Approved 9/4/2025

ASEC Minutes

1:00 – 3:30 p.m. Thursday, August 28, 2025

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/95285572667

Members Present: Aaron Crandall, Richard Barajas, Hanna Blazel, Alissa Ewer (chair), Albert Muniz, Terry Paape, Nicole Senter, Diane Stojanovich, Nola Walker

Guests: Rob Cramer, Nick Curtis, Ralph Grunewald, Jen Oasen, John Zumbrunnen

The meeting was called to order at 1:01 p.m.

The minutes of July 24 and August 14 were approved.

General Reports

Alissa Ewer, ASEC chair, reported on this year’s academic leadership summit. Senior Fellow, Ken Goldstein, from the Association of American Universities, presented Public Perceptions: Higher Education and UW–Madison. Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (VCFA) Rob Cramer and Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen requested academic staff recommendations for serving on a campus ad hoc budget working group. ASEC leadership advanced four academic staff names for consideration. Alissa reported on the Budget Approach Coordinating Committee. The campus is in a shadow year, which provides data for schools and colleges to understand potential impacts. Alissa and Secretary of the Academic Staff, Mallory Musolf, discussed LinkUW with Chief Human Resources Officer, Patrick Sheehan and Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance, David Murphy.

Mallory Musolf reminded ASEC that their meetings for the academic year will be held in 53 Bascom Hall beginning September 4. A call will go out soon from the SOAS office for nominations for the Dean of the School of Nursing Search and Screen Committee.

Liaison Reports

Nola Walker reported that the International Division Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) discussed strategies for effectively communicating their role with divisional leadership.

Guest: John Zumbrunnen, Interim Provost

Conversations are underway regarding the possible creation of a new school/college in the computer, data, and information sciences space. Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau was appointed by the chancellor and provost as a special advisor on computing. Through this work, Remzi is exploring the possibility of new school/college focused on computing. Discussions have taken place with the College of Letters & Science. Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research (DAPIR) is conducting work to explore this option. The campus ad hoc workgroup on the instructional workload requirement had their first meeting to process and react to the legislative provisions. Allison La Tarte, vice provost and chief data analytics officer, shared policy and data related to the current instructional workload on campus. The committee will review peer data at the next meeting.

Guest: Rob Cramer, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

Deloitte Consulting was hired to provide strategic financial assessment for campus. They conducted work this spring and a report is being finalized. The report will go before the Board of Regents, likely at the September meeting. Following that time, campus will assess the report recommendations and discuss a way forward. VCFA Cramer and Interim Provost Zumbrunnen are convening an ad hoc budget working group. Their aim is to bring together a broad group of perspectives from across campus.

Motion to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to discuss nominations to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Search and Screen Committee (Crandall). Seconded. Approved.

Motion to reconvene in open session (Crandall). Seconded. Approved

Business

• Nominations – for vote

Motion to nominate Jenna Alsteen, Mari Magler, Angie Rieves, and Steven Wright to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Search and Screen Committee (Walker). Seconded. Approved.

• September Assembly Agenda – for vote

Motion to approve the September Assembly agenda (Senter). Seconded. Approved.

Guests: Ralph Grunewald, Chair, Ad Hoc Student Evaluation of Teaching Policy Committee; Nick Curtis, Assessment Director, Division for Teaching and Learning

Ralph and Nick discussed proposed elements of the draft student evaluation of teaching policy. There will be opportunities for ongoing feedback from the campus community on policy development this semester.

Meeting adjourned at 3:34 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Mallory Musolf, secretary of the academic staff