Approved Minutes for October 1, 2018          Approved October 8, 2018

UC members present: Amasino (chair), Bowers, Campagnola, Ventura, Warfield, Wolf

Others present: S. Smith, J. Richard, J. Salmon, H. Daniels, C. Springer, M. Mayrl

Chair Rick Amasino called the meeting to order at 1:11 p.m. Terry Warfield reported that the UAPC discussed the new language about department-like bodies as tenure homes and there were no objections to moving forward with clear language in this regard. The minutes of the meeting of September 17, 2018, were approved with a small typographical change. 

Director of Workforce Relations Patrick Sheehan and OHR Director Mark Walters presented and discussed new draft policies on personnel files and reference checks, which will be presented to the BoR later this week and implemented on January 1, 2019. The intent of these policies is to avoid hiring persons with SHSV history and it contains 3 basic elements: SHSV policy violations will be documented, we will inquire about finalists for positions here when recruiting/selecting, and we will share information about violations with prospective employers. Reference checks used to be encouraged, but will now be mandated. Ample discussion ensued about next steps (which will include complete shared governance consultation), possible procedures for implementation, and about impacts on recruitment and hiring. These draft versions will be finalized in coming months and presented in final form at the December BoR meeting. 

Chief Information Officer Lois Brooks described her first 2 months on campus as primarily learning and listening. She outlined 3 groups of emerging themes and issues—mission focus, foundational, and leadership—and explored each in discussion with the UC. Mission focus includes teaching and learning (traditional & non-traditional), research, enterprise business, outreach, and business analytics; foundational IT services are the technical underpinnings, including telecommunications, systems, middleware, and so on; and leadership functions are what the CIO office does: strategy and vision, alignment, relationship management, and so on. It is primarily in this latter category that shared governance, especially the ITC, is critical. Brooks reported that there are plenty of strengths at UW, but also clear areas with work to be done. Discussion was extensive and included cybersecurity, redundancy, new systems, governance, and many other complexities. The UC will meet as needed with the CIO, both in conjunction with the ITC and separately. 

Chief Diversity Officer Patrick Sims updated the UC on the faculty of color reception, which was very well attended, and reminded them of the Diversity Forum (10/31 & 11/1; 11/26-27 for 2nd & 3rd shift). Ample discussion. The UC agreed to replace Steve Ventura on the PROFS Steering Committee with Kirsten Wolf. Chancellor Rebecca Blank called attention to the recently completed Athletic Safety audit [link], which is very thorough and points to several things to be taken care of, but no major issues. Blank also announced that the report she commissioned on computer sciences would be released the day after this meeting [link] and will include a number of recommendations, many of which will involve governance. She also reported on the upcoming BoR meetings, which are occurring at the same time as the WFAA meetings. Also this week: 50th class reunion, another night football game, and the annual shared governance reception. There was much discussion.

Warfield moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss personnel matters. The motion was seconded and passed at 2:46 p.m. The UC selected Brian Ohm as the 4th member for the UWEX-Madison transition issues working group & Warfield to serve as faculty rep on a TTC focus group. The UC considered and approved a leave of absence and temporary conversion of a faculty appointment to academic staff. Ventura’s motion to reconvene in open session was seconded and approved at 2:54 p.m., at which point the meeting was adjourned.