Minutes for May 22, 2023

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Papp (chair), Tejedo-Herrero, Zweibel

Others present: Michelle Felber, Lesley Fisher, Charlie Hoslet, Jack O’Meara, Alex Peirce, Jake Smith

Chair Papp called the meeting to order at 1:00pm.

Papp motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss waivers at 1:01pm. One tenure clock extension and one dual role waiver were approved.

Papp motioned to reconvene in open session at 1:08pm. It was seconded and approved.

The minutes from May 8, 2023 were approved by automatic consent.

Jack O’Meara and Michelle Felber, PROFS, discussed the PROFS priorities for the 2023-2025 state budget, including a strong pay plan, more general purpose revenue support, and funding for the Engineering Building and other capital needs.

Bill Karpus, Dean of the Graduate School, discussed 131 degree program reviews and impacts on dual role waivers. Requesting more information on faculty member participation and anticipated dual role waivers in 131 program proposals and requesting faculty member lists in program review self-studies may help both the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee and the University Committee better understand coverage for program instruction, so that the need for dual role waivers can be assessed and anticipated. Dean Karpus will continue to explore this.

Eric Wilcots, Interim Provost, discussed the recent video posted on social media that included racist slurs and sentiments. On May 3, Blk Pwr Coalition members and supporters gathered outside of the Office of the Chancellor in Bascom Hall in protest. The Blk Pwr Coalition submitted a set of requests and Chancellor Mnookin provided a response. Since then, the chancellor and her leadership team met with a group of students and two students spoke at commencement about their experiences as Black students at the university. The chancellor is working to bring together campus and community leaders to continue the conversation.

UW System recently sent a directive to eliminate any requirement for a mandatory diversity statement as part of any written employment application for any position on all system campuses. The Office of Human Resources will soon provide more guidance on this.

Rob Cramer, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, indicated there is continued outreach to the legislature on support for capital needs in the state budget, including the new Engineering Building, replacement of the Camp Randall Sports Center, and restoration of Music Hall. The operating budget will be considered by the Joint Finance Committee in the coming weeks.

West campus district plan open houses will be held on June 20 at 11:00am at the Health Sciences Learning Center and on June 21 at 4:00pm at the Bakke Recreation and Wellbeing Center. The Research Administration Modernization Project will go live on June 26. An employee appreciation ice cream social will be held on June 27 from 1:00pm-2:30pm on Bascom Hill.

Papp adjourned the meeting at 2:50pm.