Approved 04-06-23

ASEC Minutes

2:00 – 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 30, 2023

53 Bascom Hall

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/93936751067

Members Present: Donna Cole; Tim Dalby; Stephanie Elkins; Alissa Ewer; Julie Hunt Johnson; Stephanie Jones; Mallory Musolf, chair; Lindsey Stoddard Cameron

Guests: David Berland, LaVar Charleston, Heather Daniels, Lesley Fisher, Patrick Kass

The meeting was called to order at 2:02 p.m.

The minutes of March 23 were approved.

General Reports

Mallory Musolf, ASEC Chair, reminded ASEC that the Academic Staff Institute would be held next Tuesday, April 4. She reported on the Provost finalist sessions that are scheduled for April 3 and April 5-7. She and Jake will be attending the shared governance sessions with the finalists.

Jake Smith, Secretary of the Academic Staff, reported that Dean Eric Wilcots has been appointed as Interim Provost and will be starting April 24. The Chancellor’s Office sent its appreciation for ASEC’s letter expressing gratitude for the establishment of the Rebecca M. Blank Center for Public History. This year’s Assembly standing committee elections will launch the week of April 10. Appointees to the Vice Provost for Libraries search were mentioned at the last meeting. The launch of that search will be delayed to late summer/early fall.

Liaison Reports

Alissa Ewer reported on the OVCRGE CASI. They are exploring a CASI newsletter and working on an event for a tour of one of the research centers on campus.

Guest: LaVar Charleston, Chief Diversity Officer

CDO Charleston reported on the status of institution-wide training for staff and faculty on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. He has held listening sessions with various stakeholders. DDEEA is working on a charter now, as well as working with instructional technologists on putting together materials. We are about a year away from implementing anything. ASEC will be consulted to advise and provide feedback.

DDEEA is relaunching its search for the Assistant Vice Provost for DEIB Administration. The hope is to have someone in place by September. The person in this position will oversee the training effort as well as other professional development opportunities in this space. DDEEA is also relaunching a search for an executive director of communications. Additionally, the Division is working with partners to look at assessment for current programs like Leadership Institute.

On the topic of DDEEA’s strategic plan refresh, the recent faculty, staff, and student climate surveys that have been administered will help inform a new iteration of a strategic plan. This will hopefully occur within the next two years. Before Chancellor Blank had transitioned out of her role, CDO Charleston was working with the University Committee chair to assess the progress that had been made on the R.E.E.L. Change Plan. Additionally, schools/colleges/divisions have pivoted to a single survey to synchronize efforts across their respective areas. A potential next step is to put together a committee of faculty, staff, and community members to look at progress and areas of opportunity from the R.E.E.L. Change Plan. CDO Charleston needs to have more conversations with Chancellor Mnookin about her vision in this area before proceeding.

DDEEA convenes diversity leaders in schools/colleges/divisions to share best practices on a monthly basis, wanting to make sure that they have opportunities to collaborate. Some offices outside the Provost Office have also expressed interest in the diversity survey that the schools/colleges/divisions are using. ASEC recommended CASIs as potential strong partners at the school/college/division level for local diversity leaders thinking about how to move the needle.

Guest: Patrick Kass, Director, Campus Transportation Services

Transportation Services has looked at a tiered model of salary-based parking several times over the last fourteen years. Based on the analyses that the unit has conducted, the system we have in place is a more effective model and provides a menu approach, with the reduced cost permit program started early in the pandemic. A new analysis has not been conducted since prior to the pandemic, as campus is still trying to understand trends in flex parking and remote work impacts more broadly.

The reduced cost permit program will continue next year. The salary threshold will increase by 2% ($38,938 or lower). Previously, there was a specific number of permits that would be sold at reduced cost. Now there is automatic qualification based on salary data from OHR. At this time, it will be an annual decision whether to continue the program. As of this fiscal year, the program is centrally funded. Transportation Services also works with individuals on game days for alternative parking options as needed. Afternoon and night rate permits both cost less than the reduced cost program permits. Schools/colleges/divisions still have their own priority ranking systems for parking.

ASEC discussed issues that had been reported with flex parking and those in gated lots being charged fees over the $12 maximum for a full day. Patrick said that he would look into these specific issues. Transportation Services is working to communicate better on all of the variables with the program for over 4500 users, and they have revamped the website with more information and FAQs on the flex program.

Transportation Services will be meeting to discuss the van pool next week. It is their understanding that it is not being shut down. There has been a lot of communication in the last week on the Metro bus service. In April, riders will have the opportunity to use the Metro website to look at their potential routes. Transportation Services is doing as much analysis as it can based on what they can get from the city, including a GIS (geographical information system) analysis on bus pass holders and all UW employees with old routes vs. proposed routes. They found that 93% of employees will have as good or better service, with 7% having somewhat worse service. This is based on where people reside and routes to get to campus, but we do not have route times yet. For example, there may be less stops and less route deviation, but there may be longer walks to bus stops and longer transit times. Transportation Services will work closely with Metro, and staff will be available to help with route planning. The number of buses coming onto campus will increase.

There was no change to the price of the bus pass this fall, and it is uncertain how prices might move in the long term given the Bus Rapid Transit System. Base lot daytime rates are going up 1% next year. Afternoon and evening rates are staying the same.

The city will be getting ready to start work on the Bus Rapid Transit System soon, with road closures and detours throughout Madison. Campus construction won’t be starting until winter, but there will be numerous utility projects happening that will cause a lot of one-way closures. Transportation Services will be putting out a map and working with University Communications to inform the campus community. Along the same lines, Transportation Services is also involved in the West Campus District Plan to make sure they are looking at transportation impacts, including entry and egress points to the west side of campus.

Business

• ASEC Planning Subcommittee Reports

The DEIB group met last week and discussed a proposal for an advisory board for OHR, based on ASEC and the ad hoc committee’s work. They want to catalog campus initiatives and crosswalks from the ad hoc committee and ASEC’s work with the deans. They will also go back to the Nominating Committee as well to discuss greater diversity in shared governance participation.

The Transportation group will meet with Patrick in the future to go more in depth on some of the topics covered today.

• April Assembly Meeting Agenda – for vote

ASEC reviewed the resolution on the Staff Climate Survey. Motion to approve the April Assembly meeting agenda (Stoddard Cameron). Seconded. Approved.

• Topics for Guests

VPFSA: Update on HIB, impacts on the group with provost transition, education for department chairs and directors on HIB; how will her office support deans/directors addressing dissatisfaction and issues stemming from the climate survey; reactions to the morale resolution and how to partner with her office to address those issues; question on ageism and what she hears about it

OHR: ATP and data from ad hoc committee and long-term data tracking; follow-up on ageism discussion and possible next steps; career progression/promotion; communication strategy for TTC Phase 2; paid family leave (how communication will occur on this and benefits writ large; how it will be folded into ATP)

Meeting adjourned at 4:52 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Jake Smith, Secretary of the Academic Staff