Appendix A: Conditions and benefits of Faculty Service: Library
Recruitment of Library Faculty
The selection of individuals to serve on the George Fox University faculty is crucial to the life of the university. In addition to the usual academic qualifications, George Fox library faculty are expected to have a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and daily living that conforms to current Statement of Faith and Community Lifestyle Statement applicable to the Faculty of George Fox University.
Responsibility for negotiating with prospective faculty members lies with the Provost and the Dean of Libraries. The Dean of Libraries reports vacancies, prepares a suggested position announcement for submission to the Provost, and assists in the screening of applicants. The Dean of Libraries answers inquiries and mails position announcements. All vacancies or new positions require a national search, except by permission of the Provost. Search committees are appointed by the Dean of Libraries and should include members from the library faculty and at least one faculty member from outside the library.
Upon the invitation of the Provost, prospective library faculty members may visit the campus to confer with department chairs, search committees, and others as requested, to provide bibliographic instruction, and to become acquainted with the campus and community. A copy of the Faculty Handbook should be made available to prospects. After a search process, the Provost may recommend employment of a prospective library faculty member to the President. The President extends a contract to the person to be employed. This contract becomes an agreement only when it has been signed by both the President and the new library faculty member.
All new library faculty may participate in the faculty orientation program designed to acquaint new faculty members with the expectations of the university.
Guidelines for the Appointment of Full-Time Library Faculty
- The President of the university appoints the full-time library faculty in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Faculty
- Full-time library faculty appointments shall be made only for programs which have been established by the Board of Trustees and for positions which are within the annual budget of the university as established by the Board of
- The university does not discriminate against any candidate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability or any other status to the extent protected by applicable nondiscrimination
NOTE: The use of the phrase "to the extent protected by applicable nondiscrimination law" is the correct statement of the legal obligation of George Fox University. George Fox does not waive its right to assert that nondiscrimination laws are not applicable to a particular situation or alternately that to apply nondiscrimination laws to George Fox in a particular situation would be an unconstitutional infringement of the religious and associational rights of this church-directed institution.
Standards for the Appointment of Library Faculty
Candidates for non-tenure-track positions generally should:
- Have a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and daily living that conforms to the current Statement of Faith and Community Lifestyle Statement applicable to the Faculty of George Fox University.
- Embrace the mission of George Fox University.
- Hold the appropriate degree for the position and/or relevant professional experience.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the integration of Christian faith and learning.
- Have a record of teaching [or training] effectiveness, professionalism and concern for students, other faculty, and community members as persons.
- Demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence and the maintenance of high academic standards.
The Effective Member: A George Fox University Profile
Expectations of All Faculty
- Be committed to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord
- Signify general agreement with and daily living that conforms to the current Statement of Faith and Community Lifestyle Statement applicable to the Faculty of George Fox University
- Support the mission of George Fox University
- Provide evidence of continuing professional development, flexibility and breadth of interests necessary for effective service in a liberal arts university
Expectations of Faculty in Library Positions
Certain positions at the university require unique skills and practices relevant to the specific mission of the department but are not tenure-track and do not require the same commitment to scholarship as tenured and tenure-track positions. To be hired and renewed year by year, library faculty should hold the appropriate degree or credentials; meet expectations as to professional effectiveness, professional development, and fulfill other tasks specified in the contract. Fulfillment of these expectations should be addressed and demonstrated in a Faculty Growth Plan.
Professional Effectiveness As A Librarian
Each librarian is expected to:
- Demonstrate command and knowledge of, and keep up to date in, his or her specialty area(s)
- Fulfill specified responsibilities and planning goals satisfactorily
- Integrate personal Christian faith with work as a professional librarian
- Demonstrate respect and appreciation for students, other faculty, and community members
- Meet the expectations of bibliographic instruction as applicable
Effective librarianship is characterized by the following:
- Self-awareness and adaptation. The librarian needs to be aware of his or her strengths and weaknesses and develop an approach to growth that recognizes
- Demonstrated effectiveness. The effectiveness of the librarian in the areas of responsibility should be demonstrable through administrative evaluation and student learning, where
Professional Development
Each librarian is expected to:
Maintain a breadth of professional growth and be engaged in an ongoing study of new directions in the librarian's specialization of implications for the George Fox University library.
Professional development:
Is necessarily individualized, as each librarian pursues his or her specialty and interacts with other professionals. Patterns of professional growth vary by the nature of assigned responsibilities. Professional growth is demonstrated by the following:
- A clear plan of action. The librarian should be able to describe effectively past and current development activities in his/her field and plans for future
- Continuing high performance. Professional growth is a life-long commitment that is demonstrated by regular contribution to one’s profession and GFU
- Each librarian will need to find the appropriate balance between off-campus involvement and on- campus
- Validation by peers. Results of professional development should be validated by others qualified to judge the work. Evidence of peer acceptance include: Invitations to give conference presentations, published articles or pieces, peer assessment of performance, invitations to provide consulting services, selection to organization offices or committees, or other evidence appropriate to
Service
Librarians are expected to take the opportunity to serve beyond their assignments. Recipients of their service may include their departments, their professional disciplines, the university, the communities in which they live, and the broader Christian church.
Service is variegated. The faculty member may participate in a broad variety of service activities. Some opportunities may be within the faculty member’s academic discipline; others may stand outside the member’s professional expertise.
Service is intentional. Like professional development, service should be planned and intentional. Because, however, service is by nature a response to need, the agenda of specific activities necessarily remains fluid.
Service is documented. The faculty member should document service. Minimally, service activities should be documented by self-reporting; when possible, activities should be documented as well by external confirmation.
Service is sustained. Service is an integral part of the faculty member’s life within her or his communities. Careful documentation, therefore, should reveal a sustained pattern of service.
Clarification: Employment outside the university, continuing education, and career preparation generally are not considered service. Any expectations of such activities contributing to service must be negotiated in advance with the Provost.
Librarian Ranks Defined
For any promotion, generally at least three of the qualifying years of experience should have been at George Fox University. Minimum standards for each rank are as follows.
- Visiting Librarian (appointments at this rank shall have a specified date of termination): A master’s degree from an American Library Association accredited program and specific skills to perform the responsibilities in the job description.
- Assistant Librarian: A master’s degree from an American Library Association accredited program, specific skills to perform the responsibilities in the job description, and ability to demonstrate professional effectiveness.
- Associate Librarian: A master’s degree from American Library Association accredited program, specific skills to perform the responsibilities in the job description, plus five years of full-time experience as Assistant Librarian. An Associate Librarian should demonstrate professional effectiveness as an established and successful librarian, and have a record of significant service to the university, church, and community.
- Senior Librarian: A master’s degree from American Library Association accredited program, specific skills to perform the responsibilities in the job description, plus five years of full-time experience as Associate Librarian. A Senior Librarian should demonstrate professional effectiveness as an established and successful librarian, and give evidence of outstanding service to the university, church, or community.