February 5, 2015
RiceWorks upgrade: Jana Callan visited to share plans for upgrading RiceWorks, the university’s hiring management system. The new version should improve reporting and user interface. Job descriptions will be separate from job postings. Training for Fondren supervisors will take place late February or early March.
FY16 Budget preparation: The group discussed each member’s assigned contributions to the budget narrative Sara Lowman must turn in to the university Budget Office, including budget economies taken this year and both projected economies and needs for FY16.
CMACS activities: A plan was shared for posting in each area answers to the question: What are we working on? A CMACS representative will work with each area. The idea is to balance continued emphasis on existing customer service standards with transparency about current projects.
Concur: The group discussed implementation to date of the university’s new expense management system.
February 12, 2015
Dean’s Council: Sara Lowman reported on the Dean’s Council discussion of a proposed program to bring in more research post-doctoral fellows, with the aim of further enhancing Rice’s research profile. Possible roles for the library in supporting such a program were floated.
President Leebron will be asking the university community to help identify Rice’s next Quality Enhancement Program (QEP). QEPs are connected with the university’s periodic accreditation reviews. Ten years ago, the Center for Civic Engagement (now Center for Civic Leadership) came out of the review process. Two years ago, the Center for Written, Oral and Visual Communication (CWVOC) resulted from a mid-term review, and a new QEP could well continue a focus on communication, with possible collaboration between the library and CWVOC.
New manuscript/archival collection : Fondren is working on acquiring an important archive of manuscripts and letters pertaining to French composer Francis Poulenc.
February 19, 2015
No meeting.