University Committee Meeting Minutes 2019-06-24
University Committee Meeting Minutes
Minutes approved 07/08/2019Approved Minutes for June 24, 2019 Approved July 8, 2019
UC members present: Halverson
(arrived 1:08), Sandgren, Ventura, Warfield (chair), Wolf
UC member absent: Campagnola
Others present (in addition to those indicated below): S. Smith, J. Richard, M. Felber, H. Daniels, J. Smith, M. Mayrl
Chair Terry Warfield called
the meeting to order at 1:02 p.m. Steve Ventura 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 1:02 p.m. The UC approved a
one-year clock extension and identified some possible committee members for the
ad hoc committee on practice-related titles. Eric Sandgren moved to reconvene
in open session. The motion was seconded and passed at 1:11 p.m.
The UC briefly discussed the
report confirming UW-Madison’s HLC reaccreditation, as well as some BoR scheduling
items. The minutes of the meeting of June 10, 2019, were approved with addition
of a missing “d.” PROFS lobbyist Jack O’Meara reported, among other items, that
JFC passed the UW capital request almost in its entirety, but no action was
taken on bonding authority. Discussion ensued. The UC also discussed shared
governance in general, prompted in part by a document drafted last year by
Sandgren.
Following ample discussion, all present agreed to revisit this topic
periodically over the course of the academic year. Some items are actionable in
the document and others are matters to keep in mind. And the UC discussed the
charge to the two working groups (on promotion to full and on practice-related
titles), suggesting chairs and making some edits, and approved their release
once these changes and updates are finalized.
Interim provost Jim Henderson
introduced himself and explained his history of engagement with faculty
governance. Among the items on his agenda during his “summer job” are looking
broadly at the multiple issues involved with travel visas, working with the
task forces developing guidelines for the new “professor” titles, target of
opportunity hires and retention of underrepresented groups, the new (and first
for UW) online program in personal finance, and monitoring “whole host” of
ongoing matters, including drafting of HIB guidance and disciplinary issues. There
was a good deal of discussion.
Chief Diversity Officer
Patrick Sims discussed the report of the working group on the retention of
faculty from historically underrepresented groups, noting actionable items, links to
data sources, history and context, and more. There was deep discussion. Group
currently working on focused concrete steps for Blank to announce in fall.
Accountability is a key leverage point, along with training, intentionality,
metrics, and much more. Sims in particular highlighted the fact that several
recommendations relate to tenure and promotion, as well as reviews. Developing
ways to incorporate diversity inclusion into these and other practices will be
key and will rely on, inter alia, UC, divisional committees, OSOF, and VPFS.
Chancellor Rebecca Blank
reported on summer activities, including breakfast with alders, receptions for
retirees and for the reaccreditation group, the annual community-university
partnership awards, 30th anniversary of the Allen Centennial gardens,
and more. Blank and the UC discussed the budget, pay plans and other
compensation, exec team annual reviews, and more. She concluded her time with a
discussion about the reaccreditation, particularly the recommendation that
campus/system get bonding authority.
Warfield adjourned the
meeting at 2:56 p.m.