1968-1971
Preliminary work. Memos from Library Director Arthur E. Jones, Jr., as well as the librarians to President Oxnam and the University Senate Personnel Policy Committee. The goal was to achieve recognition by the university faculty and the Board of Trustees of librarians as university faculty, to be covered by the evolving university personnel policy, and to be involved in university governance.
April 1971
“Recommendation to the Drew University Senate from the Faculty Personnel Policy Committee: which recommended a supplement to the Faculty Personnel Policy on librarians. On April 23, 1971, the University Senate approved the recommendation of the Faculty Personnel Policy Committee (action 71-4):
“Recognizing that the professional library staff of the University plays an essential role in the educational function and that the service of the Library is directly an educational service, the Supplement provides:
1. That the professional librarians appointed to the Drew University Library shall be members of the UNIVERSITY FACULTY, and
2. That, as such, they are included in and governed by every provision of the Faculty Personnel Policy and the faculty fringe benefit policy...”
January 1972
Senate minutes from January 11, 1972: “President Oxnam’s remarks followed, being very brief and primarily reporting that Senate recommendation 71-4 (23 April 1971) on faculty status for the library professional staff had been discussed by the Board of Trustees Executive Committee and was on the agenda of their nex5t meeting.”
Minutes of combined Executive and Finance Committees of the Board of Trustees, January 18 1972: “Committee approved the supplement to the Drew University Faculty Personnel Policy for library personnel...”
March 1972
Minutes of the University Faculty meeting: “Mr. Jones introduced the members of the University Library professional staff who have become members of the University Faculty by virtue of the action of the Board of Trustees in endorsing the recommendation of the University Senate.”
Various details worked out related to faculty status of librarians.
1975
Governance: Librarian representation on Senate and UPPC, and late on Committee on Faculty.
1976
Straw vote at the University Faculty meeting favored the elimination of the prohibition against tenure and sabbaticals for librarians.
Senate meeting: Changed a paragraph in Faculty Personnel Policy to read “appointment procedures in the University Library shall parallel other faculty appointment procedures and shall involve equivalent consultation and approval by the President of the University.”
1977
Promotion of two librarians, Instructor rank to Librarian, Assistant Professor rank, following guidelines in Faculty Personnel Policy.
1981-1982
Revision of criteria for promotion in rank and titles (e.g. “Assistant Librarian”, in place of “Librarian, Assistant Professor.”) Approved by the University Senate September 23, 1981 and by the Board of Trustees in the fall of 1981, becoming official in the spring of 1982.
Reaffirmation by Governance Committee of Senate, March 19, 1982, of faculty status for professional librarians as “an appropriate recognition of their vital role in the academic programs of the schools, their advanced training, and the instructional component in their overall services.”
1982-1995
Continued successful functioning under existing status and policy.