Library Professional Development Travel Program Review Committee

Interim Report and optionsLFA 5/16/11

•What we’ve learned

•Options for FY12

Fun facts from ARL libraries

Among 62 responding ARL libraries:

• 30 (48%) allocate a lump sum• 14 (23%) give boost for activity• 10 (16%) give boost for rank

Among 36 ARL libraries that reported $:

• 24 give lump sum, ave. $1122/year• 7 reimburse %, ave. 75.5% of costs • 4 allocate per-trip sums• 1 allocates per-day sums

Smathers Libraries average per trip:

• FY09 - $480• FY10 - $406• FY11 - $415

Fun facts from on-campus units

Among 13 on-campus units:

• 11 support PD for both faculty and staff• None have a committee– half rely on administration– half rely on departments

• Most give weight to activity or rank– only 3 allocate equally

On-campus units

Among 13 on-campus units:

• 5 allocate per-trip; 2 allocate lump sum• 3 allow repurposing; 4 require forfeiting– when a traveler cancels a trip

• Average allocations range widely:– $500-$15,000/faculty– $200-$3,000/staff

Recent Smathers Libraries

allocations

Smathers FY09-FY11 averages

• 23 people funded for 1 trip• 43 people funded for 2 trips• 10 non-faculty funded for 14 trips

• 87 requests unfunded in FY10• 24 requests unfunded in FY11

• FY06-07 funded 200 trips with $70,000 • FY09-11 funded 100 trips with $45,000

Smathers FY09-FY11

• Half the trips are to ALA Midwinter and Annual– Midwinter stable, 19-20/year– Annual varies, 28-34-39/year• location matters?

• Half the activities are events other than ALA Midwinter or Annual

Staff surveys

Staff survey: key findings• More $ needed; costs not covered; must travel• Confusion about 3rd trips, requests after Fall• Options and activity levels often not known til

late in FY

Staff survey: key findings• Official Business is mysterious• 52% think early Fall distribution equitable– 34% think post-Fall equitable

Staff survey: key findings• Equitable distribution criteria – base on:– responsibilities, costs, lump sum for all, rank

Dept chairs - observations• Faculty must travel to support T&P

requirements. • Specialized training is needed by faculty and

non-faculty. • Staff feel limited by their interpretation of

current policies.• Increased support needed for continuing

education & activities leading to publications.• Not all grants include travel allocations.

To be resolved

Issues to be resolved

• Define “professional development”– including administrators

• Define “official business”– including process for applying

• Establish expected outcomes from professional development activities

Beyond the basic fund

• Professional Development funding for new hires should be included in offer

• Funding to support activities in sabbaticals or FEOs should be included in proposals

• Dept chairs could have more authority for authorizing activity bumps & vital training

Options to pilot in FY12

Acceptable options must be:

• Equitable•Manageable•Predictable

We will ask if each option seems:

• Good• Acceptable (you can live with it)• Bad

• We won’t pursue an option if majority think it’s bad

All options require:

• Permission/approval from dept chair

• Reimbursement for allowable expenses only

Plan A: Status Quo Plus

• Apply to committee at set intervals– likely Aug 1 and Feb 1

• Increase $ from $415 ave. to ARL $550 ave./trip

• Extra pot for:– activity bumps – extreme expenses • (int’l travel, high registration)

Plan B: Lump Sum (flat allowance)

• Allocate $1100 for all faculty & exempt staff who apply

• Extra pot for:– non-exempt staff– activity bumps – extreme expenses (int’l travel, high registration)

Plan C: Average $ per activity

• Allocate $500 / $1000 / $1500 for 1/2/3 activities by faculty & exempt staff– precise $ can be adjusted among events

• Extra pot for:– non-exempt staff– activity bumps – extreme expenses (int’l travel, high registration)

Any other Plan D or Plan E or …?

•Plans must be:– Equitable– Manageable– Predictable

Opinion time

• For each plan:– like it– could live with it– hate it

• Plan A: Status Quo Plus• Plan B: Lump Sum (flat allowance)• Plan C: Average $ per activity• Plan D or E or …

Next steps

• Cost out the acceptable plans• Formally report recommendations