March 5, 2018

Chancellor Rebecca Blank called the meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. with 136 voting members present (109 needed for quorum). Chancellor Blank reported on the addition of public broadcasting to the parts of UW Extension that are returning to Madison, Bucky's Tuition Promise, several high-level searches, campus events during Black History Month, and final statistics on undergraduate applications. Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer Patrick Sims presented the annual State of Diversity and Inclusion address.  There was a question for Vice Provost Sims about what faculty can do to address diversity, a question for Chancellor Blank on graduate student fee structure, a question directed to both about diversity in undergraduate applications, and a statement commending the campus position on high school protests. The Faculty Senate Minutes 2018-02-05 minutes were approved. 

Employee Assistance Office Director Sherry Boeger presented the annual reports for the Ombuds Office (Faculty Document 2726) and the Employee Assistance Office (Faculty Document 2727). There was one question about the handling of graduate student visitors, to which Ombud and Professor Emeritus Chuck Snowden responded. 

Professor Anja Wanner (University Committee, District 120) presented Faculty Document 2728, which proposes modifications to the charge of the Campus Diversity and Climate Committee (CDCC), for a first reading. The current CDCC charge reflects a time before the Division of Diversity, Equity, & Educational Achievement (DDEEA) was created as the administrative office for diversity and inclusion on campus; the proposed changes are intended to make the CDCC parallel other shared governance committees. Professor Wanner presented Faculty Document 2729, which proposes the creation of a new committee addressing access and accommodation, for a first reading. The new Committee on Disability Access and Inclusion (CDAI) would roll together the functions of a number of other committees, expand and rationalize their charge, and connect shared governance with the campus ADA Coordinator in the Office of Compliance. There were no questions or comments on either first reading.

Associate Professor Noah Weeth Feinstein (Community & Environmental Sociology, District 18) and member, Committee on Committees) presented the report on nominations for election to the divisional committees and the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee (GFEC) (Faculty Document 2730). Chancellor Blank noted that Prof. Feinstein's report, combined with his report from the previous Senate meeting (Faculty document 2722), constitute the full slates for election this year. She called for nominations from the floor and received none. Prof. Wanner presented information on senate electoral districts (Faculty Document 2731), noting that the new apportionment combines two districts to reflect the merger of Landscape Architecture and Urban & Regional Planning into Planning & Landscape Architecture (District 22), moves History of Science from its old district with Medical History & Bioethics and folds it into History (District 60), and increases the overall number of senators by one.

Professor Wanner presented a proposal to clarify the language of FPP 3.05.H. regarding the role of academic staff on graduate student committees (Faculty Document 2700) for a first reading. There were two comments, which will be considered prior to this item being brought up for a vote. Professor Chad Goldberg (Sociology, District 71) moved to suspend the orders of the day and immediately take up agenda item 14. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Prof. Goldberg moved adoption of Faculty Document 2734, a resolution calling on President Ray Cross to reaffirm commitment to shared governance. The motion was seconded. Professor Ruth Litovsky (University Committee, District 120) moved modification of the second clause of the resolution as follows:

WHEREAS a history of repeated injuries impelled the UW-Madison Faculty Senate on May 2, 2016, to declared no confidence in President Cross and the Board of Regents and to called on them to "recommit themselves to the Wisconsin Idea" by "working with us to strengthen the quality of our state universities" which led to an unprecedented wave of no-confidence votes across the UW System;

The amendment passed by voice vote. Prof. Litovsky moved modification of the "resolved" clause as follows.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Faculty Senate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison hereby demands expects that President Cross to honor his earlier pledge to protect and respect shared governance in all relevant administrative decisions regarding the UW System and its campuses, and that he outline specific policies and practices for including faculty, staff, and students in meaningful shared governance at the System level, in a manner that respects and supports the contributions of all members of the University of Wisconsin System in guiding its decisions.

Following a couple of objections to the word "expects," Prof. Litovsky modified her amendment to replace "expects" with "calls upon." There was no objection to this change, which was thus adopted by consent. There was one comment against the amendment. The amendment passed by a show of hands. Professor Thomas O'Guinn (Business, District 24) moved adoption of a second "resolved" clause as follows.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on UW-Madison faculty to uphold our right to shared governance, and affirm our duty to speak, act, and govern.

The motion was seconded. Assistant Professor Peter Adamczyk (Mechanical Engineering, District 39) proposed changing "we call" to "the Faculty Senate calls." There was no objection to this change, which was thus adopted by consent. The amendment passed by voice vote. The resolution as amended passed by voice vote.

Prof. Wanner moved adoption of Faculty Document 2723, which makes several changes to Faculty Policies & Procedures Chapter 4 intended to clarify and simplify divisional membership, bring FPP in line with practice on some points, and modify practice on other points, for a first reading. The motion passed by voice vote. Prof. Wanner presented Faculty Document 2732, a proposal to make the chancellor's Advisory Council on Immigration and International Student Issues into a standing shared governance committee for student and staff, for a first reading. The chair of the advisory committee, Associate Professor Cindy I-Fen Cheng (History) spoke to the proposal. Prof. Wanner presented Faculty Document 2733, which contains a number of updates and clarifications to FPP Chapter 6, for a first reading. There were several comments, which will be incorporated into the document prior to a vote next month.

Chancellor Blank adjourned the meeting at 4:54 p.m.

Steven K. Smith

Secretary of the Faculty