The role of the Department Heads Group (DHG) is to provide leadership for the Libraries by deliberating on issues brought to the group, making recommendations for action and managing implementation. In all deliberations, the group seeks a common understanding of needs so that organizational direction becomes apparent. 

The DHG has adopted the following groundrules: 

1. Active participation by all members of the group
2. Willingness to bring all issues to the group
3. Appreciate all issues and ideas as important
4. Share all relevant information
5. Test assumptions and inferences; be willing to be challenged and influenced
6. Deliver and respond to statements, questions and actions with respect and consideration
7. Discuss undiscussable issues
8. Explain the reasoning and intent behind statements, questions and actions; use specific examples; agree on what important words mean
9. Focus on interests, not positions
10. Keep discussion focused
11. Patience with the process and with one another
12. Support and accept responsibility for the work of the group
13. Willingness to have fun, find renewal and satisfaction 

The DHG has adopted the following meeting protocols: 

1. Who comprises the group?

• The group is comprised of Department Heads reporting directly to the University Librarian and others selected for their leadership roles.
• In an attempt to build cohesion, no substitutes will be invited to meetings.
• An acting/interim Department Head appointed due to a vacancy is a member of DHG.

2. How often will the group meet, where and how will the meeting be run?

• Department Heads Group (DHG) meets every Wednesday, 9:00 - 11:00 , meetings will not be held if there are no objectives for a particular week; during summer the meetings will be every two weeks or as needed.
• The 2008-2009 meetings will be facilitated by Florence King.
• Margaret Hale will schedule the room for meetings.

3. How will agenda items be set?

• At the end of each meeting the group presents agenda items for upcoming meeting; setting a draft agenda for the next meeting.
• All topics of interest to the group are appropriate for the agenda; do not presume that something is "not" of interest to the group.
• If an issue comes up between meetings that needs to be addressed, contact a member of the Facilitation Group for inclusion on the agenda.
• Final agendas are posted on grapevine by noon on the Monday prior to the Wednesday meeting.
• Agenda items will be identified as to topic and presented as objectives with brief background information as needed.
• DHG determines timelines for the distribution of pertinent documentation for future agenda items at the time the item is proposed for the agenda.
• DHG may identify work groups as needed to address agenda items.
• The Facilitation Group will maintain a master list of the status of agenda items.

4. How are minutes taken, reviewed and distributed?

• The main objective is to post the minutes as quickly as possible but no later than noon the Monday following the meeting.
• Minutes will reflect the general context of an issue, action items and the group's flipchart remarks as recorded by the facilitator. It is expected that library staff take responsibility to seek clarification and ask questions of their Department Head as needed.
• Margaret Hale will take minutes, will seek review by the Facilitation Group and other DHG members as needed, and post according to the schedule.
• In Margaret's absence a member of the Facilitation Group will take minutes, seek review, and post.

5. How do we review/evaluate DHG progress?

• Progress of the group will be reviewed annually, or as needed.

SOURCE: Department Heads Group, February, 2000; updated September 2004