Allocation of GAs

Hi, all – per the information shared at yesterday’s All-Staff Meeting, the University Library will take a “zero-based budgeting” approach to the assignment of Graduate Assistants beginning with FY09. Along with new guidelines for the annual evaluation of Graduate Assistants to be disseminated later this month, this new GA request process will help us to make certain that these valuable human resources are being deployed to their best effect, both for the Library and for the students, and to address the substantial budgetary pressures resulting from campus-wide increases to GA salaries.

Any individual or unit that currently has one or more GAs funded on State funds by the University Library must submit a request to continue that assignment for FY09. Any individual or unit that does not currently have a GA assigned may submit a request for new assignment. Unlike our process in previous years, the fact that you or your unit has a GA assigned for FY08 does not mean that you will have the same allocation for FY09. Precedent will not be a criterion for allocation of GA resources in the future.

GAs funded by units other than the University Library, or through external funding (e.g., gifts, endowment, grants), are not subject for re-assignment, and will be assigned in FY09 according to relevant agreements.

Individuals or units wishing to request GAs for FY09 should provide Rod Allen with the following information by *November 1, 2007*:

  1. Unit requesting GA
  2. GA supervisor(s) for unit
  3. GA allocation requested, in FTE and Head Count, e.g.:Two .25 FTE GA (.5 FTE total)
    One .5 FTE GA, and One .25 FTE GA (.75 FTE total)

    Note: owing to budgetary concerns, Budget Group aims to reduce the GA head count across the Library, i.e., if you wish to request .5 FTE GA time, we would prefer to see a request for one .5 FTE GA, rather than a request for two .25 FTE GAs.

  4. Rationale for allocation, e.g.:
    • what identifiable projects will be conducted or completed by GAs;
    • how will GAs contribute to direct services to users;
    • what operational goals of the Library unit will be met through the work of the GAs;
    • what strategic goals of the University Library will be advanced through the work of the GAs; and
    • how will the responsibilities to be assigned to the GA help to provide a high-quality, pre-professional experience?
  5. Contact information for submission

Please contact Scott Walter if you have any questions about this process. FY09 GA assignments will be announced no later than January 16, 2008 (in order to facilitate the GSLIS admissions process).

Thanks!

slw

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Scott Walter, Ph.D.
Associate University Librarian for Services,
Associate Dean of Libraries, and Professor of Library Administration
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
246E Main Library, MC-522
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
217-333-0318 (voice)
217-244-4358 (FAX)e-mail: swalter@uiuc.edu
URL: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/swalter/www/index.html
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