Guidelines & Responsibilities

Contents

  1. Committee Member Responsibilities
  2. Committee Chair Responsibilities
  3. Department Chair Responsibilities

Committee Member Responsibilities

In addition to specific roles required by membership on individual committees, members of CUNY Libraries’ committees are expected to actively participate in the work of the committee, provide thoughtful input to committee deliberations, and focus on the best interests of the University and its constituencies.

Appointment

Members are appointed annually by their department chair and may serve multiple terms. Representative committees, with one person from each campus, should also have a backup member who attends in the absence of a primary member. Because meetings can occur virtually and space may not be a consideration, most committees can have as many members, from campuses and from the Office of Library Services, as committee and department chairs deem useful and necessary.

Members should

  • Review all relevant material before committee meetings
  • Attend committee meetings and voice objective opinions on issues
  • Pay attention to University activities that affect or are affected by the committee's work
  • Support the efforts of the committee chair and carry out individual assignments made by the chair
  • Work as part of the committee to ensure that the committee's work and recommendations are in keeping with the general University mission and goals
  • Share information and decisions back to campus colleagues

Committee Chair Responsibilities

In addition to specific roles required by the activities of individual committees, chairs of CUNY Libraries’ committees are expected to guide their committee and work with members to develop necessary work plans and meeting agendas.

Appointment

Unless otherwise indicated by the University Dean of Libraries, each committee shall have two chairs: a permanent Office of Library Services co-chair and a rotating campus co-chair. The Office of Library Services co-chair will be the unit member whose primary job responsibility most closely aligns with the committee’s charge. The other co-chair is elected by the committee from its representatives at the beginning of each academic year. Previous chairs are eligible to run for re-election.

Chairs should

  • Review reports of committee meetings before their distribution
  • Lead discussion around and sharing of best practices

Structuring the Meeting

  • Meetings should be held at least once a semester but can be held as often as deemed necessary by the committee.
  • Meetings may be held in-person or online.
  • Chairs should provide an agenda with the beginning and ending times for the meeting and the topics to be discussed. Ideally this will go out a few days before the meeting, with committee members encouraged to submit topics.
  • Sequence agenda items thoughtfully. Start the meeting with topics that will unify the committee, and with topics that will require mental energy, creativity, and clear thinking. Do not put difficult topics back-to-back. 
  • Provide at least minimal written background information or context for each agenda item.
  • Indicate whether the item is for discussion only or if action is expected.
  • Identify the person who is presenting each item.

Facilitating the Meeting

  • The committee belongs to the CUNY Libraries, not to the chairs: the chairs’ primary role is as facilitators.
  • Guide, mediate, probe, and stimulate discussion. Monitor talkative members and draw out silent ones.
  • Encourage a clash of ideas, but not of personalities. If emotions run high over a difficult issue, return the floor to a neutral person, seek a purely factual answer, or take a break.
  • Keep discussions on track; periodically re-state the issue and the goal of the discussion.
  • In moving toward a decision, call on the least senior or vocal members first to express their views. Discussions tend to close down after senior members express strong views.
  • Seek consensus; unanimity is not required.
  • Announce the results of actions taken and explain the follow-up to be taken and by whom.

Written Report of Committee Meeting

  • Include the date, time, and place of the meeting. Note the name of the chairs, members present and absent, and other key people in attendance.
  • Note all formal motions and report on passage or defeat.
  • Note all decisions reached, including motions passed and follow-up actions to be taken, with deadlines for implementation.
  • Include a brief summary of discussions. Do not attribute comments to members except possibly where formal motions are introduced.
  • Provide information on the time and place of the next meeting.
  • Meeting reports should be prepared as soon as possible (and within 30 days) after the meeting. They may be shared with the committee with a request that members contact the chair or minute-taker if errors are noted.
  • Share approved minutes with the Office of Library Services administrative designee for public posting.

Department Chair Responsibilities

CUNY Libraries’ committees are made up of faculty and staff from around the CUNY Libraries. Because they have on-campus responsibilities, the department chair plays an important role in helping members balance their CUNY and campus obligations.

Department chairs should

  • Provide time for person to be a productive committee member
  • Assess performance each year (Is this person the best person to be on this committee?)
  • Consider committee perspectives (Would the committee benefit from the point-of-view of a different part of the Library?)
  • Integrate committee responsibilities into annual goal planning and frame this work for College tenure and promotion committees.