Minutes for April 29, 2024

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Li, Tejedo-Herrero, Thibeault, Zweibel
Others present: Michelle Felber and Julie Scharm

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

Interim Vice Chancellor for Research shared that Kim Moreland retired this month from her position as director of RSP (Research and Sponsored Programs). Mark Sweet is serving as the interim director. External reviews of RSP found understaffing that was contributing to some issues. RSP has been doing some more hiring and working on a strategic staffing plan including roles and responsibilities. 

The area of contracting is still a challenge, and workloads are high compared to our peers. RSP also has a lot of preparation to do to be ready for Workday implementation. 

There are several research center director searches underway including for the Primate Center, Arboretum and WIPAC. The Research Forward grant applications are in the final stage of selection and named professorships are under review. The research core revitalization grant submissions are also in the review stage. 

NIH recently announced new stipend rates for postdoctoral fellows. This is in addition to the new FLSA rule that will go into effect this summer raising the salary threshold for FLSA exempt work. Both changes put pressure on research grants in different ways. The postdoctoral fellow stipend rates create salary compression issues with some employees serving in researcher or scientist positions. Some research positions which are FLSA exempt now may change to hourly positions with the FLSA rule change. 

Li 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 and appointments at 1:22 pm. One leave of absence and tenure clock extension were approved.

Bernard-Donals motioned to reconvene in open session at 1:46 pm. It was seconded and approved. 

The minutes from April 22, 2024, were approved by automatic consent.

Stephen Young and JJ Andrews, co-chairs of the Committee on Undergraduate Recruitment, Admissions and Financial Aid (CURAFA), shared their annual report concentrating on three areas: target enrollment, FAFSA delays and admission changes. With the delay in FAFSA information from the federal government, UW-Madison delayed the admitted student deposit deadline to May 15. The committee recommends a study of the impacts of the revised FAFSA and subsequent delays. In the area of admissions, the committee looked at changes due to the SCOTUS decision, automatic admissions law passed by the legislature and test optional admissions. Regarding target enrollment numbers, the target has increased 22% over the last six years. The committee discussed capacity of campus resources for entering students like housing and dining and recommended a lower target number. 

The University Committee agreed to sign on to a thank you letter with the Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) regarding parental leave. 
Morton Gernsbacher, chair of the Committee on Committees, shared that the committee is charged with putting together election slates and making many committee appointments. Two members of the University Committee serve on the committee. She referenced a Nature paper which showed data that academics were cutting back on their work and serving on committees was one of the three top things they were cutting back on. The committee has started asking about service on committees that are difficult to fill first and strive for diversity, acknowledging that they are often asked to do more service than other individuals.

Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, John Zumbrunnen, shared information about the RISE implementation. There is a joint operations teams with representatives from schools and college plus campus operations as well as a thought leaders team with has faculty scholars working in the discipline from different schools and colleges. This is also a computing and data working group for the AI program. 

The Faculty Senate agenda for May was reviewed. 

Thibeault adjourned the meeting at 3:16 pm.