SPEC Kit 331: Changing Role of Senior Administrators · 63
administrative staff (though we have successfully moved that away from the dean’s direct oversight). At the same time
the dean does not like too many intervening layers through the organization since it creates genuine communication
problems and a sense of lack of connectedness. Currently, she is leaning towards more department-level units, reporting
to the same number of AULs (4), even though we probably could justify –as we planned for a while and then retracted
– going to 5. It is critical for the AULs to be able to work together as a team and to understand, at a good level of detail,
the workings of all of the divisions and not just their own. Too often one needs to temporarily reassign because of
unexpected vacancies or new projects, and if top-level managers are too siloed, we are very hampered.
Although there have been no major changes since 2007, adjustments have been ongoing. Our organizational chart has
been consistently fluid and representative of our changing environment and user needs.
It’s been necessary for some time to have a senior administrator other than the library director to oversee the day-to-day
workings of the library.
Our libraries have been in a major state of transition during the period surveyed. We have had three deans during
this time, one of whom was an interim. In December 2007, we had a major reorganization that impacted senior
administration and department heads as well as most of our staff. Between 2008 and 2011, we have seen our dean
resign to take another position and retirement of two associate deans. We had an interim dean in 2010/2011 who
retired following the appointment of the new dean. Obviously the transition at the top of our organization has greatly
influenced reporting relationships and we have had four different organizational structures since 2007. So as it
influences the completion of this survey, we may not be a typical example.
Our libraries reorganized away from the traditional branch library model in the late 1990s and brought all research and
instruction librarians under one umbrella AUL. Therefore, significant reorganization had already been achieved by 2007.
The consultants we used for our libraries’ review recommended a few options for reorganization, including one with a
2nd AUL focusing on public services. However, for budgetary reasons we have not created the position, and therefore
proceeded with a different option for reorganization.
The current configuration of senior administrative positions reporting directly to the vice provost is made up of three
kinds of appointments: 1. Associate Vice Provosts (research support, collections, learning) and Directors (centre for
scholarly communication, administration) are held by academic staff with administrative appointments, renewable
following a review every three years 2. Program Director and Technology Officer, Taylor Family Digital Library are held
by academic staff, seconded to these positions throughout the planning and implementation phases of the TFDL 3.
Director, Communications and Development is held by a member of the management and professional staff. Promotion
and tenure requirements for senior administrative positions: Please note: 1. senior administrative positions do not
have separate promotion and tenure requirements 2. our current faculty guidelines have not yet been approved by
the university provost the edition provided as part of the accompanying documentation does not reflect changes in
organizational name and position titles
The dean of libraries is also VP for IT, so academic computing is now a unit within the libraries.
The libraries’ senior administrative team works collaboratively across all programmatic areas to identify opportunities
and challenges and to develop strategic solutions and directions. Special attention is devoted to recruiting and retaining
a highly talented staff.
The members of the executive group (AUL IT, AUL Collections and User Services, Director of Administrative Services,
Director of Development, and Director of Instructional Technology and Academic Services) meet twice weekly with
the university librarian as a group to discuss issues of strategic and operational importance. The group reviews and
contributes to the development of the annual budget. The appointments are not subject to the Librarian Continuing
Appointment and Promotion standards used for librarians in non-senior administration positions in the libraries.
administrative staff (though we have successfully moved that away from the dean’s direct oversight). At the same time
the dean does not like too many intervening layers through the organization since it creates genuine communication
problems and a sense of lack of connectedness. Currently, she is leaning towards more department-level units, reporting
to the same number of AULs (4), even though we probably could justify –as we planned for a while and then retracted
– going to 5. It is critical for the AULs to be able to work together as a team and to understand, at a good level of detail,
the workings of all of the divisions and not just their own. Too often one needs to temporarily reassign because of
unexpected vacancies or new projects, and if top-level managers are too siloed, we are very hampered.
Although there have been no major changes since 2007, adjustments have been ongoing. Our organizational chart has
been consistently fluid and representative of our changing environment and user needs.
It’s been necessary for some time to have a senior administrator other than the library director to oversee the day-to-day
workings of the library.
Our libraries have been in a major state of transition during the period surveyed. We have had three deans during
this time, one of whom was an interim. In December 2007, we had a major reorganization that impacted senior
administration and department heads as well as most of our staff. Between 2008 and 2011, we have seen our dean
resign to take another position and retirement of two associate deans. We had an interim dean in 2010/2011 who
retired following the appointment of the new dean. Obviously the transition at the top of our organization has greatly
influenced reporting relationships and we have had four different organizational structures since 2007. So as it
influences the completion of this survey, we may not be a typical example.
Our libraries reorganized away from the traditional branch library model in the late 1990s and brought all research and
instruction librarians under one umbrella AUL. Therefore, significant reorganization had already been achieved by 2007.
The consultants we used for our libraries’ review recommended a few options for reorganization, including one with a
2nd AUL focusing on public services. However, for budgetary reasons we have not created the position, and therefore
proceeded with a different option for reorganization.
The current configuration of senior administrative positions reporting directly to the vice provost is made up of three
kinds of appointments: 1. Associate Vice Provosts (research support, collections, learning) and Directors (centre for
scholarly communication, administration) are held by academic staff with administrative appointments, renewable
following a review every three years 2. Program Director and Technology Officer, Taylor Family Digital Library are held
by academic staff, seconded to these positions throughout the planning and implementation phases of the TFDL 3.
Director, Communications and Development is held by a member of the management and professional staff. Promotion
and tenure requirements for senior administrative positions: Please note: 1. senior administrative positions do not
have separate promotion and tenure requirements 2. our current faculty guidelines have not yet been approved by
the university provost the edition provided as part of the accompanying documentation does not reflect changes in
organizational name and position titles
The dean of libraries is also VP for IT, so academic computing is now a unit within the libraries.
The libraries’ senior administrative team works collaboratively across all programmatic areas to identify opportunities
and challenges and to develop strategic solutions and directions. Special attention is devoted to recruiting and retaining
a highly talented staff.
The members of the executive group (AUL IT, AUL Collections and User Services, Director of Administrative Services,
Director of Development, and Director of Instructional Technology and Academic Services) meet twice weekly with
the university librarian as a group to discuss issues of strategic and operational importance. The group reviews and
contributes to the development of the annual budget. The appointments are not subject to the Librarian Continuing
Appointment and Promotion standards used for librarians in non-senior administration positions in the libraries.
