·      Jeff Shokler, ASEC Chair: Jeff received an email from David Gardner, new ASM chair who will meet with ASEC on June 27.  Heather Daniels requested that Jeff ask about the status of the Ad Hoc Diversity Plan at the next chairs’ chat. Jeff also consulted ASEC about scheduling Chancellor Blank for September or October Academic Staff Assembly. The election for ASEC chair and vice-chair scheduling was discussed and ASEC will hold elections at the June 20 meeting.   

·      Jo Ann Carr, Interim Secretary of the Academic Staff: Office priorities for the remainder of the fiscal year are to assist PDRC in revising their online system, work with the Communications Committee is soliciting estimates for website reorganization, prepare for the new Secretary of the Academic Staff, and begin preparations for 2013-2014.

·      Heather Daniels and Denny Hackel, HR Design Advisory Committee: The HR Design Advisory Committee discussed the policy documents distributed by OHR and the ability to appeal the evaluation process. Faculty and academic staff can take to grievance. Heather also updated ASEC on the work of the Titling Work Group.

·      Heather McFadden: Updated ASEC on the work of the Ad Hoc Diversity Plan Committee.

·      Erin Silva: Educational Innovations (EI) will be discussing the integration of research and instruction. The Division of Continuing Studies presented a paper looking at distance education courses and discussed a potential for funds for classroom renovation. ASEC encouraged EI to work with some of the presentations at the Teaching and Learning Symposium.

·      Jeff: Academic Planning Council discussion of the College of the Arts proposal has been postponed. 

Provost Update: The Provost expressed concern about the continuing impact of the budget balance on the decisions of the Joint Finance Committee and concern about the basis of data for the faculty salary comparison chart being used by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. F. Fleming Crim Jr., a professor in Chemistry, has now taken a position at the National Science Foundation overseeing budget. Office of Science and Technology also has a senior faculty from the UW Madison. ASEC asked about sequestration, and Paul responded that the CIC is working on this. The Pharmacy Dean search will be reinvigorated in the fall.

Guest: Steve Lund: Steve distributed, and ASEC discussed draft HR Program Policy documents 11, 12 and 14 based on the proposed language in the Governor’s budget bill. If the budget language does not survive then the Regents and the Chancellor would be required to bring proposed pay plans to JoCER for approval and would not have the ability to do supplemental pay plans.  Discussed draft for parameters for pay plan and ASEC suggested some changes in wording. ASEC recommended referring to ASPP and FPP rather than quoting these documents.  

Guest: Kate VandenBosch, Dean, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences: Dean VandenBosch asked about academic staff governance structure and the opportunity for all employee groups to come together in governance.  The Dean also asked about the degree of agreement on issues among the governance groups.  The Dean then discussed the involvement of academic staff at the College level. ASEC asked how service can become a higher issue among the Deans and whether a letter from the Deans expressing their support for academic staff involvement in governance. The Dean described her experience of a policy from UW Minnesota regarding the development of a policy regarding the importance of involvement for the good of the university. ASEC also asked about the issue of sustainability and if this is being tracked and manifested in CALS. CALS CASI largest concerns in the last year have been compensation and the challenge of salary caps rather than workload. ASEC indicated that clarity on the role of the CASI and how to interface with CALS leadership is important. CALS ASEC members commented on the improvements in CALS including the impact of eCALS given the different communication flows within specific departments. CASI feels that the have been provided with lot of information and work well. The Dean also asked about the major issues for academic staff governance in the coming year. ASEC identified HR design, salary caps, multiple roles, academic staff engagement in governance, transportation issues, and the diversity plan.  

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIR REPORTS

Mentoring Committee – Dija Selimi/Brenda Spychalla: The Committee provided a written report. They have just submitted the new survey for 2013-2014 to solicit mentors/mentees and plan on starting matches in mid-June. They will report the results of their satisfaction survey in September.

The meeting adjourned at 4:27 p.m.

Submitted by Jo Ann Carr, Interim Secretary of the Academic Staff.