University Committee

Minutes for October 12, 2020

Approved October 26, 2020

 

UC members present: Halverson, Masters, Papp, Sandgren, Tracy, Wolf (chair)

Also present, besides those mentioned below: Michaela Aust, Michael Bernard-Donals, Greg Bump, Michelle Felber, Leslie Fisher, Kevin Jacobson, Kelly Meyerhofer, Pete Miller, Mallory Musolf, Jack O’Meara, Noel Radomski, Bill Tishler, Brian Vaughan

 

Chair Wolf called the meeting to order at 1:30 pm.

 

The minutes for October 5, 2020 were approved by automatic consent.

 

The survey on course modality was distributed. The Secretary of the Faculty is working on a resolution in response to the President’s Executive Order on anti-racism and anti-sexism education.

 

PROFS will send out a statement to all faculty regarding current issues.

 

Bill Karpus, Dean of the Graduate School, indicated that the Graduate School expects to fund 40 applications for a new dissertation completion fellowship for graduate students who expected to graduate in summer or fall of 2020 but delayed because of COVID. The Thanksgiving message sent to undergraduates didn’t address graduate student issues so they are planning to send out a separate message.

 

Provost Karl Scholz indicated that the Registrar’s Office is working on the spring calendar. Courses with 50 or more students will be taught remotely. A decision about smaller classes will be made when the testing protocol is established. Classrooms will be assigned in November and registration will open in late November/early December. In reaction to the federal executive order on diversity education, the University of Iowa announced a temporary moratorium on certain types of training. UW-Madison is studying what the order means with the assistance of the Association of American Universities and the Association of Public Land-grant Universities. Scholz noted that the record-breaking average time to degree is 3.92 years.

 

Peter Miller, chair of the Athletic Board, shared that the chancellors/presidents of the Big Ten made the decision to start the football season. The Big Ten conference set up infrastructure with a COVID-19 subcommittee. The subcommittee set protocols for all conference campuses. Each morning, every member of the team is tested with a quick-result test (15 minutes). If positive, the team member is isolated and given a full regular test. Each institution reports test results daily; there’s a threshold for positive results.

 

The Equity/Diversity and Student Welfare Committee is working with other leaders on campus to develop an Equity and Diversity Council. The council would prepare a plan of action to address social justice issues for student athletes.

 

The annual academic report of student athletes shows 9 UW-Madison sports were in the top 20% graduation rates in the country. The overall average GPA here was the highest in history.

 

The University Committee discussed the issue of remote faculty and directed the Secretary of the Faculty to develop a proposed charge, including policies at other institutions.

 

Tracy moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c)(e) and (f) to discuss issues with competitive implications and a grievance. Seconded. Passed at 3:20 pm.

 

Tracy moved to convene in open session and adjourn which was seconded and passed at 4:26 pm.

 

Submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Faculty