Approved 09-25-2025

ASEC Minutes

1:00 – 3:30 p.m. Thursday, September 18, 2025

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97365066489?pwd=CJ5rI0F8vQkOv4oQF6z41wOuU49VOi.1

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

Members Absent: Nola Walker

Guests: Sue Fritts and Karen Massetti-Moran

The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m.

The minutes of September 4 were approved.

General Reports

Alissa Ewer, ASEC chair, reported on the ASEC leadership meeting with Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Patrick Sheehan. Alissa shared paid family leave and layoff resources were topics raised by academic staff at the September Assembly meeting.

Mallory Musolf, secretary of the academic staff, reported that a Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) Liaison Toolkit is available in Box to support ASEC member engagement with CASIs across campus.  

Liaison Reports

Diane Stojanovich provided an update on ASEC activities at the Wisconsin Public Media (WPM) CASI. The CASI also discussed the search and screen committee for the executive director of WPM position.

Richard Barajas reported that the Nursing CASI discussed the 10^th annual Native Nations Nursing, Helpers, and Healers Summit scheduled for November 7 from 8am-5pm. The event is open to everyone, and registration is required. For more information, visit the event website at nursing.wisc.edu/native-nations-nursing/.

Convene in Closed Session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to discuss nominations to the Dean of the School of Nursing Search and Screen Committee (Muniz). Seconded. Approved.

Motion to Reconvene in Open Session (Paape). Seconded. Approved.

Business

• Nominations – for vote

Motion to nominate Molly Censky, Sarah Endicott, Diane Farsetta, Mel Freitag, and Katie Pavek to the Dean of the School of Nursing Search and Screen Committee (Paape). Seconded. Approved.

• ASEC subcommittee update

ASEC subcommittees will be amplifying shared governance (Diane, Richard, and Terry Paape), clarifying policy on flexible work arrangements (Aaron Crandall, Hanna Blazel, and Albert Muniz), and reskilling opportunities for academic staff anticipating layoff status (Alissa, Nicole Senter, and Nola Walker). Each subcommittee shared a brief update from its initial meeting. Subcommittees will aim to meet at least monthly, primarily during Assembly weeks, to advance their objectives.

• Draft academic staff governance letter

ASEC agreed to defer action on the letter and revisit the matter following the LinkUW meeting.

Recessed at 2:17 p.m.

Reconvened at 2:29 p.m.

Guest: Karen Massetti-Moran, Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of Human Resources (OHR)

CHRO Sheehan is participating on the Universities of Wisconsin Instructional Employee Teaching Workload Workgroup. Information on the workgroup is available at wisconsin.edu/act-15-workload/. With the transition to Workday, Remote Work Agreements will now be called Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA). FWAs will be processed in Workday. The remote work policy was updated to align with Workday. Our campus is under the position cap. The Madison Budget Office manages the position cap numbers for schools, colleges, and divisions. OHR shared information on layoff data. Layoff Notice letters provide several resources to support impacted employees. OHR is updating its website to simplify layoff information, with a launch expected in the coming weeks.

Business

• October Assembly Agenda

ASEC reviewed the October Assembly agenda. ASEC will vote on the assembly agenda at its meeting on October 2.

• Topics for Guests

Interim Provost: enrollment data; first Amendment/Free Speech and employee discipline

OHR: training for managers; first Amendment/Free Speech and employee discipline

Meeting adjourned at 3:14 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Mallory Musolf, secretary of the academic staff