Minutes for September 15, 2025

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Chui, de Leon, Jones, Kendall, Mathieu

Others present: Greg Bump, Michelle Felber, Becky Jacobs, Genevieve Lambert, Sabine Martin, Mallory Musolf, Jen Oasen, Julie Scharm, Landis Varughese

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

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Rob Cramer, indicated the expense report backlog remains. They have hired some additional positions and made reassignments to address the issue. Their goal is to process reports in 8-10 days. Right now the average processing time is more than 20 days. They closed out a second month in Workday that went faster than the first month. They are learning ways to accelerate this process in the future.

LinkUW builds on the Administrative Services Unit in the Office of Human Resources that has centralized some human resources and payroll work. There are six units who will be receiving finance work through LinkUW starting in January (Nelson, Housing, Pharmacy, Div of Teaching and Learning, FP&M, and WEST team). They plan to eventually establish a service catalog with guaranteed milestones in service.

There could be a federal government shutdown at the end of September if there is not a continuing resolution or other budget action. More may be known in the next week due to a pre-scheduled congressional recess towards the end of September. Guidance will be issued if there is a shutdown. A number of appropriation bills under consideration include language about F&A changes being made only with congressional approval or consultation with colleges and universities.

Jennifer Mnookin, chancellor, shared that final enrollment numbers will be available soon. Welcome events went well.

She indicated there is an ongoing investigation regarding vandalism on Library Mall and Bascom Hall last Friday. There are concerns about what Charlie Kirk’s murder will mean for people being willing to speak on campus and what that means for the free exchange of ideas on campuses.

The University Committee discussed the possible move of the Graduate School to WARF with Bill Karpus, Dean of the Graduate School. Members of the University Committee were concerned about further separating the graduate school from leadership in research and the optics of moving a central mission of campus far from central campus. Dean Karpus indicated that the move isn’t final at this point.

Dean Karpus also shared with the University Committee that the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee looked at the proposed changes to GFEC membership, which would cap the number of faculty from the same school/college to 8. They were generally in favor of them.

The minutes from September 8, 2025, were approved with numerous corrections.

The University Committee identified a date/time for a town hall this fall and asked Secretary Daniels to invite Vice Chancellor Rob Cramer to attend and address the new budget approach.

Morton Gernsbacher, chair of the Committee on Honorary Degrees, talked through recent committee changes including a smaller sized committee and altered calendar. This year, the committee had a list of 80 possible candidates. 16 of them were fully considered by the committee with a vote to forward 8 of them to the chancellor. Two or three of those will go to the Faculty Senate in October for approval. A challenge facing the committee is assembling a diverse group of nominees.

Mathieu motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (e) to discuss committee appointments at 2:29 pm.

Bernard-Donals motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to reconvene in open session at 2:42 pm.

Jones adjourned the meeting at 3:54 pm.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, secretary of the faculty.