Close Up
Kiedrowski leads UB professional staff
Janiece Kiedrowski originally got involved with the Professional Staff Senate to get a clearer vision of “the big picture” at UB. Photo: NANCY J. PARISI
She always heard that UB was THE big thing in Western New York, the place to aspire to. When she had the opportunity to join the Arts and Sciences Libraries staff here 11 years ago, Janiece Kiedrowski was thrilled. As she began to grow into her job here, she remained in awe of UB’s size—so much so that she wanted to gain a perspective on the university.
And so Kiedrowski joined the Professional Staff Senate (PSS), the governance body for UB professional staff, to get a clearer vision of “the big picture.” She started as part of a committee, advanced to a committee chair, PSS vice chair and was elected chair of the senate in July 2007.
“I love the experience,” she says. “It’s all about the networking, as far as my opportunity to meet with the administration and Faculty Senate. I get involved with key committees on issues like wellness, diversity or student life. Those committees try to get a pulse on what’s important to the professionals.”
Kiedrowski is a prime coordinator of the monthly meetings of the PSS in the Center for Tomorrow. She is particularly proud of the fact that PSS membership has grown under her chairmanship and attendance at the meetings is up by 50 percent. The meetings attract some of the biggest UB names as guest speakers.
“This year we are trying to make the meetings more of a conversation rather than having a speaker speaking at us,” she says. “I try to have a feel about what’s going on and what I should have people addressing. The president and provost have made a commitment every year to come and meet with us. That works out really well, with lots of questions. At executive committee meetings each month, I will arrange for a speaker that usually results in a lively enough conversation that I have to act as moderator because there are so many questions.”
Serving with Kiedrowski are vice chair Ann Marie Landel and secretary Kathleen Kielar. “We plan as a team, as a think tank,” Kiedrowski explains. “It’s not just all about me; it’s about where the team should go. I think the team has been fairly good in setting the right direction. We’ve had a good relationship with the administration and it has improved. There are times when they call to meet with us and ask our opinions on issues, as well as our involvement with initiatives.”
Kiedrowski has honed her management skills as circulation manager for the University Libraries, overseeing four circulation desks with a staff and ever-changing teams of student assistants. “Our biggest challenge is trying to provide a high level of customer service,” she says, “To put it in perspective, throughout the day we may be dealing with 9,000 students at our Capen library. With a 24/7 operation, that’s a lot of hours and a lot of service to be accountable for.”
Born and raised in North Tonawanda in a family with four brothers, Kiedrowski originally had a different vocational desire. “I aspired to be an executive secretary and I thought that was as far as I was going to make it. But somewhere along the line, I thought I could do more than that. I was one of those continuing ed people. It took me eight years to get an undergraduate (degree). Then I went to an accelerated MBA and got that in two years. It then took a few more years to get my library degree here.”
Kiedrowski became a circulation manager two years after joining the library. “When I came to the state job, you think it’s so big that you’re narrowed down to a certain function. But the scope of my daily tasks is interesting and challenging enough that it suits my needs,” she says.
Between her job and her PSS responsibilities, Kiedrowski has a full UB plate. The PSS connection appears to round out her university experience. “If I can increase the level of participation to professionals, that’s my goal,” says the chair. “It’s nice when the administration on occasion comes to the professionals because they know that they’re doers. They know we’re the glue. They know they can come to us and we’ll get the work done and get some participation.”
The PSS has affected her life in another way as well. She connected with her fiancé, Mike Jankowski, associate director of alumni relations, at a PSS meeting. “That’s a different aspect of my life. He’s involved in a lot of the chapter programs, going out of town either to a meeting or hosting an event. On occasion, I go with him and have a different aspect of UB on the road. When you attend a function and you have UB in common, it’s an awesome connection. UB holds fond memories for thousands of alums,” she relates. “It only reiterates that it’s great to work here and be a part of the UB community, for him and for me.”
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