ULSAC will have their first meeting of the spring semester on Thursday, January 28th from 5-6pm.
What is ULSAC?
ULSAC is a dedicated group of student leaders who work with Library Administrators to advocate for student concerns. The first thirty minutes of each ULSAC meeting is dedicated to providing all students with an opportunity to talk about their ideas regarding the Libraries.
ULSAC hosts an open forum at the beginning of each meeting and if you are a Mizzou student who has feedback about the Libraries and the ways their services can be enhanced, please join us on Thursday. Here is the zoom link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/s/97029318646
For more information about ULSAC and for meeting dates for the rest of the semester, click here.
“It feels cliché to say, but it’s the truth. Not only is our campus absolutely gorgeous, the people that are there make you feel as though you can succeed the moment you meet them.” As an electrical engineering student, he knew the non-traditional path to medical school he chose wouldn’t be easy, but Mizzou offered him the resources in order to follow his dream and excel right from the beginning.
These days, you can find Alex, like many engineering students, in the Engineering Library, a place he credits as being instrumental to his success as a Mizzou student. The library offers invaluable collaborative space for students studying various engineering specialties and resources on cutting edge innovation in the field.
“My favorite thing about the Engineering Library is the space it provides to engineering students near our classes, peers, and professors. Although the Lafferre renovation has provided more study rooms, they are always occupied, and often not even by engineering students. The library allows students to study individually, work on a group project, or prepare for an exam with friends. As engineering spans a wide range of topics, everyone working in the same place is helpful when there are assignments requiring the intersection of multiple engineering disciplines.”
Through his regular library use, Alex became passionate about the libraries, ultimately serving as the 2016-2017 chair of the University Libraries Student Advisory Council (ULSAC). As chair, he advocated for students’ resource needs, something he says is vital to any Mizzou student experience. Students know what they need to succeed, and ULSAC wants to make sure student voices are heard.
ULSAC visiting the Kenan Science Library at UNC-Chapel Hill. The council visited the Research Triangle to help inspire the Student Vision Report
Over the past two years, ULSAC has been hard at work collecting data from students, developing a student vision for the library in order to make sure all students, regardless of their involvement or backgrounds, are supported by the University Libraries.
Mizzou is what you make of it, and not only will Alex remember the energy of the Mizzou Vs. Mississippi State football game (his favorite Mizzou memory), he will also remember how personally and academically supportive the Mizzou community was. “I cannot wait to come back to Mizzou one day and see students from other universities’ student library councils touring our libraries to bring back ideas for their schools and I am very thankful for the opportunity to have been the Chair of such an amazing council of student leaders that made this possible.”
In order to better understand what a great academic library is, ULSAC will be sending members to the Research Triangle in North Carolina to collect information that will aid in the creation of the Student Vision Project. Attendees will report back to ULSAC on the great academic libraries at Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina. Their perspective will shape the final draft of the Student Vision Report, which will be used to communicate with stakeholders and administrators on how Mizzou Libraries should best serve student needs moving forward.
Congratulations to the following ULSAC members who have applied and been approved:
Alex Johar (ULSAC Chair, Library Ambassador, former RHA rep)
Billy Donley (Library Ambassador)
Garren Wegener (Library Ambassador, former RHA rep)
Kendal Lynne Lowrey (GPC)
Taylor Tutin (MSA)
There is still one remaining slot. All ULSAC members and Library Ambassadors are encouraged to apply.
The University Libraries Student Advisory Council will be meeting Tuesday, October 4th @ 5pm in Ellis Library meeting room 114A.
This meeting is being held to discuss the recent student demand for increased library hours and funding. Due to the impact of this major issue and the nascent nature of this council, executive or senior leaders of your organizations are encouraged to attend in addition to appointed ULSAC representatives.
Plans for the ULSAC governance document, chair elections, and regular meeting schedule will also be discussed. If you cannot attend, assign a proxy so that your organization’s needs are represented and information from the meeting can be communicated back to your organization.
The University Libraries Student Advisory Council(ULSAC) will have its first meeting of the 2016-2017 academic year on Tuesday, September 13 at 5pm in Ellis Library room 159.
What is ULSAC?
The purpose of an academic library is to support the scholarly needs of students, faculty, and staff. As such, it is important that students have a voice in how their library functions. The University Libraries have established a permanent council of 25 students to serve in an advisory capacity to the Director of University Libraries.
Council Charge
The Council will meet to review the Libraries' annual budget, participate in long range planning, and help create a vision for the university's library system.
The Council will make recommendations to the Director of Libraries regarding plans for space renovation, collection development, services, and technologies.
Council members will report back to their home organizations, helping to improve communication between the libraries and students; and will be informed participants when library issues are discussed in meetings with other campus committees.
Council Members
Member organizations have been selected to balance representation between graduate and undergraduate students, and to include a diversity of student perspectives:
FourFront – 2 representatives
Graduate Professional Council (GPC) – 4 representatives
lnterfraternity Council (lFC) – 2 representatives
Library Ambassadors (LA) – 5 representatives
Legion of Black Collegians (LBC) – 2 representatives
Missouri lnternational Student Council (MISC) – 2 representatives
Missouri Student Association (MSA) – 2 representatives
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) – 2 representatives
Panhellenic Association (PHA) – 2 representatives
Residence Hall Association (RHA) – 2 representatives
Questions about ULSAC?
Please contact Grace Atkins, user engagement librarian and ULSAC coordinator: atkinsge@missouri.edu
Fall 2016 Meeting Agenda
Opening Remarks and Introductions – Autumn McLain, Library Ambassadors
Budget Report & Updates – Ann Riley, Interim Library Director
Usability & User Experience Updates – Grace Atkins, User Engagement Librarian
