Andy Martinez, Chiaki Mills, and Corinne Suarez also contributed to this report.
The Staff Advisory Committee Town Hall in November aimed to emphasize the importance of staff voices in shaping the committee’s initiatives.
The Staff Advisory Committee (SAC) held a town hall on November 6. The purpose of the event was to emphasize the importance of staff voices in shaping the committee’s initiatives by encouraging participation from the Rutgers University Libraries staff. The committee hopes to amplify staff voices to advise leadership and foster transparency between the Libraries’ units.
Report of the VPUL/UL
Consuella Askew, vice president for university libraries and university librarian, began the meeting with an update on the Libraries’ strategic planning progress. She thanked Tony Nguyen and the faculty and staff who served on the Strategic Goal Writing Task Force for producing a comprehensive report and hosting a town hall. As a next step, the Libraries Leadership Team will take the task force’s recommendations and develop a more refined set of goals, objectives, and activities, along with an accompanying narrative to flesh out the strategic plan.
Askew updated the group on the Libraries’ core services. A small group from the Libraries Leadership Team will develop documents that communicate these core services visually. The team will draft internal documents, which will be used to help inform operational decision-making, as well as external documents for advocacy to stakeholders.
Mary Beth Weber’s work in her new role as coordinator for training and mentorship was also highlighted by Askew. Weber is working with a host of internal and external stakeholders, including SAC leadership, Planning Committee leadership, and the Libraries’ human resources manager, to create and deliver enrichment programming. She’s also charged with launching an internal leadership program, as well as externally focused educational programming that centers the Libraries as the intellectual hub of the university. The University Librarian’s Symposium Series on AI in Higher Education, launched on November 10, is a prime example of this external programming.
Askew concluded her report with her thoughts on how the staff can demonstrate the Libraries’ contributions to the academic and research priorities of the university. She stressed how the SAC has played a vital role in building an inclusive work environment to further these goals.
SAC Overview and Highlights
John Gibson, SAC chair, gave an overview of SAC’s accomplishments for the year. He highlighted the development of the governance foundation, a staff resources page, and an anonymous feedback form. He also mentioned the group’s participation in workforce planning, DEI initiatives, and the AI task force. In addition, the committee is looking to launch mini-town halls, discuss enrichment proposals, and explore mentorship opportunities.
Gibson also acknowledged the work of Secretary Roselyn Riley-Ryan and Ex Officio Hadiyah Sellers.
Standing Committee Reports
The standing committee chairs gave their group reports, highlighting each committee’s key contributions from the staff.
The Governance Committee, led by Tracy Meyer, focused on bylaws, elections, and nomination cycles. The group is now preparing for Spring 2026 elections and is seeking new members to help with the committee.
Andy Martinez of the Communications Committee reported on the workflow development of posting SAC minutes and the creation of a procedural manual. The group’s future goals include content writing and new stories published on the staff website and in The Agenda.
The Enrichment Activities Committee, chaired by Andrew Ruggiero, reported on its goals of promoting wellness, leadership, and professional development. Current projects include safety training, tech learning, and staff recognition.
Ruggiero concluded with some complimentary words for fellow committee member Grace McGarty. Ruggiero talked about how she brings out her best to serve others and that this was a guiding vision of the work of the Enrichment Activities Committee.
Unit Representative Updates
The town hall then moved on to some general updates from the individual units.
Rutgers–Camden, represented by Jennifer Rieber (Robeson Library), asked if anyone with questions or feedback could please reach out to her as the unit representative.
Isaiah Beard from Central acknowledged the work of retiring staff member Renee Clark. She has served in a range of roles in the Technical Services Building (TSB). Working for Rutgers since 1979, she had been in TSB making sure our materials reach our sites and the community we serve.
Rutgers–New Brunswick, represented by Jamey Silverstein (Carr Library/Annex), acknowledged his fellow staff colleagues who, like him, are wearing many hats due to staffing shortages. He provided an update on Douglass Library, where work is in progress to renovate the Media Service Point for use by University Online Education Services.
Video of the full town hall is accessible here:
Staff Advisory Committee Town Hall – November 10, 2025
