisor(s)’ and self-evaluation, a

current position description and the librarian’s goals are included. Comments by the divisional

dean and the Dean of Libraries may also be included. Each step and document in the process is

described below.

1. The Librarian’s Self-Evaluation

The evaluation period is from April 1 of the previous year through March 30 of the current year.

The evaluation process begins with the librarian’s preparation of their self-evaluation of the past

year. Each librarian makes a draft document available to their supervisor(s) by the third Monday

of March. If the librarian and supervisor agree, the document submitted to the supervisor may be

the formal completed self-evaluation rather than a preliminary draft. The self-evaluation is used

as a basis for discussion during the performance review conference.

In developing the self-evaluation document, the librarian analyzes and appraises their own

performance in relation to their current goals. The librarian prepares the document objectively,

focusing both on those goals that were attained, and the degree of attainment, as well those goals

that were not attained. If goals are developed in a challenging manner, there are likely some that

are not fulfilled.

The Self-Evaluation Document

If the self-evaluation document does not meet the structure, content, formatting, and page limit

guidelines, the supervisor should return the document to the librarian for revision before signing

the document. The Faculty Affairs Committee has no obligation to read or consider information

provided beyond the maximum page limits.

Outline and Maximum Page Limits

Maximum page total is 15 pages following the formatting guidelines:

• Narrative of Criterion I activities (up to 4 pages)

• Comprehensive list and narrative of Criterion II activities (up to 3 pages)

• Comprehensive list and narrative of Criterion III activities (up to 3 pages)

• Annual goals (suggested 3-5 goals, up to 3 pages)

• Current position description (2 pages)

Formatting

• Font: Arial 11pt

• Line spacing: 1.5

• Margins: 1 inch on all sides

The self-evaluation begins with the name of the librarian, rank, library division, and

supervisor(s). Any informal evaluations that took place during the year should be noted.

Part I is a narrative giving an overview of the librarian’s Criterion I activities, including

attainment of goals and performance of position responsibilities. The following guidelines may

be useful in developing the self-evaluation:

1. The self-evaluation should highlight and amplify areas of performance with which the

librarian is most satisfied, referring to specific and demonstrated results.

2. Discuss solutions or means of eliminating any problems that the librarian and their

supervisor(s) agreed to last year, relating to achieving goals or carrying out

responsibilities and duties.

3. List steps taken to enhance the librarian’s performance if suggestions for improvement

were made in previous formal and informal evaluation(s) and review(s).

Part II is a comprehensive list of Criterion II activities (scholarly and creative activities) and may

include a narrative relating to the extent, impact, or importance of specific activities.

Part III is a comprehensive list of Criterion III activities (service and/or professional activities)

and may include a narrative relating to the extent, impact, or importance of specific activities.

Attached as Part IV are the librarian’s annotated goals and a current position description.

The self-evaluation concludes with the librarian’s signature and current date.

2. The Supervisor’s Evaluation

The supervisor’s written evaluation indicates their perceptions of the depth and quality of the

librarian’s performance during the past year. The supervisor’s document evaluates how well the

librarian’s major goals were accomplished, points out any extenuating circumstances when goals

were not accomplished or were only partially accomplished, and indicates the librarian’s

contribution to the unit, the division, and the Libraries. The following are general guidelines the

supervisor may wish to follow in writing the evaluation:

1. Relate the comments included in the written appraisal to the purpose of the evaluation

(see page 6). Omit any points that fall outside the scope of the evaluation.

2. As needed, make suggestions addressing specific aspects of a problem relating

suggestions to the criteria for performance evaluation.

3. Exclude comments that may come as a surprise to the individual being evaluated.

Problems relating to performance should have been discussed and addressed throughout

the year and prior to the evaluation conference.

4. Use the librarian’s self-evaluation in development of the written appraisal.

5. Maintain constructive objectivity, avoiding both excessive praise and negativism unless

they are warranted and substantiated by consistent evidence.

3. The Primary Supervisor’s Evaluation Document

Part I

Part I addresses the librarian’s performance in attaining their goals related to job duties and

improving knowledge, skills, and abilities during the evaluation period. This aspect of the

appraisal focuses on the highlights and impact of the librarian’s accomplishments in all three

criteria, as well as the attainment of their annual goals:

1. Degree of success in carrying out duties as outlined in the job description and meeting

annual goals

2. The attainment of knowledge, skills and abilities as listed in the elements of Criterion I

3. Scholarly and creative activities as listed in Criterion II

4. Service and/or professional activities as listed in Criterion III.

The supervisor must include an individual evaluation of job performance and Criteria I, II, and

III performance, as well as an overall rating, using the word ratings as defined (on page 13):

Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, Approaching Expectations, or Does Not Meet

Expectations. This part of the performance evaluation is completed for librarians with and

without continuing appointment.

Elements of Criterion I (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

1. Knowledge and background related to the librarian’s position, including:

1. Knowledge of relevant subject area(s) and/or field(s)

2. Knowledge of unit policies, procedures, practices, and services

3. Knowledge of relevant MSU Libraries’ policies, procedures, practices, and

services

4. Knowledge of relevant University policies, procedures, practices, and services

5. Knowledge of relevant academic library policies, procedures, practices, and

services

2. Willingness and ability to modify responsibilities to achieve personal, unit, division

and/or library-wide goals including:

1. Identifies and participates in relevant activities

2. Undertakes complex responsibilities of depth and/or breadth

3. Participates in activities that involve employees from a variety of divisions/units

3. Effectiveness in working with others

1. Assumes, accepts, shares and relinquishes responsibilities

2. Works to foster respectful and supportive relationships with diverse colleagues

and patrons

3. Displays an approachable manner to patrons, colleagues, and other members of

our community

4. Accepts and uses constructive feedback from all members of our community,

including those with less privilege and power

5. Inspires as well as participates in teamwork

6. Exhibits dependability

7. Exercises group and individual leadership skills

8. Employs oral communication proficiently, including an ability to listen and

understand

9. Exhibits effective writing ability in correspondence, reports, procedures, and

policies

10. Elicits appropriate information from outside the Libraries including faculty,

administrators in teaching departments, and colleagues at other institutions

11. Trains, instructs, and provides appropriate background information/reasons for

decisions; shares and communicates necessary information to others including

staff, colleagues, patrons, and the university community

4. Ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems and make good decisions

1. Exhibits resourcefulness, creativity, and originality

2. Shows initiative, independence, and perseverance

3. Monitors, reviews, analyzes, and accomplishes personal goals

4. Accepts decision-making responsibilities

5. Decisiveness

6. Remains adaptable, flexible, and versatile in situations requiring these attributes

7. Formulates realistic yet challenging personal goals

8. Demonstrates willingness to take risks

9. Manages time and resources effectively

5. Demonstrated sensitivity to and interest in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility

(DEIA)

1. Incorporates diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility into job responsibilities

and goals

2. Demonstrates awareness of DEIA factors in solving problems and making

decisions

3. Participates in DEIA-focused professional development

4. Considers DEIA goals when hiring student employees

5. Creates an accessible and encouraging environment to all, engaging respectfully

with difficult and sensitive subject matter.

6. When teaching, employs pedagogy that meets the needs of students of all

backgrounds, learning styles and abilities. Includes resources authored by

minoritized authors.

7. Considers accessibility when creating websites, handouts, and other

documents/materials

8. Makes scholarly or creative contributions that promote an understanding of

minoritized communities

9. Serves on committees with a DEIA focus. Incorporates DEIA principles into

committee work

6. Ability to plan, coordinate and manage at the unit level (for supervisors only)

1. Sets and communicates priorities

2. Monitors employee objectives

3. Formulates, monitors, and accomplishes realistic yet challenging unit/divisional

goals

4. Coordinates and achieves assigned responsibilities within and outside the

unit/division

5. Practices long-range planning, including position management, facilities

management, budgeting, etc.

6. Creates and maintains an atmosphere of support and acceptance

7. Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates unit, division, and library-wide policies,

procedures, practices, and services and proposes and implements new alternatives

(including streamlining, consolidation, expansion, or elimination of existing

policies, procedures, and services) as appropriate

8. Involves employees in the development of unit/divisional goals, decision-making

processes, and the evaluation/revision of policies, procedures, and practices; acts

upon suggestions from employees, provides feedback to employees

9. Delegation of authority as appropriate

7. Commitment to staff development (for supervisors only)

1. Conducts objective, accurate, and constructive performance evaluations

2. Provides opportunities for employees to show capabilities and to accept greater,

new, or different responsibilities

3. Promotes employee development activities (workshops, training sessions, etc.);

becomes involved in the planning and production of employee development

activities

4. Promotes employee involvement in diversity-related programs and initiatives

Elements of Criterion II - Scholarly and Creative Activities

• Attainment of or progress toward additional degrees

• Publications, research in progress, scholarly manuscripts, and or creative manuscripts

submitted for publication. Publications can include works published outside of traditional

channels, including blog posts, open educational resources, etc.

• Conference papers, presentations, lectures, seminars

• Fellowships, awards, or prizes

• Grant proposals

• Appropriate non-degree coursework and/or continuing education activities

• Serving as a consultant or as an academic advisor

• Serving as an editor, abstractor, indexer, or translator

• Instruction/teaching (other than that listed in job duties)

• Participating as a mentee in a mentoring relationship

• Any other pursuit that leads to and/or demonstrates advanced or applied knowledge of a

scholarly or creative nature in the library or library-related field, or in other subject areas

Elements of Criterion III - Service and/or Professional Activities

• Continuing active involvement in professional organizations relevant to librarianship

and/or the job description

• Service on Libraries and MSU committees and councils

• Volunteering for activities to assist or represent the Libraries and/or MSU. Examples

include volunteering to assist at resource fairs or with residence hall move-in.

• Serving as an advisor

• Serving as a mentor in a mentoring relationship

• Any other pursuits that demonstrate impact on the MSU Libraries, Michigan State

University, the community, or the profession.

Guide to Evaluating Candidates

Exceeds Expectations

• The Librarian consistently exceeds expectations on most, if not all, duties and goals.

• The librarian consistently exceeds expectations with respect to the knowledge, skills, and

abilities outlined in the elements of Criterion I.

• The librarian is involved in three or more Criterion II elements, and the quality or impact

of this work exceeds expectations.

• The librarian is involved in three or more Criterion III elements, and the quality or

impact of this work exceeds expectations.

Meets Expectations

• The librarian consistently meets expectations on most, if not all, goals and job duties.

• The librarian consistently meets expectations with respect to the knowledge, skills and

abilities outlined in the elements of Criterion I.

• The librarian is involved in two or more Criterion II elements, and the quality or impact

of this work meets expectations.

• The librarian is involved in two or more Criterion III elements, and the quality or impact

of this work meets expectations.

Approaching Expectations

• The Librarian partially meets expectations, duties and goals, but select improvements are

necessary.

• The Librarian partially meets expectations with respect to the knowledge, skills, and

abilities outlined in the elements of Criterion I.

• The librarian is involved in one or two Criterion II elements, and the quality or impact of

this work partially meets expectations, but select improvements are necessary.

• The librarian is involved in one or two Criterion III elements. The quality or impact of

this work partially meets expectations, but select improvements are necessary.

Does Not Meet Expectations

• The librarian does not meet expectations on many, if not all, duties and goals.

• The librarian does not meet expectations with respect to the knowledge, skills and

abilities outlined in the elements of Criterion I.

• The librarian is involved in one or fewer Criterion II elements. The quality or impact of

this work does not meet expectations.

• The librarian is involved in one or fewer Criterion III elements. The quality or impact of

this work does not meet expectations.

Part II

Part II is an indication of any specific actions planned as a result of the evaluation: revision of

goals, shift priorities, etc. This part of the performance evaluation is completed for librarians

with and without continuing appointment. In addition, for librarians without continuing

appointment, the supervisor will indicate potential for and progress toward reappointment or

continuing appointment and specific actions planned related to the RPCA criteria.

Once these documents have been prepared and submitted for mutual review, each of the parties

involved may request an additional conference if it is believed to be necessary.

4. Secondary Evaluations

In cases where the librarian reports to more than one unit, the following apply:

1. The librarian has the option of writing a separate self-evaluation for each of the positions

held or a combined evaluation.

2. Each supervisor holds an evaluation conference. The primary supervisor writes Parts I

and II of the evaluation document.

3. Secondary evaluations are either formal or informal. In both cases, they are forwarded to

the primary supervisor. A secondary assignment includes all formal assignments other

than primary, regardless of the percentage appointment.

1. Formal secondary evaluations are used for librarians without continuing

appointment and a secondary assignment of 25% or more. The secondary

supervisor writes Parts I and II of the secondary evaluation document; the

appraisal is of the librarian’s performance as that performance relates to the

responsibilities of the position under their supervision, the time allotted to

carrying out those responsibilities, and contains a word rating (Meets

Expectations, Does Not Meet Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, Developing).

2. Informal secondary evaluations are used for librarians with continuing

appointment regardless of the percentage of the secondary assignment, and for

librarians without continuing appointment with a secondary assignment that is

less than 25%. The secondary supervisor writes Parts I and II of the secondary

evaluation document; the appraisal is of the librarian’s performance as that

performance relates to the responsibilities of the position under their supervision,

the time allotted to carrying out those responsibilities, and does not contain a

word rating unless requested by the librarian or the librarian’s primary supervisor.

The request for a word rating may be made as part of the goals process or at any

reasonable time prior to the deadline for secondary evaluations.

4. Both formal and informal secondary evaluations are written and use the Secondary

Evaluation template that is available on the Libraries’ Human Resources intranet site.

5. Formal and informal secondary evaluations are forwarded for FAC and Reading

Committee consideration.

6. A primary supervisor, designated by the Library administration, has the responsibility of

ensuring that each of the supervisors involved confer to agree upon the extent of the

librarian’s responsibilities in the areas concerned. This agreement takes place before

appraisal review interviews are held and the evaluations written.

5. The Evaluation Conference

There should be time dedicated to a performance review conference between the supervisor(s)

and the librarian. The Librarian should have a draft supervisor’s evaluation document to review

prior to the conference. The conference is conducted in a completely private and uninterrupted

atmosphere. The appraisal focuses upon the librarian’s goals and corresponding performance

measures. The evaluation conference is not a disciplinary session, and no “surprises” in relation

to the librarian’s performance or the supervisor’s guidance emerge as a result of the review. Both

parties carry out the session in a constructive and professional manner.

After the performance conference has taken place, sufficient time is allotted for the librarian to

prepare their final version of the self-evaluation document, if necessary, and for the supervisor to

edit the formal evaluation document of the librarian’s performance.

Guidelines pertaining to the sequence of events in the goals and performance evaluation

programs are the responsibility of the Library administrative staff. A general schedule is included

in the Appendix. The sequence of events outlined in the schedule relates to a preferred timetable

and any section of the schedule may be subject to change as unforeseen circumstances dictate.

When this occurs, a revision of the timetable will be made.

Evaluation of Temporary Faculty

Members of the temporary faculty, who are not appointed under the continuing appointment

system, have their performance evaluated for the purposes of improving their performance and

service to the Library and the University, for possible reappointment or extension of the

temporary appointment, and potentially for compensation purposes.

Evaluation of the temporary librarian, like that of the regular librarian, is performed by the

librarian’s immediate supervisor. In the evaluation process, librarians are given the right to

review the formal written evaluation and to add their comments on the evaluation form used in

the process.

The evaluation program for both regular and temporary librarians revolves around the

development and statement of the individual’s performance goals and the measures for

evaluating those goals. During the term of the temporary librarian’s appointment, periodic and

informal review and evaluation of progress are conducted by the librarian and their immediate

supervisor in relation to the attainment of goals. The number of these informal review and

evaluation sessions is based upon perceived need, and upon the length of the librarian’s

appointment. At least one informal review and evaluation generally takes place during every six

months of the appointment, consistent with the schedule for regular librarians.

Evaluation of members of the Libraries’ temporary faculty follows as much as possible the

evaluation process for the Libraries’ regular faculty. Annually, if the appointment is for more

than one year, or upon the conclusion of of the appointment if it is for less than one year, an

evaluation packet is assembled that consists of:

1. A current and accurate position description

2. The annotated statement of the librarian’s personal performance goals

3. A self-evaluation of performance

4. A written evaluation and the mid-year review by the librarian’s immediate supervisor

5. Comments on the evaluation, if desired, by the librarian, secondary supervisor(s), if any,

the divisional dean, and the Dean of Libraries.

The current evaluation packet is made available to the appropriate divisional dean and the Dean

of Libraries. The dean makes a decision regarding possible reappointment or extension of the

temporary appointment, depending on the need for the position and the availability of funds. The

Dean may choose to have the temporary librarian’s evaluation packet reviewed by FAC along

with the packets of regular librarians for the purposes of awarding a merit raise. The evaluation

packets are retained for four years.

Evaluation of Administrative Faculty

Members of the Libraries’ administrative faculty are appointed under the provisions of the

continuing appointment system, as are members of the regular faculty who have no

administrative titles. Individuals in this group include: the Dean of Libraries, deans of the major

divisions, and individuals with staff administrative responsibilities. Divisional deans or

individuals with staff administrative responsibilities may carry the title Associate or Assistant

Dean of Libraries.

All members of the administrative faculty formulate personal performance goals that form the

basis for annual performance evaluation. The primary purpose of that evaluation is for improving

their performance and service to the Library and the University.

As with members of the regular and temporary Library faculty, the responsibility for evaluation

of administrative faculty is that of their immediate supervisors in the administrative structure.

The Dean of Libraries is evaluated annually by the Provost. The responsibility for evaluation of

the members of the Libraries’ administrative faculty who report to the Dean of Libraries is that

of the Dean of Libraries. The evaluation appraises their performance relating to their

administrative responsibilities within the framework of their divisional and/or personal goals.

Annual Evaluation for Merit

The Libraries conforms with the University practice of basing salary increase recommendations

on a peer review process of the faculty member’s performance. The purpose of merit is to

recognize job performance that is of significant value for the institution’s primary missions of

instruction, research, and public service.

Funds for merit increases and guidelines are received from the Provost. In consultation with the

Steering Committee, the Dean of Libraries establishes the guidelines by which these funds will

be distributed among the library faculty.

The Faculty Affairs Committee is responsible for conducting the peer review. The outcome of

the peer review process is an advisory recommendation. The review is based on each librarian’s

annual performance documentation. Every member of the library faculty is reviewed by the

Faculty Affairs Committee unless the librarian has received a rating of “Does Not Meet

Expectations” from their supervisor or is otherwise not eligible for a merit increase (for example,

if the librarian has resigned and will be leaving before the merit increase would become

effective.)

The merit review documentation packet for FAC consists of the self-evaluation, current position

descriptions, personal SMART goals, unit goals if applicable, and Part A of each supervisor’s

evaluation.

Part B of each supervisor’s evaluation, as well as the mid-year evaluation, are not forwarded to

FAC but are retained for Reading Committee consideration.

The Faculty Affairs Committee is responsible for reviewing performance of duties in the position

description; achievement of or progress toward goals; knowledge skills and abilities (Criterion I);

scholarly and creative activities (Criterion II), and service and professional activities (Criterion

III) as reflected in the librarian’s and supervisor(s)’ documentation.

The Faculty Affairs Committee will review all documentation using the same criteria and

definitions for “Exceeds Expectations”, “Meets Expectations”, “Approaching Expectations” and

“Does Not Meet Expectations” and the committee will assign their own rating to each librarian.

This rating should be arrived at independently and does not need to correspond to the

supervisor(s)’ rating. Evaluations with an overall rating of “Does Not Meet Expectations” from

the primary supervisor do not go forward to FAC. A librarian who receives the “Does Not Meet

Expectations” rating is not eligible for a merit raise. A librarian who receives this rating has the

option of initiating the regular grievance procedure (see the Faculty Grievance Policy in the

MSU Faculty Handbook)

The four ratings, “Exceeds Expectations”, “Meets Expectations”, “Approaching Expectations”,

and “Does Not Meet Expectations” will correspond to four different tiers for the purposes of

distributing merit raises.

The Faculty Affairs Committee will submit recommendations for merit increases in writing to

the Dean of Libraries and will also provide a rationale when the rating differs from the primary

supervisor’s overall rating. The form of the recommendation and supporting rationales depends

on the instructions given by the Dean of Libraries.

The Assistant/Associate Dean may also provide feedback to the Dean regarding merit increases

for librarians in their division. The Dean considers the advisory recommendations from the FAC

and the Assistant/Associate Deans and makes the final recommendation and submits it to the

Office of the Provost.

The Dean of Libraries will notify each librarian in writing of their tier and the rationale for the

decision. Recommendations for merit increases are retained in the Dean’s budget files.

Chapter 4: Evaluation for Reappointment,

Promotion, and Continuing Appointment

(RPCA)

• The fundamentals of the RPCA process are:

• Criteria for RCPA

o Documentation Supplied by Candidate

 Reappointment

 Promotion to Librarian II with Continuing Appointment/ Reappointment

with Continuing Appointment (Librarian II)

 Promotion to Librarian III

o Documentation Collected by Libraries Human Resources Office for the Reading

Committee:

 Criterion: I Performance of Responsibilities

 Elements of Criterion I for All Candidates:

 Documentation for Criterion I for All Candidates

 Elements of Criterion I for Candidates with

Supervisory/Administrative Responsibilities:

 Criterion II: Scholarly and Creative Activities

 Elements of Criterion II may include:

 Documentation for Criterion II may include:

 Criterion III: Service and/or Professional Activities

 Elements of Criterion III may include:

 Documentation for Criterion III may include:

• Conducting the RPCA Process

o Recommendations for Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing

Appointment

o Schedule

 Librarian I: Reappointment; Promotion to Librarian II with Continuing

Appointment:

 Librarian II: Reappointment with Continuing Appointment:

 Librarian II: Promotion to Librarian III:

 Appointment with Continuing Appointment:

o Information-Gathering

 Role of the Reading Committee:

 Role of the candidate:

 Role of the supervisor(s):

o Review and Evaluation by the Reading Committee and the Library Faculty

o Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment (RPCA) Procedures

o Administrative Review

• Guidelines for Evaluation

• Guides to Evaluating Candidates on Each Criterion

o Criterion I: Performance of Responsibilities:

 TO EARN REAPPOINTMENT

 TO EARN CONTINUING APPOINTMENT

 TO EARN PROMOTION TO LIBRARIAN III

o Criterion II: Scholarly and Creative Activities

 TO EARN REAPPOINTMENT

 TO EARN CONTINUING APPOINTMENT

 TO EARN PROMOTION TO LIBRARIAN III

o Criterion III: Service and/or Professional Activities:

 TO EARN REAPPOINTMENT

 TO EARN CONTINUING APPOINTMENT

 TO EARN PROMOTION TO LIBRARIAN III

• Calendar for RPCA:

o March 1

o March 15

o April 15

o April-June

o May-June

o June-July

o July 1

o Early to mid-July

o July 15

o August 1

o Friday after Labor Day (approximately September 7)

o Two weeks prior to RPCAM (meeting of all librarians with continuing

appointment)

o Mid to late September

o October 1

o November 1

o December 15

The purpose of the evaluation process for reappointment, promotion, and continuing

appointment is to assess the individual librarian's capacity for sustained professional

effectiveness and continuing professional growth in the MSU Libraries. The Library Faculty,

assisted by an appointed Reading Committee, conducts an evaluation process. The vote of the

Library Faculty and the summary statement of the Reading Committee are submitted to the Dean

of Libraries to advise the Dean’s recommendation to the Provost. The structure and organization

of the Reading Committees are outlined in the Library Faculty Bylaws.

The RPCA process is different from the annual performance evaluation, which is conducted for

the purpose of improving the performance and service of the individual to the Libraries and the

University. The annual performance evaluation is not a peer review process since the

responsibility for the evaluation lies with the supervisor. The criteria utilized are short-range in

scope, directed toward appraising the librarian's performance over the past year and toward

establishing the framework for improving performance in the next evaluation period.

The objective of evaluation for reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment is to

assess the librarian in terms of possible retention and promotion in the MSU Libraries. The

process includes evidence submitted by the librarian to support their application, peer review, the

supervisor's appraisal of the individual's performance, and evaluation criteria which are long-

range in scope.

The fundamentals of the RPCA process are:

1. to employ an evaluation process consistent with the annual performance evaluation

process, but different due to the different purpose of the evaluation;

2. to employ a process which recognizes that reappointment, promotion, and continuing

appointment are part of an evolutionary continuum for professional advancement within

the structure of the continuing appointment system;

3. to utilize criteria which are relevant to the unique nature of the librarian's contribution to

the mission of the Libraries and the University;

4. to incorporate into the evaluation process high standards which are fair and achievable by

individuals dedicated to professional competency;

5. to establish a peer review structure made up of librarians with continuing appointment

status to conduct an evaluation of the candidate from a Library-wide perspective;

6. to utilize procedures and guidelines which are specific, understandable, non-ambiguous,

and minimally subjective;

7. to incorporate into the process a weighting and rating structure related to criterion

significance, type of decision involved, and the position ranking level of the candidate;

8. to assure that the candidate has every opportunity to submit pertinent evidence to support

their application;

9. to establish a formal schedule for submission of applications by the candidate and

provide adequate time for conducting the review process.

Criteria for RCPA

The criteria for evaluating librarians for reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment

are performance of responsibilities; scholarly and creative activities; and service and/or

professional activities. While each criterion is considered significant in the librarian's

contribution to the mission of the Libraries and the University, performance of responsibilities is

the most important of the three criteria and therefore weighted more heavily in RPCA

deliberations.

Documentation Supplied by Candidate

Documentation is required to support a candidate's application for reappointment, promotion,

and continuing appointment. In addition to documentation to support each of the criteria, each

candidate should supply the following:

1. An up to date curriculum vitae that includes professional employment history,

professional activities, community activities, full courses taught, publications, awards,

etc., which will be forwarded to the Provost for review with the recommendations.

2. A completed dossier checklist. (See Chapter 6 for the form.)

3. A letter of application of no more than two pages concisely summarizing the candidate's

strengths and contributions to the Libraries and profession, stating the action being

requested, and making a case in support of the application.

4. Copies of any work done at MSU which is listed in the curriculum vitae. The Reading

Committee may request copies of any other work listed on the curriculum vitae that it

wishes to see.

5. Names and addresses of persons other than the supervisor(s) who may be contacted to

supply letters of reference.

Reappointment

The candidate will submit the names of at least 3 persons other than the primary supervisor who

may be contacted to supply letters of reference. These individuals will be asked (by the Libraries

HR Office) to evaluate the candidate's performance and/or contributions to MSU Libraries

and/or the library profession. The candidate is strongly encouraged to provide at least 1

reference from outside the MSU Libraries.

A minimum of 3 and no more than 5 letters will accompany the dossier.

Promotion to Librarian II with Continuing Appointment/ Reappointment with Continuing

Appointment (Librarian II)

The candidate will submit the names and addresses of at least 5 persons other than the primary

supervisor who may be asked to supply letters of reference. The individuals will be asked (by the

Libraries HR Office) to evaluate the candidate's performance and/or contributions to the MSU

Libraries and/or the library profession. There must be one name from at least three of the four

following groups:

• MSU Libraries --- Internal

• MSU Community (University) — External

• Professional Organizations (Library and/or subject related) --- External

• Colleagues at other institutions — External

External referees must be professionally capable to evaluate the candidate’s contributions

objectively and to comment on their significance in the profession. A list of potential external

referees will be formed, which will include the names submitted by the candidate as well as

names added by the Dean of Libraries or designee and/or the Reading Committee. The Dean of

Libraries or designee will determine which of the potential referees will be asked to provide

letters of reference.

A minimum of 5 and no more than 7 letters will accompany the dossier. At least 3 of the letters

accompanying the dossier should be from names supplied by the candidate. A minimum of 4

external letters are required, at least 2 from names supplied by the candidate.

Materials sent to external referees will include the candidate’s CV and at least one representative

sample of their work. The request to an external referee will also include the University’s

statement on confidentiality and a request to disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

As part of the documentation going forward, the Dean of Libraries or designee will provide, for

each external referee: name, rank/title, institutional affiliation; brief summary of the referee’s

qualifications or CV; name of the person who recommended the evaluator; an assessment of the

evaluator relationship to the candidate, including potential conflicts of interest.

Promotion to Librarian III

The candidate will submit the names and addresses of at least 5 persons other than the primary

supervisor who may be asked to supply letters of reference. The individuals will be asked (by

the Libraries HR Office) to evaluate the candidate's performance and/or contributions to the

MSU Libraries and/or the library profession. There must be at least one name from each of the

following groups:

• MSU Libraries --- Internal

• MSU Community (University) --- External

• Professional Organizations (Library and/or subject related) --- External

• Colleagues at other institutions --- External

A minimum of 5 and no more than 7 letters will accompany the dossier. At least 3 of the letters

accompanying the dossier should be from names supplied by the candidate. A minimum of 4

external letters are required, at least 2 from names supplied by the candidate.

All other procedures and requirements from 4.3.B apply.

Documentation Collected by Libraries Human Resources Office for the Reading Committee:

1. Annual supervisor(s)' performance evaluations

For candidates for reappointment and continuing appointment, documents for each year of the librarian’s appointment at MSU must be

provided. For candidates for promotion to Librarian III, documents must be provided for the period of time since the librarian achieved

continuing appointment.

A written evaluation from the candidate's current supervisor(s) specifically addressing the

librarian's capacity for continued professional growth and effectiveness based upon an appraisal

of their performance on the elements of Criteria I, II, and III and clearly indicating whether

reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, reappointment with

continuing appointment (Librarian II), or promotion to Librarian III is recommended or not.

For candidates appointed to positions under a new supervisor since their last evaluation, an evaluation from prior supervisor(s) will also be

acquired.

Criterion: I Performance of Responsibilities

The purpose of this criterion is to evaluate how well the librarian has performed their

responsibilities as they are reflected in the position descriptions and annual goals, to assess the

librarian's knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as the capacity for continuing effectiveness and

growth. No priority of the elements is intended. Individual aspects of each element may not

apply to all persons.

Elements of Criterion I for All Candidates:

1. Knowledge and background related to the librarian’s position, including:

• Knowledge of relevant subject area(s) and/or field(s)

• Understanding of unit policies, procedures, practices, and services

• Knowledge of relevant MSU Libraries policies, procedures, practices, and services

• Knowledge of relevant University policies, procedures, practices, and services

• Knowledge of relevant academic library policies, procedures, practices, and services

2. Willingness and ability to modify responsibilities in order to achieve personal, unit, division

and/or library-wide goals:

• Identifies and participates in relevant activities

• Undertakes complex responsibilities of depth and/or breadth

• Participates in activities which involve staff from numerous divisions/units

3. Effectiveness in working with others:

• Assumes, accepts, shares, and relinquishes responsibilities

• Works to foster respectful and supportive relationships with diverse colleagues and

patrons

• Displays an approachable manner to patrons, colleagues, and other members of our

community

• Accepts and uses constructive feedback from all members of our community, including

those with less privilege and power

• Inspires as well as participates in teamwork

• Exhibits dependability

• Exercises group and individual leadership skills

• Employs oral communication proficiently, including an ability to listen and understand

• Exhibits effective writing ability in correspondence, reports, procedures, and policies

• Elicits appropriate information from outside the Libraries including faculty,

administrators in teaching departments, and colleagues at other institutions

• Trains, instructs, and provides appropriate background information/reasons for decisions;

shares and communicates necessary information to others including staff, colleagues,

patrons, and the university community.

4. Ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems, and make good decisions:

• Exhibits resourcefulness, creativity, and originality

• Shows initiative, independence, and perseverance

• Monitors, reviews, analyzes, and accomplishes personal goals

• Demonstrates awareness of diversity‐related factors in solving problems and making

decisions

• Accepts decision‐making responsibilities

• Decisiveness

• Remains adaptable, flexible, and versatile in situations requiring these attributes

• Formulates realistic yet challenging goals

• Demonstrates willingness to take risks

• Manages time and resources effectively

5. Demonstrated sensitivity to and interest in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility

(DEIA)

• Incorporates diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility into job responsibilities and

goals

• Demonstrates awareness of DEIA factors in solving problems and making decisions

• Participates in DEIA-related professional development

• Considers DEIA goals when hiring student employees

• Creates and accessible and encouraging environment to all, engaging respectfully with

difficult and sensitive subject matter.

• When teaching, employs pedagogy that meets the needs of students of all backgrounds,

learning styles, and abilities. Includes resources by minoritized authors.

• Considers accessibility when creating websites, handouts, and other documents/materials

• Makes scholarly or creative contributions that promote an understanding of minoritized

communities

• Serves on committees with a DEIA focus. Incorporates DEIA principles into committee

work.

6. Ability to plan, coordinate, and manage at the unit level (for supervisors only)

• Sets and communicates priorities

• Monitors employee objectives

• Formulates, monitors, and accomplishes realistic yet challenging unit/divisional goals

• Coordinates and achieves assigned responsibilities within and outside the unit/division

• Practices long-range planning, including position management, facilities management,

budgeting, etc.

• Creates and maintains an atmosphere of support and acceptance

• Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates unit, division, and library-wide policies, procedures,

practices, and services, and proposes and implements new alternatives (including

streamlining, consolidation, expansion, or elimination of existing polices, procedures, and

services as appropriate).

• Involves employees in the development of unit/divisional goals, decision-making

processes, and the evaluation/revision of policies, procedures, and practices; acts upon

suggestions from employees, provides feedback to employees

• Delegation of authority as appropriate

7. Commitment to staff development (for supervisors only):

• Conducts objective, accurate, and constructive performance evaluations

• Provides opportunities for employees to show capabilities and to accept greater, new, or

different responsibilities

• Promotes employee development opportunities (workshops, training sessions, etc.);

becomes involved in the planning and production of employee development activities

• Promotes employee involvement in diversity-related programs and initiatives

Documentation for Criterion I for All Candidates

Documents used in the evaluation of a candidate in the RPCA process are listed below.

Supplied by Library Human Resources at the request of the candidate:

1. Position descriptions as revised each year

2. A copy of annual personal goals

3. Annual unit goals statements (for those with supervisory/administrative responsibilities)

For candidates for reappointment and continuing appointment, documents for each year of the librarian’s appointment at MSU must be

provided. For candidates for promotion to Librarian III, documents must be provided for the period of time since the librarian achieved

continuing appointment.

Elements of Criterion I for Candidates with Supervisory/Administrative Responsibilities:

1. Written reports, studies, bibliographies, instructional materials, handouts, policies and

procedures, planning or organizational reports/proposals, and other types of written

documents relating to the elements of Criterion I

2. Other relevant evidence of the quality of performance

Criterion II: Scholarly and Creative Activities

The purpose of this criterion is to evaluate the librarian's involvement in pursuits of a scholarly,

and/or creative nature; and to assess the librarian's capability for future growth in such activities.

Reading Committee members and librarians with continuing appointment of the appropriate rank

consider activities in the library field, in related fields, and/or in other subject disciplines.

Emphasis is placed upon the quality of the activities. No priority of elements included in the

criterion is intended.

Elements of Criterion II may include:

1. Attainment of or progress toward additional degrees

2. Publications, research in progress, scholarly manuscripts, and/or creative manuscripts

submitted for publication . Publications can include works published outside of

traditional channels including blog posts, open educational resources, etc.

3. Conference papers, presentations, lectures, seminars, etc.

4. Fellowships, awards, prizes, etc.

5. Grant proposals

6. Appropriate non-degree course work and/or continuing education activities

7. Serving as a consultant or as an academic advisor

8. Serving as an editor, abstractor, indexer, translator, etc.

9. Instruction/teaching (other than that listed in job duties)

10. Participating as a mentee in a mentoring relationship

11. Any other pursuit which leads to and/or demonstrates advanced or applied knowledge of a

scholarly or creative nature in the library or library-related field, or in other subject areas

Documentation for Criterion II may include:

1. Transcripts, degree certificates, letters of completion, etc.

2. Copies of publications, summaries of research in progress, copies of scholarly

manuscripts, and/or creative manuscripts submitted for publication

3. Copies or summaries of conference papers, lectures, seminars, etc.

4. Award letters or summaries of fellowships, awards, prizes, etc.

5. Grant proposals

6. Transcripts or official documentation of continuing education activities (e.g., attendance

at workshops, seminars, conferences, C.E.U. credits earned, etc.)

7. Summaries of professional consulting projects

8. Summary of work as an editor, abstractor, indexer, translator, etc.

9. Documentation of instruction/teaching experience. This includes examples of

instructional aides prepared, syllabi, etc.

10. Summary or other evidence of the quality of participation as a mentee in a mentoring

relationship

11. A summary of other pursuits which lead to and/or demonstrate advanced or applied

knowledge of a scholarly or creative nature in the library or library-related fields, or in other

subject disciplines

12. Evidence of the quality of the achievements and evidence submitted in support of Criterion II

Criterion III: Service and/or Professional Activities

The purpose of this criterion is to evaluate the librarian's impact on the MSU Libraries and

Michigan State University, the community, and the profession and the probability that positive

impact and sustained growth will continue in the future. No priority of the elements included is

intended.

Elements of Criterion III may include:

1. Continuing active involvement in professional organizations relevant to

librarianship and/or the job description

2. Service on Libraries and university committees and councils

3. Volunteering for activities to assist or represent the Libraries and/or MSU. Examples

include volunteering to assist at resource fairs or with residence hall move-in

4. Serving as an advisor

5. Serving as a mentor in a mentoring relationship

6. Any other pursuits that demonstrate impact on the MSU Libraries, Michigan State

University, the community, or the profession

Documentation for Criterion III may include:

1. Summary of positions in professional associations, organizations, etc.; copies of

programs of conferences, workshops, talks, presentations, etc., arranged or chaired, with

identity of affiliated professional association and dates

2. Summary of service on Libraries and University committees and councils, including

dates

3. Summary of positions in community organizations, associations, etc.; copies of programs

of conferences, workshops, talks, presentations, etc., arranged or chaired, with identity of

sponsoring organization and dates. Documentation of community activities should be

included when it illustrates that the candidate has positively represented the MSU

Libraries, Michigan State University, or the library profession to the community

4. Summary of advising activities performed for individuals, agencies, departments, other

libraries, etc.

5. Summary or other evidence of the quality of mentoring provided

6. Summary of other relevant activities which demonstrate the librarian's impact on the

MSU Libraries, Michigan State University, the community, or the profession

7. Evidence of the quality of achievements described in Criterion III (e.g., letters of thanks,

citations for service, etc.)

Conducting the RPCA Process

The following procedures are utilized in the RPCA process for evaluation and recommendation

for reappointment, promotion, and continuing reappointment.

Recommendations for Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment

MSU is committed to improve continuously. To do so requires that academic personnel

decisions must result in a progressively stronger library faculty — a library faculty who meets

continuously higher standards that assures enhanced quality within a national and international

context. This process begins with vigorous, effective recruitment and selection of new librarians

who are encouraged and helped to grow professionally. These new librarians are evaluated by

demanding standards and required procedures for reappointment, continuing appointment, and

promotion. The Libraries policies, procedures, criteria, and decisions on recruitment,

reappointment, award of continuing appointment, promotions, and salary changes must be

guided by the goal of enhancing academic excellence. These decisions, in large measure, will

determine MSU’s reputation and prominence as well as the reputation and prominence of the

MSU Libraries for many years to come.

Initially, a review of the mission and goals of the University and Libraries and their related

personnel needs, fiscal constraints, and any other relevant factors must occur to determine if the

applicable position(s) should be retained even if the performance of the probationary period is

acceptable. If so, the Libraries initiates recommendations for appointment, reappointment,

promotion, and continuing appointment, following rigorous evaluation, including peer

review. All involved in these deliberations must apply high standards of performance consistent

with appropriate expectations of librarians at leading research-intensive, land-grant universities.

Librarians must meet academic standards that assure enhanced quality of the Libraries for years

to come. Individual personnel actions recommending continuing appointment should result in

the improvement of academic quality in the Libraries. For example, anyone considered for

continuing appointment should be viewed as exceptional in accomplishments in the Libraries and

in the top echelon of peers at a similar career stage nationally or internationally. The Dean of

Libraries makes the recommendations, subject to review and approval or disapproval at the

university levels. Recommendations are to be based on explicit criteria of the Libraries and

quality evaluations that are consistent with Libraries and university policies and goals.

The library faculty, operating in the advisory mode, is to provide advice to the Dean of Libraries,

as described in Library Faculty Bylaws. The Libraries is required to have procedures and criteria

that are clearly formulated and relevant to evaluating the performance of librarians. The Dean of

Libraries has a special obligation to build a library and library faculty strong in performance of

responsibilities, scholarly and creative activities, and service and/or professional activities.

The Dean of Libraries makes judgments taking into consideration peer evaluations and other

supporting information, yet they are responsible as an individual for the recommendations made.

The Libraries’ standards and criteria for appointment, reappointment, continuing appointment,

promotion, and salary changes must serve the objective of continuously improving the academic

strength and quality of the library faculty, taking into account the mission and goals of the

Libraries and University, including the MSU commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Assessment of librarian performance should recognize the importance of performance of

responsibilities, scholarly and creative activities, and service and/or professional

activities. Assessment should take into account the quality of outcomes as well as their quantity;

it should also acknowledge the creativity of librarian effort and its impact on students, on others

the University serves, and on the field(s) in which the librarian works.

The Dean of Libraries will independently review each recommendation for appointment,

reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment and in each case will focus primarily on

how effectively the individual performs academic duties. The Dean will approve or disapprove

recommendations, taking into account library and university criteria and other factors such as

quality, progress, resources, program needs, and any other relevant university policies and goals

(see below).

The Office of the Provost will review each recommendation. In each case the Office of the

Provost also will concentrate primarily on the evidence of the individual’s effectiveness in the

performance of academic duties. Within this context, librarians must demonstrate substantive

and sustainable achievement in performance of responsibilities, scholarly and creative activities,

and service and/or professional activities.

In addition, the Office of the Provost will consider, as applicable, the following elements,

relating to quality and either individual performance or institutional, contextual factors:

The factors that relate most closely to individual performance include, but are not limited to:

• Sufficient evidence of consistent and persistent professional improvement and

effectiveness at MSU to predict continued professional achievement and growth for the

remainder of the individual's academic career.

• Evidence of actual and/or potential external competition for employment in the Big Ten

Academic Alliance (BTAA) Universities or institutions of comparable quality.

• History of salary increases awarded the individual compared with others in the

unit.

• Evidence of having met the standards of the Libraries for recommendation of

appointment, reappointment, award of continuing appointment, and promotion.

The factors that relate most closely to institutional, contextual factors include, but are not limited

to:

• Standards of the Libraries for recommendation of appointment, reappointment, award of

continuing appointment, and promotion, including the Libraries’ progress toward

achieving and maintaining diversity and recognizing it in its definition of quality.

• Fiscal constraints.

• Extent to which program commitments require the continuation of librarians (relevant

primarily for decisions on reappointments and awards of continuing appointment).

• Advancement of the shared university agenda, including scholarly and creative activities

across the mission.

The Dean of Libraries is to assure that divisional administrators make clear to librarians, in a

timely fashion, the procedures and criteria that they will use in making continuing appointment

system reappointment and promotion recommendations. Chapter 4, “Evaluation for

Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment,” of the Librarian Personnel

Handbook of Policies, Procedures, and Practices and the form for "Recommendation for

Librarian Personnel Action" outline the activities that are relevant to decisions on promotion,

continuing appointment, and reappointment. The Dean of Libraries and divisional administrators

have the special obligation to build a library and library faculty strong in performance of

responsibilities, scholarly and creative activities, and service and/or professional activities. To

discharge this responsibility, the Dean and divisional administrators must apply rigorous

standards in making reappointment, continuing appointment, and promotion

recommendations. The achievement and performance level required must be competitive with

librarians of leading research-intensive, land grant universities of international scope (hereafter

referred to as peer universities):

1. Reappointment with award of continuing appointment: Each continuing appointment

recommendation should be based on a clear record of sustained, outstanding

achievements in performance of responsibilities, scholarly and creative activities, and

service and/or professional activities, consistent with performance levels expected at peer

universities.

1. For the librarian appointed initially as Librarian II on a probationary basis in the

continuing appointment system who has established such a record, the continuing

appointment recommendation is effective upon reappointment after one

probationary appointment period.

2. A recommendation for promotion from Librarian I to Librarian II in the continuing

appointment system should be based on several years of sustained, outstanding

achievements in performance of responsibilities, scholarly and creative activities, and

service and/or professional activities, consistent with performance levels expected for

promotion to Librarian II or equivalent at peer universities. A reasonably long period in

rank before promotion is usually necessary to provide a basis in actual performance for

predicting capacity to become an expert of national stature and long-term, high-quality

professional achievement.

A recommendation for promotion from Librarian II to Librarian III in the continuing

appointment system should be based on several years of sustained, outstanding

achievements in performance of responsibilities, scholarly and creative activities, and

service and/or professional activities, consistent with performance levels expected at peer

universities. A reasonably long period in rank before promotion is usually necessary to

provide a basis in actual performance to permit endorsement of the individual as an expert

of national stature and to predict continuous, long-term, high-quality professional

achievement.

Bearing in mind the University's continuing objective to improve its faculty, the Libraries must

refrain from doubtful recommendations of reappointment, continuing appointment, or

promotion. The Dean of Libraries must carefully evaluate each recommendation to ensure that it

is well grounded and fully justified.

Schedule

Librarian I: Reappointment; Promotion to Librarian II with Continuing Appointment:

1. Announcement of upcoming deliberations regarding these two matters is made to eligible

candidates by notification from the Office of the Dean by March 1.

2. The deadline for submission of an application, via a dossier, by the candidate for

reappointment or for promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment is July 1.

The dossier is submitted to the Head of Human Resources. Should an application be

unavoidably delayed, the Head of Human Resources must be notified of the reason for

the delay in order to provide an appropriate extension.

3. If a candidate does not wish to apply for reappointment or promotion to Librarian II with

continuing appointment, they are required to submit a letter of resignation which will

become effective no later than the June 30 of the appointment expiration.

4. The Reading Committee begins its process on July 15 and completes its summary

statement by the Friday after Labor Day.

5. As designated in the Library Faculty Bylaws 1.11, the library faculty will convene for

review of candidates in the Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment

Meeting (RPCAM). The RPCAM is held during fall semester to discuss and vote on the

candidates.

6. The candidate is notified by the Dean of Libraries by December 15 of their

reappointment/promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment status.

7. If the application for reappointment is recommended to and approved by the Provost, the

next probationary period begins August 16 of the following year. If the application for

promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment is recommended to the Provost

and is approved by the President, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment

is awarded and will take effect on January 1 of the following year or the first day of the

month after the date of final approval. Any salary increase for promotion to Librarian II

with continuing appointment takes effect the following October 1.

Librarian II: Reappointment with Continuing Appointment:

1. Announcement of upcoming deliberations regarding this matter is made to eligible

candidates by notification from the Office of the Dean by March 1.

2. The deadline for submission of an application, via a dossier, by the candidate for

reappointment with continuing appointment is July 1. The dossier is submitted to the

Head of Human Resources. Should an application be unavoidably delayed, the Head of

Human Resources must be notified of the reason for the delay in order to provide an

appropriate extension.

3. If a candidate does not wish to apply for reappointment with continuing appointment,

they are required to submit a letter of resignation which will become effective no later

than the June 30 of the appointment expiration.

4. The Reading Committee begins its process on July 15 and completes its summary

statement by the Friday after Labor Day.

5. As designated in the Library Faculty Bylaws 1.11, the library faculty will convene for

review of candidates in the Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment

Meeting (RPCAM). The RPCAM is held during fall semester to discuss and vote on the

candidates.

6. The candidate is notified by the Dean of Libraries by December 15 of his/her continuing

appointment status.

7. If the application for reappointment with continuing appointment is recommended to the

Provost and is approved by the President, continuing appointment is awarded and will

take effect on January 1 of the following year or the first day of the month after the date

of final approval. Any salary increase takes effect the following October 1.

Librarian II: Promotion to Librarian III:

1. A Librarian II with continuing appointment may apply for promotion to Librarian III by

submitting a dossier no later than July 1. The promotion, if granted, will take effect the

following January 1 or the first day of the month after the date of final approval.

2. The Reading Committee begins its process on July 15 and completes its summary

statement by the Friday after Labor Day. As designated in the Library Faculty Bylaws

1.11, the library faculty will convene for review of candidates in the Reappointment,

Promotion, and Continuing Appointment Meeting (RPCAM). The RPCAM is held

during fall semester to discuss and vote on the candidates. The candidate is notified by

the Dean by December 15 of the decision on their application.

3. If the promotion is recommended to the Provost and is approved, the change in ranking

level takes effect January 1 of the following year or the first day of the month after the

date of final approval. Any salary increase takes effect the following October 1.

Appointment with Continuing Appointment:

1. Prior to appointment of a Librarian II with continuing appointment, the Dean of Libraries

will consult with all regular library faculty with continuing appointment, to provide the

appropriate peer review of the individual’s qualifications for appointment with

continuous appointment.

2. Prior to appointment of a Librarian III, which brings with it continuing appointment, the

Dean of Libraries will consult with all regular library faculty with the rank of Librarian

III, to provide the appropriate peer review of the individual’s qualifications for

appointment with continuous appointment at the rank of Librarian III.

Information-Gathering

All documents pertaining to applications for reappointment, promotion, and continuing

appointment are submitted as confidential materials. Neither the information included nor the

documents themselves will be made available to individuals or groups other than those involved

in the current RPCA evaluation. Documentation supplied by any individual is made available to

the candidate.

Role of the Reading Committee:

1. Reviews the candidate's dossier to determine its completeness.

2. May identify individuals whose names were not submitted by the candidate from whom

additional letters may be solicited.

3. Through the Libraries Human Resources Office:

1. contacts candidate's current supervisor(s) requesting a written evaluation

specifically addressing the librarian's capacity for continued professional growth

and effectiveness based upon an appraisal of their performance on the elements of

Criteria I, II, and III and clearly indicating whether reappointment, promotion to

Librarian II with continuing appointment, reappointment with continuing

appointment (Librarian II), or promotion to Librarian III is recommended or not.

2. contacts individuals within the Libraries whom the candidate has listed as

references. Internal evaluators should address the quality and effectiveness of

librarianship and contributions to the Libraries and University, quality and

significance of scholarly and creative activities, and quality and effectiveness of

service, as appropriate. (Criteria I, II, and/or III, as appropriate).

3. contacts persons outside the Libraries whom the candidate has listed as

references. External evaluators should address the quality and significance of the

candidate’s scholarly and creative activities and quality of contributions to the

profession, as well as the quality and effectiveness of contributions to the MSU

Libraries and University, as appropriate. (Criteria I, II, and/or III, as appropriate).

4. contacts persons identified by the Dean of Libraries or designee and/or the

Reading Committee. External evaluators should address the quality and

significance of the candidate's scholarly and creative activities and quality of

contributions to the profession, as well as the quality and effectiveness of

contributions to the MSU Libraries and University, as appropriate. (Criteria I, II

and/or III, as appropriate).

5. May request from the candidate or any information provider in writing, any

clarifications, explanations or further information deemed useful by the

committee subsequent to their review of the documentation. In consultation with

the Head of Human Resources, may seek assistance/opinion from appropriate

skilled individuals if unable to determine content or value of documentation; i.e.,

for programming codes or publications in foreign languages.

6. Reviews previous RPCA materials retained in the Libraries Human Resources

Office for clarification. Reviews written summary of feedback/suggestions for

improvement that was prepared by the supervisor or designee and shared with the

candidate following previous RPCAMs.

Note: The request to an external referee will include the University’s statement on

confidentiality.

Role of the candidate:

1. The candidate is responsible for submission of a dossier to support their application. The

contents of the dossier are as listed in the Dossier checklist.

2. The candidate will provide written answers to any questions from the Reading Committee

within 10 working days.

Role of the supervisor(s):

1. The current supervisor(s) is/are responsible for submission of a written evaluation

specifically addressing the librarian's capacity for continued professional growth and

effectiveness based upon an appraisal of their performance on the elements of Criteria I,

II, and III which clearly indicates whether reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with

continuing appointment, reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II), or

promotion to Librarian III is recommended or not. A copy of this letter is simultaneously

sent to the candidate.

For candidates appointed to positions under a new supervisor since their last evaluation, an evaluation

from prior supervisor(s) will also be acquired.

2. The current supervisor(s) is/are responsible for answering in writing any questions

addressed to them from the Reading Committee within 10 working days.

3. The current supervisor(s) is/are responsible for producing a written summary of

feedback/suggestions for improvement that were raised in the RPCAM. In the absence of

the direct supervisor at the RPCAM, the supervisor next in the chain of command, AD, or

designee (in that order) will prepare the summary. The document is to be shared and

discussed with and signed by the candidate. Typically the meeting will be between the

direct supervisor and librarian; however, if the document was written by someone other

than the direct supervisor, that person will also be present at the meeting. The signed

document will be retained in the librarian’s personnel file and will be reviewed during

later personnel actions, including by future Reading Committees.

Review and Evaluation by the Reading Committee and the Library Faculty

1. Review and evaluation are limited to the Reading Committee and appropriate Library

Faculty.

2. Evidence submitted to support the candidate's application is weighed against the

individual elements and required standards of the three criteria. Guidelines and standards

are described on pages 4.23-32.

3. In the application of criteria for the evaluation process, the greatest emphasis is given to

the first criterion, Performance of Responsibilities.

4. The form entitled, "Reading Committee Summary Statement Workform" is utilized as the

basis for Reading Committee internal use.

a. Each member of the Reading Committee is given a copy of the workform for their

independent use in evaluating the candidate.

b. During the deliberation process, each member of the Reading Committee discusses

their comments with the entire Committee.

5. Following Reading Committee discussion and review of the individual members'

evaluations, final comments reflecting Committee consensus are recorded as a summary

statement. This consensus is accomplished through mutual verbal agreement. The

Reading Committee does not include Handbook word ratings (as listed in 4.24) in the

summary statement. It is expected that there will be a section on each criterion that will

include strengths and concerns as they have been recorded in the documentation reviewed

and as they reflect the judgment of the members of the Reading Committee. The section

on Criterion I will include comments on each individual element. The final part of the

summary statement will be a brief concluding paragraph.

6. The Reading Committee's summary statement is prepared on the "Recommendation for

Librarian Personnel Action" form by the chairperson, which is signed by each Reading

Committee member. When all sections of the “Recommendation for Librarian Personnel

Action” form are complete, it will be forwarded to the Office of the Provost. Following

the RPCA decision, the candidate receives a copy of the “Recommendation for Librarian

Personnel Action” form.

Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment (RPCA) Procedures

The goal is for the library faculty to operate as a body of the whole, to the extent possible.

1. A “Reading Committee” comprised of three regular library faculty holding continuing

appointment will be appointed for each candidate, as designated in the Library Faculty

Bylaws 5.2.2.3. and 5.2.2.4. For candidates for reappointment, promotion to Librarian II

with continuing appointment, and reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian

II), all regular members of the library faculty with continuing appointment will be

eligible. For candidates for promotion to Librarian III, all regular members of the library

faculty with the rank of Librarian III will be eligible. Exceptions and clarifications

follow.

For clarity, the following librarians are included among those eligible to serve on a Reading

Committee:

• Secondary supervisor(s) of the candidate

• Those who have written a reference letter for the candidate

• Divisional administrators from divisions other than the division in which the candidate

resides

The following librarians are NOT eligible to serve on a Reading Committee:

• Current primary supervisor of the candidate

• Those for whom the candidate is the current primary or secondary supervisor

• Those with a conflict of interest, as defined in the MSU Faculty Handbook

o Conflict of Interest in Employment (relating to relatives or other personal

relationships in which objectivity might be impaired)

o Conflict of Interest, Faculty/Staff (relating to financial interests or other

opportunities for tangible personal benefit that might compromise independence

of judgment)

• Divisional administrator of the division in which the candidate resides

• Dean of Libraries

2. There will be a separate Reading Committee for each librarian being considered. Individual

librarians may serve on more than one Reading Committee.

For Reading Committee membership, the librarian being considered will suggest 3-5 names of

eligible librarians to their divisional administrator, with a copy to the Head of Human Resources;

the candidate should not contact the potential Reading Committee members in advance. The

librarian’s divisional administrator will select one name from the candidate’s list to serve on the

Reading Committee. The divisional administrator will then select a second librarian, not

necessarily from the provided list, to serve. The divisional administrator will contact the selected

librarians to ask their participation and will advise the Head of Human Resources of the

appointees. The names of the two confirmed appointees, without the candidate’s list, will be

forwarded by the Head of Human Resources to the Steering Committee. The Steering

Committee will select the third member of the Reading Committee and an alternate. The Head

of Human Resources will contact the first librarian suggested by the Steering Committee; only if

that librarian declines to serve will the Head of Human Resources contact the alternate to the

Steering Committee’s primary selection. The Head of Human Resources will notify each

candidate of the members of their Reading Committee and will notify each Reading Committee

of its membership.

Reading Committee members need not have a detailed knowledge of the candidate’s work,

which is represented by the dossier and other documentation. Rather, they are to have the ability

to represent the interests of all library faculty by providing a summation of the candidate’s

primary accomplishments and an assessment and evaluation of the candidate’s performance.

3. The candidate’s CV and dossier, which are to be treated confidentially, will be available on a

secure, accessible server, such as the University’s Course Management System (CMS), no later

than July 15 for review by Reading Committee members and appropriate library faculty:

a. For candidates for reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment,

and reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II), the CV and dossier

are available to all regular library faculty with continuing appointment

b. For candidates for promotion to Librarian III, the CV and dossier are available to all

regular library faculty with the rank of Librarian III

4. The following documents, which are to be treated confidentially, will be available on the CMS

to members of the Reading Committee only:

• Current supervisor’s letter of recommendation

• Reference letters

• Annual supervisor’s evaluations

5. The members of each Reading Committee will select a chairperson for the purpose of

facilitating and coordinating the work of the committee. The chairperson or designee will also

coordinate the discussion of the library faculty at the Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing

Appointment Meeting (RPCAM) for the appropriate candidate and, with the Head of Human

Resources or designee, compile the results of the secret ballot.

6. The Reading Committee may request from the candidate or any information provider in

writing, any clarifications, explanations or further information deemed useful by the committee

subsequent to their review of the documentation. The candidate and/or the current supervisor(s)

are to provide written answers to any questions within 10 working days. The Reading

Committee, in consultation with the Head of Human Resources, may seek assistance/opinion

from appropriate skilled individuals if unable to determine content or value of documentation;

i.e., for programming codes or publications in foreign languages.

7. Library faculty who are eligible to attend and vote will be notified by the Head of Human

Resources no later than August 1 of the scheduled date for the Reappointment, Promotion, and

Continuing Appointment Meeting (RPCAM).

8. The Reading Committee will write a summary statement regarding the librarian’s

qualifications as they relate to Criteria I, II, and III without making a specific recommendation

for or against reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment,

reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II), or promotion to Librarian III and

without applying Handbook word ratings (as listed in 4.24). It is expected that there will be a

section on each criterion that will include strengths and concerns as they have been recorded in

the documentation reviewed and as they reflect the judgment of the members of the Reading

Committee. The section on Criterion I will include comments on each individual element. The

final part of the summary statement will be a brief concluding paragraph.

The emphasis throughout the summary statement should be on areas of particular strength or

where weaknesses have been identified, rather than a re-working of the CV. In addition to

highlights for each criterion, there should be non-conclusive commentary relating to the success

or failure of the candidate to have met expectations for required performance standards. For

example, there may be a statement such as: in the opinion of the Reading Committee, this

candidate demonstrates particularly strong (or weak) achievements in this criterion for librarians

at this stage of their career. A summary statement may include this type of commentary: this

candidate exceeds performance standards for Criteria II and III but concern has been expressed

in regard to Criterion I, specifically relating to interpersonal relationships. Commentary should

stop short of reaching a definitive conclusion regarding the personnel action under consideration.

If the Reading Committee summary statement refers to comments made in a letter of reference,

the position title of the referee and characterization of the institution should be provided, but

without breaching confidentiality. For example, the referee may appropriately be described as

“the Head of Reference at a BTAA institution,” but without the name of the individual or the

specific institution.

The summary statement will be prefaced with a cover page that includes details relating to the

personnel action under consideration (i.e., name, job title, primary supervisor, primary division,

current rank, proposed rank, specific personnel action, Reading Committee members and chair).

These are the specific parts of the summary statement, with limitations on length:

• Criterion I, Performance, summary including comments on each individual element – no

more than 2 pages

• Criterion II, Scholarly and Creative Activities, summary – no more than 1 page

• Criterion III, Service and/or Professional Activities, summary – no more than 1 page

• Concluding paragraph – no more than ½ page

This summary will be available at the meeting of librarians with continuing appointment

(RPCAM) to discuss the librarian being considered and will also be available in Human

Resources two weeks prior to the meeting for review by all eligible librarians. Review must take

place in Human Resources, and no copies will be allowed. All librarians with continuing

appointment are eligible to review the summary of candidates for reappointment, promotion to

Librarian II with continuing appointment, and reappointment with continuing appointment

(Librarian II). All Librarian IIIs are eligible to review the summary of candidates for promotion

to Librarian III.

If inaccuracies (i.e., misspellings or incorrect committee names) are identified in the Reading

Committee summary, corrections should be forwarded to the Reading Committee Chair so that a

corrected document may be produced.

9. As designated in the Library Faculty Bylaws 1.11, the library faculty will convene for review

of candidates in the Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing Appointment Meeting

(RPCAM). The sole purpose of the RPCAM is to discuss and vote on the candidates for

reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment. Discussion is to focus on the

qualifications of the candidate for the advancements that they seek. Broad faculty participation

is sought for a candid and open exchange of experiences and opinions. The RPCAM is to be

conducted in a professional and confidential manner, in an environment of respect for the serious

recommendations under consideration and with the awareness that the award of continuing

appointment welcomes a colleague into the faculty for what may be the remainder of their

career. If a librarian’s perception of a candidate is not reflected in the documents, the librarian is

expected to express their beliefs and experiences in a concise and logical manner for

consideration by the faculty.

All regular library faculty with continuing appointment, including supervisors and divisional

administrators, but with the exception of the Dean of Libraries and those with a conflict of

interest (see 4.17.V.1.), meet to discuss and vote on the candidates for reappointment, promotion

to Librarian II with continuing appointment, and reappointment with continuing appointment

(Librarian II). All regular library faculty with the rank of Librarian III, including supervisors and

divisional administrators, but with the exception of the Dean of Libraries and those with a

conflict of interest (see 4.17.V.1.), meet to discuss and vote on the candidates for promotion to

Librarian III.

The Chairperson of each Reading Committee or designee will coordinate the RPCAM discussion

for the appropriate candidate. The summary of the Reading Committee and the librarian’s CV

are presented as prelude to the discussion. Summaries will be distributed and re-collected at the

meeting.

A quorum shall consist of fifty-one (51) percent of the library faculty eligible to vote, with the

exception of those on approved leaves (excluding vacations).

Issues relating to the RPCA process and practices are not to be raised at the RPCAM but rather

submitted as a Steering Committee agenda item, which allows all librarians (with and without

continuing appointment) to be represented.

The current supervisor(s) is/are responsible for producing a written summary of

feedback/suggestions for improvement that were raised in the RPCAM. In the absence of the

direct supervisor at the RPCAM, the supervisor next in the chain of command, AD, or designee

(in that order) will prepare the summary. The document is to be shared and discussed with and

signed by the candidate. Typically the meeting will be between the direct supervisor and

librarian; however, if the document was written by someone other than the direct supervisor, that

person will also be present at the meeting. The signed document will be retained in the

librarian’s personnel file and will be reviewed during later personnel actions, including by future

Reading Committees.

10. Following discussion of each candidate at the RPCAM, a secret ballot is taken and

collected. Each eligible librarian who has attended the appropriate discussion votes “yes” or

“no.”

• All regular library faculty with continuing appointment, but with the exception of the

Dean of Libraries and those with a conflict of interest (see 4.17.V.1.), are eligible to vote

on candidates for reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment,

and reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II)

• All regular library faculty with the rank of Librarian III, but with the exception of the

Dean of Libraries and those with a conflict of interest (see 4.17.V.1.), are eligible to vote

on candidates for promotion to Librarian III

The results of the secret ballot are compiled by the Chairperson of the appropriate Reading

Committee (or designee) and the Head of Human Resources (or designee) as soon as possible but

no later than 24 hours from the conclusion of the meeting. The results of the secret ballot of the

library faculty are reported to the Dean of Libraries and will be recorded on the

"Recommendation for Librarian Personnel Action" form. When all sections of the

“Recommendation for Librarian Personnel

Action” form are complete, it will be forwarded to the Office of the Provost. Following the

RPCA decision, the candidate receives a copy of the “Recommendation for Librarian Personnel

Action” form.

11. In those cases in which a librarian is to be appointed with continuing appointment, at the rank

of Librarian II or III, the Dean of Libraries will consult with the appropriate library faculty,

following the RPCAM process.

For candidates for appointment as Librarian II with continuing appointment, all regular library

faculty with continuing appointment, including supervisors and divisional administrators, but

with the exception of the Dean of Libraries and those with a conflict of interest (see 4.17.V.1.),

meet to discuss and vote on the qualifications of the candidate for appointment with continuing

appointment. For candidates for appointment as Librarian III, which brings with it continuing

appointment, all regular library faculty with the rank of Librarian III, including supervisors and

divisional administrators, but with the exception of the Dean of Libraries and those with a

conflict of interest (see 4.17.V.1.), meet to discuss and vote on the qualifications of the candidate

for appointment with continuing appointment at the rank of Librarian III.

The RPCAM will be convened to review and discuss the CV of the candidate. The chairperson

of the search committee or designee will coordinate the RPCAM discussion, and a secret ballot

will be taken and collected. The results of the secret ballot will be compiled by the chairperson

of the search committee (or designee) and the Head of Human Resources (or designee). The

vote of the library faculty is reported to the Dean of Libraries.

Administrative Review

1. The formal vote of the Library Faculty, the summary statement of the Reading

Committee and the complete dossier, together with letters of reference, current

supervisor’s letter of recommendation, annual supervisor(s) evaluations, written

questions and answers of the Reading Committee, candidate and supervisor(s), are

submitted to the Dean of Libraries.

2. The appropriate divisional administrator forwards their own recommendation to the Dean

of Libraries. If there is ambiguity regarding the “appropriate divisional administrator,”

such as a situation where there has been a recent change in the divisional administrator,

the Dean of Libraries shall consult with the Steering Committee to determine the

“appropriate divisional administrator.” The divisional administrator’s recommendation

will be based upon the summary statement of the Reading Committee, the discussion at

the RPCAM meeting, their evaluation of the candidate, the application submitted to

support the candidacy, the letters of reference, current supervisor’s letter of

recommendation, annual supervisor(s) evaluations, written questions and answers of the

Reading Committee, candidate and supervisor(s), and external factors pertinent to the

division. The divisional administrator makes an independent recommendation, without

knowing the vote of the faculty.

3. The Dean’s recommendation is based upon the advisory vote of the Library Faculty, the

summary statement of the Reading Committee, the advisory recommendation of the

divisional administrator, their own evaluation of the candidate, the application submitted

to support the candidacy, the letters of reference, current supervisor’s letter of

recommendation, annual supervisor(s) evaluations, written questions and answers of the

Reading Committee, candidate and supervisor(s), and relevant external factors which

may affect the recommendation.

4. The Dean completes the "Recommendation for Librarian Personnel Action" form and

sends it forward to the Office of the Provost. All related documentation will be made

available to the Office of the Provost. All decisions involving the award of continuing

appointment require final approval by the President; these include Promotion to Librarian

II with continuing appointment, and Reappointment with continuing appointment

(Librarian II). Final decisions on Reappointment (Librarian I) and Promotion to Librarian

III are made by the Provost.

5. The Dean sends the candidate and the candidate's primary supervisor a copy of the

“Recommendation for Librarian Personnel Action” form, which includes the results of

the vote of the Library Faculty and which is the document sent to the Office of the

Provost.

1. The Dean of Libraries will meet with the candidate for the purpose of informing

them of the Dean’s recommendation.

2. If the candidate has questions or would like clarification regarding the meaning of

any statements made in the Reading Committee’s summary statement, they may

contact the Head of Libraries Human Resources who will elicit a response from

the committee within two weeks of such request.

6. If the recommendation for Reappointment is approved it becomes effective on August 16

of the following year. If the recommendation for Promotion to Librarian II with

continuing appointment, Reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II), or

Promotion to Librarian III is approved, it becomes effective on January 1 of the following

year or the first day of the month after the date of final approval.

7. If reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, or

reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II) is not approved, the following

procedures are applicable:

1. If the reason for the denial is the elimination of the candidate's position due to

budgetary constraints, the candidate will be notified of that fact in writing. The

candidate will then be eligible for possible reassignment, following appropriate

reassignment procedures.

2. The candidate may request a conference with the Dean to hear why

reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, or

reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II) was not granted. The

request for a conference will be granted.

3. If the candidate chooses, they may request, in writing, from the Dean written

reasons why reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing

appointment, or reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II) was

not granted. These reasons will be supplied in writing.

4. If the candidate believes the decision to have been made contrary to fair

established policies, procedures, or practices, they may file a grievance following

the established procedures for a grievance.

8. If a candidate's request for promotion to Librarian III is not approved, the following

procedures are applicable:

1. The candidate may reapply for promotion to Librarian III at the next scheduled

opportunity.

2. The candidate may request a conference with the Dean to hear why the promotion

to Librarian III was not granted. The request for a conference will be granted.

3. If the candidate chooses, they may request, in writing, from the Dean, written

reasons why the promotion to Librarian III was not granted. These reasons will be

supplied in writing.

4. If the candidate believes the decision to have been made contrary to fair,

established policies, procedures, or practices, they may file a grievance following

the established procedures for a grievance.

When the RPCA process has been completed, the candidate's dossier is returned to the candidate.

The Human Resources office will maintain RPCA files which will include:

1. Copies of forms sent to the Office of the Provost.

2. Letters of reference

3. Supervisor(s)' recommendation(s)

4. Any clarification documents requested by the Reading Committee

5. Dossier checklist

All minutes, internal utilization of the RPCA evaluation form, etc., regarding the Committee's

deliberations are destroyed.

Guidelines for Evaluation

The evaluation for reappointment generally takes place 4 years after the initial hire/appointment

and the evaluation for continuing appointment generally takes place 3 years after reappointment.

Applications for promotion to Librarian III typically require 5-7 years of service after continuing

appointment.

Performance of responsibilities in the job description and the attainment of the knowledge, skills,

and abilities listed in the elements of Criterion I are of major significance in the evaluation

process. These are accepted as being most uniquely related to the role of the individual librarian

with respect to their contribution to the goals of the Libraries and to the mission of the

University. Performance in these areas should comprise approximately 70% of the basis for a

recommendation regarding reappointment, promotion, and continuing appointment.

The second criterion, which involves pursuit of knowledge; scholarly and creative activities, is

necessary for the development of capabilities required to meet the demands made on academic

libraries by changing technologies and changing patterns in information demand and use.

The third and final criterion, service and/or professional activities, involves the inter-relationship

of an academic librarian to the Library, to the University, to other libraries and professional

associations and institutions, and to the community.

Criteria II and III are considered to be of equal significance, although each is less significant than

Criterion I. Together, Criteria II and III comprise the remaining 30% of the basis for a

recommendation, with substantial contributions required in each.

All positive recommendations are based on several years of sustained, outstanding achievements

in the performance of one’s responsibilities, the development of the knowledge, skills, and

abilities listed in Criterion I, scholarly and creative activities, and service and/or professional

activities, consistent with performance levels expected at peer universities. Sustainability and

duration are key factors.

Though the Reading Committee will have access to the supervisors’ ratings in the annual

performance evaluations, the Committee is expected to perform an independent assessment and

not rely on the supervisors’ ratings.

Librarians considering applying for promotion to Librarian III are strongly encouraged to

consult with their Assistant/Associate Dean before doing so. Librarians have the option of

requesting reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment,

reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II), or promotion to Librarian III prior to

their normal schedule. A negative decision on such a request shall not preclude consideration

for reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, reappointment with

continuing appointment (Librarian II), or promotion to Librarian III on the normal schedule.

Guides to Evaluating Candidates on Each Criterion

Criterion I: Performance of Responsibilities:

The individual's performance of responsibilities of their position and the development of the

knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in Criterion I are considered to have the most significance

in terms of assessing the librarian's contribution to the Library and the mission of the University.

As a consequence, this is the most important criterion in assessing the likelihood of an

individual's continuing productivity, effectiveness, growth, and commitment to the services and

resources of the MSU Libraries.

From the documentation supplied in the candidate's dossier the individual's professional

responsibilities are primarily determined from: annual position descriptions; annual personal

goals; and, for those with supervisory/administrative responsibilities, annual unit goals.

Evidence of the quality and effectiveness of the candidate's performance are reflected in: annual

performance evaluations; a written letter of reference from the librarian's current supervisor;

evaluations from other individuals familiar with the candidate's performance which specifically

address the performance of job duties and the elements of Criterion I; and, written materials and

other evidence supplied by the candidate, as examples of their performance.

TO EARN REAPPOINTMENT

The documentation indicates that the candidate's performance is consistently competent, with

strong points in a number of areas. Performance is above that of satisfactory, or average,

expectations. There is evidence of the probability of continued growth in knowledge, skills, and

abilities. Personal goals demonstrate that the candidate is attempting to contribute, in a

competent manner, to the development of Libraries services and resources. Activities,

responsibilities, pursuits, and/or endeavors utilize the knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in

the elements of Criterion I.

Written evaluations and other documentation, as well as oral presentations supporting the

candidate's application indicate that they possess the capability for growth in knowledge, skills,

and abilities.

TO EARN CONTINUING APPOINTMENT

The documentation indicates that the candidate's performance is of a consistently high level,

approaching excellence. There is substantial evidence of the probability of continued growth and

development in knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in Criterion I. Position descriptions and

goals reflect dedicated and sustained commitment to the development and improvement of MSU

Library services/resources.

Written evaluations, and other documentation, and oral presentations by individuals also indicate

that the candidate possesses strong and growing knowledge, skills, and abilities.

TO EARN PROMOTION TO LIBRARIAN III

The documentation indicates that the candidate's performance is consistently superior. Position

descriptions and goals reflect outstanding, dedicated professional commitment to the

development and improvement of MSU Library services/resources. This commitment is apparent

in the inclusion of complex and challenging activities, responsibilities, pursuits, and/or endeavors

which require the in-depth utilization of the knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in Criterion

Written evaluations, and other documentation, and oral presentations by individuals also verify

that the candidate's knowledge, skills and abilities are outstanding, are continuing to develop,

and are utilized skillfully in the performance of position responsibilities.

Criterion II: Scholarly and Creative Activities

Pursuits involving the attainment of knowledge are necessary for the development of the critical,

evaluative, and empathetic capabilities needed to meet the demands made on academic librarians

by changing patterns of information use which are the result of new technologies and

developments in scholarship. Such pursuits may be directly or indirectly applicable to the

librarian's position, depending upon the nature of their responsibilities. The following guides for

evaluating a candidate focus on the quality and magnitude of the work related to this criterion

rather than on the number of pursuits.

TO EARN REAPPOINTMENT

The candidate has been and continues to be involved in one or two of the pursuits delineated

under this criterion since appointment. Their work in these areas demonstrates the potential for

creativity and originality. There is evidence that the candidate's knowledge base has been

developed through these involvements.

TO EARN CONTINUING APPOINTMENT

The candidate has been and continues to be involved in a number of pursuits delineated under

Criterion II and has been deeply involved in at least one such pursuit since appointment. Their

work has resulted in substantial augmenting/strengthening the librarian's knowledge base or in

enhancing their capabilities.

TO EARN PROMOTION TO LIBRARIAN III

The candidate has been and continues to be involved in a wide range of the elements delineated

under Criterion II or has been deeply involved in at least two such pursuits since the time of

continuing appointment. Their work has resulted in significantly augmenting/strengthening the

librarian's professional knowledge base or in significantly enhancing their professional

capabilities.

Criterion III: Service and/or Professional Activities:

A librarian worthy of reappointment, continuing appointment, or promotion has an ongoing

commitment to service and/or professional activities. In addition, the librarian has a positive

impact on the Libraries, the University, the local community and/or the library profession with

evidence that such impact will continue. Involvement in community service will be considered,

but in isolation cannot justify acceptable ratings.

TO EARN REAPPOINTMENT

The candidate has served and continues to serve on a number of Library and/or MSU committees

outside of the Libraries and contributes to the work of these committees in a competent manner.

AND/OR

The candidate has demonstrated involvement in the work of at least one professional

organization or association at a level above that of simple membership, supplying evidence of

some significant involvement in the work of that organization or association.

TO EARN CONTINUING APPOINTMENT

The candidate has served and continues to serve on a number and variety of Library and/or MSU

committees outside of the Libraries and has played an important role in the work of those

committees.

AND/OR

The candidate has been and continues to be significantly involved in the work of one or more

professional organizations or associations, serving as an officer, committee chair, or in other

leadership service.

TO EARN PROMOTION TO LIBRARIAN III

The candidate has served and continues to serve on a number and variety of Library and/or MSU

committees outside of the Libraries and has played an important role in the work of those

committees.

AND

The candidate has and continues to have deep impactful involvement or a vital leadership role in

one or more professional organizations and associations which may have resulted in the

clarification and/or resolution of library issues on a regional, national level, or international

level.

Calendar for RPCA:

March 1

• The Office of the Dean notifies candidates of their eligibility for reappointment,

promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, or reappointment with continuing

appointment (Librarian II)

• For the purpose of selecting Reading Committee members, Human Resources provides a

list of librarians with continuing appointment to all candidates scheduled for

reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, or reappointment

with continuing appointment (Librarian II) or upon request

March 15

• Librarians considering applying for promotion to Librarian III or for early reappointment,

early promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, or early reappointment with

continuing appointment (Librarian II) prior to their normal schedule are strongly

encouraged to consult with their divisional administrator by this date

• Human Resources provides a list of Librarian IIIs to those who have expressed interest in

applying for promotion to Librarian III or upon request

• Human Resources provides a list of librarians with continuing appointment to those who

have expressed interest in applying for early reappointment, early promotion to Librarian

II with continuing appointment, or early reappointment with continuing appointment

(Librarian II) or upon request

April 15

• Candidate submits the following to their divisional administrator, with a copy to the Head

of Human Resources:

o CV

o Names of eligible librarians for Reading Committee

 Candidates for reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing

appointment, and reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian

II) submit names of 3-5 MSU librarians with continuing appointment

 Candidates for promotion to Librarian III submit names of 3-5 MSU

Librarian IIIs

o References – as listed in Handbook 4.2-4.3

April-June

• Divisional administrator appoints two members of the Reading Committee and advises

Head of Human Resources of appointments

o One must be from the list submitted by the candidate

• Divisional administrator (as designee of the Dean) identifies other potential references,

determines final list of references to be contacted, and advises Head of Human Resources

of final list

• Divisional administrator, in consultation with the candidate, determines a representative

work to be sent to the references (as well as the CV and criteria) and advises Head of

Human Resources

• Human Resources collects annual supervisor’s evaluations for each candidate

• Human Resources contacts references with a deadline for receipt of reference letter no

later than July 1; earlier, for those who may not be available during the summer

• Human Resources contacts current supervisor of each candidate for letter of

recommendation due no later than July 1

May-June

• Head of Human Resources informs Steering Committee of two confirmed appointees for

each Reading Committee no later than June 30

June-July

• Steering Committee selects a third member of each Reading Committee and an

alternate. The Head of Human Resources will contact the first librarian suggested by the

Steering Committee; only if that librarian declines to serve will the Head of Human

Resources contact the alternate to the Steering Committee’s primary selection

July 1

• Dossiers due

Early to mid-July

• The Dean of Libraries, Head of Human Resources, and Human Resources Unit Manager

meet with the members of the Reading Committees

July 15

• Reading Committees select Chairperson and begin review

• Dossiers and CVs, which are to be treated confidentially, will be on the CMS available

for review by members of Reading Committees and:

o All librarians with continuing appointment, for candidates for reappointment,

promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, and reappointment with

continuing appointment (Librarian II)

o All Librarian IIIs, for candidates for promotion to Librarian III

• CMS file containing reference letters, current supervisor’s letters, and annual supervisor’s

evaluations will be available for review by appropriate Reading Committee members

only; these are to be treated confidentially

August 1

• Library faculty who are eligible to attend and vote will be notified by the Head of Human

Resources no later than August 1 of the scheduled date for the RPCAM

Friday after Labor Day (approximately September 7)

• Reading Committees complete summary statement regarding the librarian’s qualifications

without making a specific recommendation for or against reappointment, promotion to

Librarian II with continuing appointment, reappointment with continuing appointment

(Librarian II), or promotion to Librarian III

Two weeks prior to RPCAM (meeting of all librarians with continuing appointment)

• Summary statements will be available in Human Resources only (no check outs or

copies) for review

• By all librarians with continuing appointment, for candidates for reappointment,

promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment, and reappointment with

continuing appointment (Librarian II)

• By all Librarian IIIs, for candidates for promotion to Librarian III

Mid to late September

• Eligible librarians convene at RPCAM to discuss and vote on the candidates

o All librarians with continuing appointment are eligible to discuss and vote on

candidates for reappointment, promotion to Librarian II with continuing

appointment, and reappointment with continuing appointment (Librarian II)

o All Librarian IIIs are eligible to discuss and vote on candidates for promotion to

Librarian III

• The summary of each Reading Committee and the CV are presented by the Chairperson

of the Reading Committee as prelude to the discussion of each individual

• Following the discussion of each individual, a secret ballot will be taken. Votes will be

tallied by the Chair of the appropriate Reading Committee (or designee) and the Head of

Human Resources (or designee)

October 1

• Divisional Dean recommendations due to the Dean of Libraries

November 1

• Dean of Libraries submits recommendations to the Office of the Provost

December 15

• The candidate is notified by the Dean of Libraries of the status of their

reappointment/promotion to Librarian II with continuing appointment/reappointment

with continuing appointment (Librarian II)/promotion to Librarian III. The candidate

receives a copy of the documentation forwarded to the Office of the Provost.

Chapter 5: Personnel Benefits

• Insurance and Retirement Benefits

• Leaves

o Medical Leave

o Leave for Funeral Attendance

o Leave for Jury Duty

o Military Service Leaves

o Sabbatical Leave

 Duration and Timing

 General Policy Issues

 Sabbatical Requests

 Evaluation

o Leave of Absence Without Pay

o Other Leaves

• Holidays

• Vacations

o Vacation Procedures

• Compensatory Time

• University Library Travel

o Travel Outside of the United States

o Use of University Vehicles

o Insurance Coverage

• Professional Activities and Development Support Guidelines and Procedures

Insurance and Retirement Benefits

Librarians are eligible for the various insurance and retirement benefits made available by the

University to the members of the faculty. Each of these benefits is described briefly in the MSU

Faculty Handbook. For more complete information, see the MSU Human Resources’ page on

benefits.

Leaves

Medical Leave

The Library policy for medical leave including short-term disability, long-term disability, and

parental follows University policy for faculty and academic staff appointees and the Family and

Medical Leave Act of 1993. Librarians should refer to the MSU Faculty Handbook for a

description of this policy.

Leave for Funeral Attendance

All librarians are eligible upon employment for leave to attend the funeral of a member of the

individual's immediate family. See the MSU Faculty Handbook for more details.

Leave for Jury Duty

The Library policy for leave for jury duty follows the University policy. Librarians should refer

to the MSU Faculty Handbook for a description of this policy.

Military Service Leaves

The Library policy for military service follows University policy for such leaves, which is

described in the MSU Faculty Handbook.

Sabbatical Leave

Relevant MSU policies:

1. MSU Faculty Handbook, Sabbatical Leaves of Absence

2. Sabbatical Leave Implementation Information

3. Sabbatical Leave Information Form

Library faculty with continuing appointment and six years of service on the library faculty are

eligible to apply for paid sabbatical leaves for the purpose of providing sustained time to pursue

scholarly and creative activity that would be difficult or impossible to do without the leave

period.

Sabbatical leaves can benefit the faculty member, the university and the profession. When an

eligible faculty member applies for sabbatical leave, the application is evaluated for its merit,

appropriateness and feasibility. Eligibility to apply for a sabbatical leave does not equate to a

right to take one.

Duration and Timing

Semester-long leaves are the preference of the MSU Libraries. According to university policy,

faculty on semester-long leaves receive their full salary for that time, while faculty on year-long

sabbaticals receive half their salaries for that time. Additionally, summer semester may be

preferred to reduce impact on library operations, including the librarian evaluation process.

General Policy Issues

Librarian sabbaticals are intended to support scholarly and creative activity, including writing

and research. Professional development funds can be used during the sabbatical.

Sabbaticals are not granted automatically. Each sabbatical request is reviewed by the applicant’s

supervisor(s), appropriate AD(s), the Dean of Libraries, and the Associate Provost and AVP for

Academic Human Resources as the Provost’s designee. Sabbatical requests may be denied at any

administrative level.

Sabbatical Requests

Sabbatical requests should include:

1. A clear statement of the type of work planned.

2. An explanation of the work’s significance as a scholarly or creative endeavor and its

relationship to other scholarship in the field.

3. A well-developed general plan to accomplish the work in the time proposed.

4. Methods to be used including, but not limited to: survey research, statistical analysis,

historical research, archival research, oral histories, or film/video production.

5. Resources and facilities needed, when they will be used, and what arrangements will be

made for acquisition and use.

6. An explanation for why the leave will take place in a specific location.

Written endorsement of sabbatical leave requests by supervisors, appropriate ADs, and the Dean

of Libraries must certify that the leave will not adversely impact library service, outreach, and

instruction programs of the unit. Endorsements must state clearly in writing the expected benefit

of the sabbatical leave outcome for the library and the university. This endorsement should be

detailed enough to permit review and endorsement by the Associate Provost and AVP for

Academic Human Resources. A librarian’s past achievements as reflected in merit, market

adjustments and other awards or honors are relevant to evaluation of a sabbatical leave request.

Applications for sabbatical leave must be submitted at least 6 months in advance of the leave.

A recipient of a sabbatical leave of absence is obligated to return to Michigan State University

for the following year.

Evaluation

University Policy requires faculty to submit a report, including an assessment and evaluation of

the leave accomplishments in relation to the sabbatical leave plan, within 30 days of the

completion of the sabbatical. This report must include a separate summary not to exceed one

page in length. Library faculty should submit this report to the relevant supervisor(s), AD(s), and

the Dean of Libraries, describing activities undertaken, location(s), work accomplished (such as

papers submitted or in progress as a result of the sabbatical), grants submitted or funded based on

work performed during the sabbatical, and how the sabbatical advanced the goals of the librarian,

the library, the university, and the profession. (9/16/19)

Leave of Absence Without Pay

Leaves of absence without pay may be granted with the recommendation of the administrative

head of the Division involved and the Dean of Libraries. Specific dates for the leave must be

specified in the request and should be made as far in advance as possible so that Divisional

programs will not be interrupted. Such leaves usually do not extend beyond one year.

Librarians should consult with Library Human Resources about the continuation of benefits prior

to taking a leave.

Other Leaves

Librarians requiring information on leaves of absence with pay and outside work for pay are

referred to the Libraries’ Human Resources.

Holidays

Michigan State University librarians and staff are entitled to the legal holidays observed by the

University.

Any member of the Library faculty who is scheduled to work during one of these holidays is

granted compensatory time at a later date.

Vacations

The Library provides vacation leave to librarians for the purpose of providing rest and relaxation

for the individual so that they will be better prepared to carry on professional responsibilities

during the year. Any supplementary employment during the vacation period for full-time

appointees is contrary to University policy.

Vacation Procedures

The procedures for vacation are listed below:

1. Librarians who have full-time appointments are granted an annual vacation of 22 working

days at full pay. Vacation allowances are granted prospectively on July 1 of each year.

2. All vacation leave must be approved by the librarian's immediate supervisor, in keeping

with the program of work conducted in the unit. Librarians are expected to accurately

enter time off in SMART, the online timekeeping program, and supervisors are expected

to review and approve these entries each month.

3. Vacation should be taken be taken during the fiscal year. Ten days of vacation may be

carried over into the next fiscal year. If they are not used by September 30, these days are

lost.

4. Vacation leave is proportionately reduced in the event of resignation or termination

during the fiscal year. At the time of separation from the University, the librarian's

appointment will be extended for any unused portion of the vacation leave earned. Such

an extension, however, will not be granted beyond the fiscal year.

5. If a holiday falls during the librarian's vacation leave, the holiday is not counted as part of

the leave, except when the employee has terminated and requests credit for accrued

vacation time.

Compensatory Time

Compensatory time is granted to those employees who are scheduled to work during University

holidays or on weekends, when the total scheduled hours exceed 40 in any one week.

Compensatory time should be part of the scheduling process and be taken during the week it is

earned. If the work program of the unit prevents this, the time may be taken at a later date, but in

no case later than 10 weeks after the compensatory time was accrued, as approved by the

supervisor.

Compensatory time should not exceed 24 hours at any one time.

University Library Travel

Library travel and reimbursement for travel are subject to general University-wide regulations as

well as specific Library regulations. The University travel regulations provide the basis for travel

authorization and reimbursement. Complete information regarding University regulations is

contained in a separate publication entitled Manual of Business Procedures. Library travel

regulations are described in the Travel/Professional Development Policy document on the

Library Intranet.

In broad terms, travel may be authorized for the promotion of teaching, scholarly activities and

public service. All travel must be approved and the appropriate forms executed prior to

departure. The travel authorization forms must bear the signatures of the traveler, the Dean of

Libraries, and the Office of the Provost when required, and must state clearly the justification for

the trip.

Travel Outside of the United States

Authorization of travel outside the United States, except Canada, requires approval by the Office

of the Provost, after approval by the Dean of Libraries and prior to the beginning of the trip.

Use of University Vehicles

A limited number of University-owned vehicles are available in the Motor Pool for travel on

University business. Regulations for their use are listed in the Manual of Business Procedures.

In general, authorization for University vehicles for out-of-state trips will not be given,

regardless of the nature of the funds, other than to places in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota,

Ohio and Wisconsin, or to places requiring more than one day of travel time each way

(approximately 500 miles).

The department concerned should make arrangements with the Motor Pool as soon as

authorization is given for the use of a University-owned vehicle.

Insurance Coverage

The University carries liability and property damage insurance that covers the University and

drivers of University-owned vehicles. Drivers of privately owned vehicles used on University

business are not protected by liability and property damage carried by the University. As a part

of the staff benefits program, the University carries a group travel accident insurance policy. See

the separate publication, Travel Accident Insurance Plan, for the amount of coverage and the

provisions.

Professional Activities and Development Support Guidelines and Procedures

1. Administratively-Directed Participation: When staff members are directed to attend an

activity, release time and full reimbursement shall be provided.

2. Staff Development/Career Involvement: Non-mandatory activities that are undertaken for

professional development will be supported based on a scale for reimbursement that is

established by the Dean of Libraries in consultation with the Steering Committee and

maintained in the Main Office.

1. For Temporary Librarians, the amount of staff development support is negotiated

at the time of appointment.

2. Requests for exceptions due to unusual circumstances or for additional funding

for special opportunities, such as overseas travel or specialized training, can be

made through the appropriate administrative channels to the Dean, who will have

the authority to provide additional support.

3. ALL travel and related expenditures must conform with University guidelines and

regulations. Room reimbursement will be limited to a reasonable figure

established by the Dean of Libraries and maintained in the Main Office.

3. All reimbursements are subject to fund availability. Should sufficient funding not be

available, support will be lowered until all approved participation can be accommodated.

4. Supervisors have the option of supporting "release time only" for participation in

activities.

5. For meetings such as ALA, there is an expectation that staff members requesting support

will demonstrate "active participation" by the end of the second year. Examples of active

participation include, but are not limited to: service as an officer, committee member,

discussion leader, invited participant, or other indications of significant involvement.

Failure to become actively involved may result in denial of future authorization.

6. All participants in staff development/career involvement activities are required to submit

a summary/report on information acquired during participation to share with other staff

members. Failure to produce such a report may result in denial of future requests.

7. The Professional Development Request Form on the Library Intranet should be used to

obtain approval for travel support.

Chapter 6: Schedule for Annual Evaluation

Process and Reappointment, Promotion, and

Continuing Appointment Evaluation Process

• Timeline for Individual, Departmental, and Library Goals and Objectives Statements

• MSU Libraries Dossier Checklist for Librarian Application For Reappointment,

Promotion, and Continuing Appointment

o Supplied by Candidate

o Collected by the Libraries Human Resources Office for the Reading Committee

Annual Review Process

Review Process for Reappointment, Promotion, and

Continuing Appointment

September

Reading Committees’ summary statements

completed by the Friday after Labor Day. Library

faculty convenes, typically in September, for review

of candidates in the

Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuing

Appointment Meeting (RPCAM).

March/April

Individual performance

evaluations: annual self-

evaluations

and annual formal

performance evaluations

due.

Preliminary CV, candidate’s list of names of eligible

librarians for potential appointment to the Reading

Committee, and candidate’s list of names to provide

reference letters due April 15.

May

Faculty Affairs

Committee's evaluations

of annual evaluations

and recommendations for

merit.

July

Dossiers for Reappointment or Continuing

appointment due July 1.

Reading Committees begin work on July 15.

July/August

Organizational

performance evaluation.

Timeline for Individual, Departmental, and Library Goals and Objectives Statements

December: In consultation between supervisor and librarian, at least one review/revision

of individual goals and objectives has taken place.

January: Library-wide goals and objectives completed and distributed to departmental units.

Feb/March: Departmental goals and objectives completed and distributed to departmental units.

March/April: Unit goals and objectives completed and distributed to unit librarians.

June/July: Individual goals and objectives submitted to supervisors.

July/August: Individual goals and objectives statements completed.

MSU Libraries Dossier Checklist for Librarian Application For Reappointment, Promotion,

and Continuing Appointment

The dossier checklist is to be used by the candidate and the Reading Committee in

assembling/evaluating the documents used in the evaluation process. The candidate must submit

a copy of any document which is included in the curriculum vitae if it was produced while

working at MSU which is included in the curriculum vitae. The Reading Committee may request

copies of other documents listed in the curriculum vitae. The candidate is to indicate on the

document the type of document it represents and which criterion it supports, as listed below, e.g.

"Bibliography--to support Criterion I, #5." The lists below are somewhat abridged versions of

the documentation for criteria lists in Chapter 4 of the Handbook.

Supplied by Candidate

• Curriculum Vitae

• Letter of application of no more than two pages, stating the promotion being requested

and concisely summarizing the candidate's strengths and contributions to the Libraries

and profession.

• Copies of any work (ARTICLES, BOOKS, WEB sites (URLs), ETC.) which appears on

the curriculum vitae and was produced while working at MSU. The Reading Committee

may request copies of other work listed on the curriculum vitae.

• Names of three to five individuals who will supply a letter of reference or an evaluation

upon request of the Reading Committee. (Include the name, address and relationship to

candidate.) For reappointment: at least 1 letter from an outside reference is encouraged.

For promotion and/or continuing appointment, see criteria for RPCA in chapter 4 of the

handbook for specific requirements.

• General Documentation

o Position description for each year of the librarian's appointment at MSU. For

evaluation for promotion to Librarian III, position descriptions for the period of

time since the librarian achieved continuing appointment are

submitted. _____ Total number

o Annotated annual personal goals and objectives statements for each year of

appointment. Candidates for promotion to Librarian III submit statements for the

period of time since the librarian achieved continuing appointment. _____

Total number

o Annotated annual unit goals and objectives statements for candidates with

supervisory/

administrative responsibilities. Candidates for promotion to Librarian III submit

statements for the period of time since the librarian achieved continuing

appointment.

o OPTIONAL: Copies of the Self-Evaluations for years of the appointment.

• Documentation for Criterion I: Performance

(Include material created as part of the position and relating to the elements of criterion

I. Examples are appropriate when there are many pieces of a given type.)

o Written reports

o Studies

o Instructional materials

o Bibliographies

o Handouts

o Policy and procedure statements

o Proposals, planning documents, organizational reports

o Web sites (include URL)

o Other - relevant evidence of the quality of performance. Append additional pages

if necessary. (selected thank you notes, certificate of completion of training, list of

job related HRD classes taken, etc.)

• Documentation for Criterion II: Scholarly and creative activities. (n.b. It is

understood that not every candidate will have evidence related to every element listed

below.)

o Transcripts, degree certificates, letters of completion, etc.

o Copies of publications, scholarly manuscripts, and/or creative manuscripts

submitted for publication; research in progress

o Copies or summaries of conference papers, lectures, etc.

o Award letters, summaries of fellowships, prizes, scholarships

o Grant proposals

o Transcripts or official documentation of continuing education activities

o Summaries of professional consulting projects

o Summary of work as editor, abstractor, indexer, etc.

o Documentation of instruction/teaching experiences

o Summary or other evidence of the quality of participation as a mentee in a

mentoring relationship

o Summary of other pursuits which lead to and/or demonstrate advanced or applied

knowledge of a scholarly or creative nature in the library or library-related fields,

or in other subject disciplines

o Other evidence of the quality of the achievements and the documentation

submitted in support of Criterion II

• Documentation for Criterion III: Service and/or professional activities.

(n.b. It is understood that not every candidate will have evidence related to every

element listed below.)

o Summary of positions in professional organizations, etc.; copies of programs of

conferences, etc.

o Summary of service on Library and/or University committees and councils,

including dates

o Summary of positions in community organizations, etc.; copies of programs and

conferences, etc.

o Summary of advising activities performed for individuals, agencies, other

libraries, etc.

o Summary or other evidence of the quality of participation as a mentor in a

mentoring relationship.

o Summary of other relevant activities which demonstrate the librarian's impact on

the MSU Libraries, Michigan State University, the community, or the profession

o Other evidence of the quality of achievement described in Criterion III

Preliminary CV, candidate’s list of names of eligible librarians for potential appointment

to the Reading Committee, and candidate’s list of names to provide reference letters should

be submitted to the Libraries Human Resources Office by April 15.

Dossier and dossier checklist should be turned in to the Libraries Human Resources Office

by July 1.

Collected by the Libraries Human Resources Office for the Reading Committee

1. Candidate’s dossier and dossier checklist.

2. Annual supervisor(s) performance evaluations. For promotions to Librarian III, only

evaluations for the period of time since the librarian achieved continuing appointment are

required. ____ Total number

3. A written evaluation from the candidate's current supervisor(s), or a prior supervisor if

the candidate has recently been appointed to a position under a new supervisor or has had

a new supervisor since the previous annual evaluation.

4. Written evaluations from the references submitted by the candidate and/or by the Dean of

Libraries or designee and/or the Reading Committee. The following will be sent to the

references:

1. a cover letter which will include a list of areas that may be addressed:

publications, grants, seminars, workshops/colloquia, continuing education, offices

held in library/subject organizations, collections building or contributions in other

library roles, committee work, training/teaching

2. the candidate’s CV

3. a copy of relevant publications, reports, summary of successful grant proposals,

etc.