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Section
IV: Programs
SACS Comprehensive Standard for Library and Other Learning Resources
IV-34. The
institution ensures a sufficient number of qualified staff with appropriate
education or experiences both in library or other learning resources to
accomplish the mission of the institution.
JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
Yes, East
Tennessee State University is able to provide a portfolio of evidence
supporting compliance.
STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
East Tennessee State University has chosen the Association
of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Statement on the Terminal
Professional Degree for Academic Librarians as the appropriate standard
for education and training of academic and medical librarians. Determination
of sufficient numbers of staff in ETSU libraries was evaluated by comparison
with peer institutions. Qualifications for and appropriate numbers of
personnel in the ETSU Office of Information Technology were evaluated
in 1997 by a private company specializing in higher education computing
and technology services (Collegis) and now under contract with the university.
For library personnel, the ACRL has determined that
the master's degree in library science from an American Library Association
(ALA)-accredited institution is the appropriate professional degree for
academic and medical librarians. Sherrod Library is currently staffed
by 16 professionals holding either master's degrees in library science
from institutions accredited by ALA or appropriate specialized degrees
in other fields (ETSU Personnel Records). The Sherrod Library
Staffing Plan, developed and approved in 2000, calls for the hiring
of two additional library faculty positions, two reference librarians,
and a systems analyst, which will bring the total number of professional
staff to 21. Sherrod Library also has 26 support staff members, whose
education and qualifications vary according to area of responsibility.
Qualifications for library support staff are appropriate to and described
by particular job descriptions (ETSU Office of Human Resources, Job
Descriptions).
An evaluation of the numbers of qualified staff provided
for Sherrod Library was made by comparisons of numbers and staffing levels
at peer institutions. Comparisons were made following the ACRL standard
that states that in peer evaluation, the library and the university should
agree on a list of institutions with similar missions, goals, and programs
(Standards for University Libraries, Evaluation of Performance, Measuring
Achievement and Forming a Statement of Expectations, ACRL). On this
basis, Sherrod Library chose to compare with institutions recognized by
the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) as peer institutions for ETSU (ETSU
Fact Book, Tennessee Board of Regents Approved Peers). When the ratio
of students and faculty to the number of library professionals at these
institutions is calculated, ETSU ranked seventh among 11 peers. After
implementation of current staffing plan, ETSU will rise to fourth among
these same peers if compared to the same peer data (Peer Comparisons
Staffing Ratios).
The College of Medicine (COM) Library is staffed by
five professionals holding master's degrees in library science from institutions
accredited by ALA and by eight support staff (ETSU Personnel Records).
Of the five professional librarians, two have acquired certification in
the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP), which is
a peer-reviewed professional development and career recognition program
of the Medical Library Association. In evaluating the number of COM library
staff, this library also chose comparisons with peer institutions. Peer
institutions were selected following accepted professional guidelines
(Planning and Evaluation Guidelines for Academic Health Sciences Libraries,
Measuring Performance) and included 17 institutions with health sciences
libraries and/or medical libraries (College of Medicine Peer Institutions).
The COM library ranked 14th of 17th among these
peers (ETSU COM Peer Group Comparison for Library Staffing). However,
eight peers shared the characteristic of having a separate staff dedicated
to a medical library, similar to the arrangement at ETSU. When compared
with a subset of these eight peers, the ETSU COM library ranked fifth.
As stated in other standards, ETSU used a broad definition
of the composition of other learning resources (SACS Standards
IV-32, IV-33). Staffing for the ETSU Office of Information Technology
(OIT) is included here. Characteristics of personnel involved in
student support services are addressed in SACS Standards
II-10 and IV-31. According to a 1997 evaluation
by an outside private company, ETSU's staffing in information technology
is sufficient in both numbers and qualifications of personnel (Collegis
Technology Assessment & Recommendations for ETSU). It was noted
that data from the 2000 Campus Computing Survey indicated that
a ratio based on full-time equivalencies of user population (students,
faculty, and staff) to OIT support staff was less than that found at other
public institutions. However, the definition of support staff used in
this survey was not clearly defined and may be misleading. A comparison
among TBR peer institutions would provide an additional source of documentation
for the adequacy of numbers of qualified information technology staff
at ETSU. Collegis specializes in computing and technology services for
higher education and currently is under contract with ETSU to provide
information technology management services for a five-year period (April
1998-2002; Collegis Contract Executive Summary). The contract's
scope of services (Collegis Contract Executive Summary) includes
the addition of Collegis personnel and the continued educational development
activities for staff. Current strategic goals (Information Technology
Strategic Plan for the Tennessee Board of Regents 2000-2003) include
completion of training plans for information technology professionals
throughout the university by the end of fiscal year 2001-2002.
DOCUMENTATION
SOURCE
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LOCATION
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Association of College and Research Libraries,
Statement on the Terminal Professional Degree for Academic Librarians
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ETSU Office of Information Technology
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Sherrod Library Staffing Plan
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Office of the Dean, Room 417 Sherrod Library
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ETSU Personnel Records, Office of Human
Resources
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Office of Human Resources, 302 Dossett Hall
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ETSU Office of Human Resources, Job Descriptions
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Association of College and Research Libraries,
Standards for University Libraries, Evaluation of Performance,
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ETSU Fact Book, Tennessee Board of Regents
Approved Peers
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ETSU Sherrod Library Peer Comparisons
Staffing Ratios
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Office of the Dean, Room 417 Sherrod Library
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Academy of Health Information Professionals
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Planning and Evaluation Guidelines for
Academic Health Sciences Libraries, Measuring Performance, Joint
Task Force of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Library
Directors and the Medical Library Association Challenge to Action
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Office of the Director, Medical Library, Veterans
Affairs Building 4, Room 2-17
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ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine Peer Institutions
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Office of the Director, Medical Library, Veterans
Affairs Building 4, Room 2-17
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ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine
Peer Group Comparison for Library Staffing
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Office of the Director, Medical Library, Veterans
Affairs Building 4, Room 2-17
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SACS Standard IV-32
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SACS Standard IV-33
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SACS Standard II-10
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SACS Standard IV-31
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2000 Campus Computing Survey
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Office of Academic Technology Support, 309E Dossett
Hall
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Collegis Technology Assessment & Recommendations
for East Tennessee State University
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Office of Information Technology, 308 Dossett
Hall
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Collegis Contract Executive Summary
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ETSU Information Technology Strategic
Plan for the Tennessee Board of Regents 2001-2003
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