Minutes for April 1, 2024

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. with 144 voting members present (103 needed for quorum). Memorial resolution were offered for Professor Emerita Margaret Andreasen (Faculty Document 3150), Professor Emeritus Marshall Cook (Fac doc 3151), Professor Emerita Jeanette Ross (Fac doc 3152), Professor Emeritus Blair deWillis Savage (Fac doc 3153), and Professor Emeritus Harold Scheub (Fac doc 3154).

The 2024 Hilldale Awards were presented to four faculty members representing each of the four divisions: Arts and Humanities Division: Professor Anja Wanner (English), Biological Sciences Division: Professor Robert Landick (Biochemistry), Physical Sciences Division: Professor Robert Hamers (Chemistry), Social Sciences Division: Professor Dietram Scheufele (Life Sciences Communication.

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced that information about paid parental leave programs at UW–Madison and other campuses within the Universities of Wisconsin will be shared at the meeting of the Board of Regents held on April 4 and 5, 2024. The members of the Faculty Senate applauded. UW–Madison’s program will cover employees, including most graduate student employees. Given UW–Madison’s over $2 billion payroll, it will not be expensive to implement, costing about $500,000 a year. The policy will provide six weeks of paid leave taken within the first twelve months following the birth or adoption of a child. The program will take effect on July 1, 2024.  

The Regents will also be considering an undergraduate tuition increase of 3.75% for Wisconsin residents across all Universities of Wisconsin campuses for the 2024-25 academic year. Full time undergraduate resident tuition and fees for UW–Madison will be $11,604. Students participating in university programs covering tuition expenses like Bucky’s Tuition Promise or Bucky’s Pell Pathway will be held harmless. UW System President Jay Rothman will be launching an affordability review this fall to look broadly at keeping UW institutions competitive and affordable.

Estimated graduate student minimum stipends for future years were released in a memo earlier this spring, which will allow faculty and departments to plan for increases. Stipend minimums for 2024-25 will go up 14%. The year after, a 10% raise is proposed followed by two 5% increases. The stipends were forecast using data including cost of living in Madison, cost of graduate student attendance (including segregated fees), and the competitive market for graduate students. To help faculty adjust to the large increase in the next academic year, campus is considering bridge funding. In addition to stipends, graduate assistant appointments at 33.3% and above, as well as internal fellowship appointments, also receive tuition remission and access to low-cost state group health plans with reduced out-of-pocket premiums with an annual contribution the university provides. The Graduate School is also looking at how to make mentorship/menteeship training widely available for both faculty and graduate students.

UW–Madison will be receiving more than $56 million in new funding for research initiatives from two bipartisan federal appropriation bills passed last week. The bills’ passage allows campus to continue research in several high-demand areas, including the social and economic vitality of rural communities, and next-generation energy development.

The thirteen distinguished teaching award winners for 2024 were recognized. They will be celebrated at a ceremony on April 16, 2024.

Jonathan Levine, a professor of veterinary neurology and the head of small animal clinical sciences at Texas A&M University, has been selected as the next leader of the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. He will step into the role on August 1, 2024. Searches are in process for the vice chancellor for research, the School of Education dean, the School of Medicine and Public Health dean, and the vice chancellor for university relations.

Reverend Dr. Alexander Gee, a nationally recognized community leader and alum, will be given an honorary degree at the May 10, 2024, commencement ceremony. He launched the Justified Anger Coalition in 2013, a movement that helped to mobilize the Madison community to address long-standing racial inequalities. Among many other notable activities, the coalition has educated thousands of people about African American history through one if its hallmark initiatives, a series of highly successful community classes called Black History for a New Day, taught in tandem with UW–Madison faculty.

Meghan Duggan, a three-time Olympic medalist and UW–Madison alum, will serve as the speaker at the May 11, 2024, commencement ceremony. She is currently breaking new ground as the director of player development for the New Jersey Devils, one of only a few women in hockey operations roles in the National Hockey League.

Professor Susan Thibeault, University Committee chair, shared that the University Committee, Provost’s Office and Registrar’s Office are moving forward to collect data regarding final exam room usage and schedules, through a survey to instructors.

There were no questions during the question period.

The following items were approved by consent: 1) the minutes of the March 4, 2024 meeting, 2) a proposal to standardize membership information in Faculty Policies and Procedures 6.28 Campus Planning Committee (Faculty Document 3155), 3) a proposal to standardize membership information in Faculty Policies and Procedures 6.59 University Research Council (Faculty Document 3156), and 4) a proposal to amend Faculty Policies & Procedures 6.47 Officer Education Committee to allow a designee for the provost and to clarify the ex officio seats (Faculty Document 3157).

Professor John Mackay (Philosophy, district 66) presented the Immigration and International Issues Committee annual report for 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 (Faculty Document 3158). There were no questions on this report.

Professor Annie Jones, University Committee member, moved approval to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures 1.02 to clarify the use and purpose of the faculty instructor rank (Faculty Document 3149). The motion was approved.

Professor Ellen Zweibel, University Committee member, moved approval of a resolution in recognition of the 175th anniversary of the University of Wisconsin–Madison (Faculty Document 3159). The motion was approved.

Professor Susan Thibeault, University Committee chair, presented a first reading of a proposal to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures 1.03 to clarify the commissioned military officer ranks with university faculty status (Faculty Document 3160).

Professor Michael Bernard-Donals, University Committee member, presented a first reading of a proposal to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures chapter 2 to indicate whether deadlines are calculated using calendar days or business days (Faculty Document 3161).

Professor Li Chiao-Ping, University Committee member, presented a first reading of a proposal to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures 6.04 to clarify that the scope of search and screen committees is academic vice chancellors/provosts and college/school deans, as opposed to search and screen committees of all facets on campus (Faculty Document 3162).

Professor Fernando Tejedo-Herrero, University Committee member, presented a first reading of a proposal to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures chapter 6 to move the faculty seat appointing authority from the Divisional Executive Committees to the Committee on Committees or University Committee, to align policy with practice and to align committee expertise (Faculty Document 3163).

A vote on all of the first reading items is anticipated at the May Faculty Senate meeting.

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin adjourned the meeting at 4:32 p.m.