Approved 11-09-23

ASEC Minutes

1:55 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, November 2, 2023

53 Bascom Hall

https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/93223941305

Members Present: Donna Cole; Stephanie Elkins; Alissa Ewer; Stephanie Jones; Albert Muniz, chair; Terry Paape; Lindsey Stoddard Cameron; Nola Walker

Guests: Cynthia Czajkowski, Jenny Dahlberg, Lesley Fisher, Danielle Gest, Charles Isbell, Chelsea Kettler, Allison Lynch, Emily Reynolds, Zach Smith, Argyle Wade, Scott Wildman

The meeting was called to order at 1:57 p.m.

The minutes of October 19 were approved.

Guest: Cynthia Czajkowski, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education

Interim Vice Chancellor Czajkowski is serving in this role after serving for the last six years as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research in the Biological and Medical Sciences. She reported on our $1.5 billion dollars in research expenditures for the previous year. We are currently #8 in the HERD rankings, and new rankings should be available next month. She also discussed the formation of an ad hoc working group to assess opportunities and roadblocks for academic staff in researcher and scientist titles. She is hoping to charge the group by the end of the month.

One of the research initiatives in progress is the research core revitalization, which is done every other year. These research cores are shared resources that offer a wide range of services to research efforts across campus, and they are often headed by academic staff. The revitalization effort seeks to replace or support upgrades of the equipment in the cores. Awards range from $100,000-$500,000, and applications are due no later than February 23. One stipulation is that the core must be in the campuswide research core directory. Research Forward (formerly UW2020) abstracts are due on November 17, after which they will go to the Associate Vice Chancellors in the different divisions for review. Full proposals will be due on January 24. Interim Vice Chancellor Czajkowski also discussed application processes for permanent principal investigator status and the process for conferral of research professor titles.

Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) lost staff throughout the pandemic and is now almost back to pre-pandemic staffing levels. RSP also has consultants from Huron to help with the RAMP initiative. RSP has been working to onboard new staff, and Interim Vice Chancellor Czajkowski will be meeting with RSP soon. RSP is also working with an outside consultant to begin a high-level assessment of the organizational structure and the work processes for RSP. They will assess what we are doing well, what roadblocks are in place, and how we are doing compared to our peer institutions in terms of staffing and processes. RSP is also working on training modules for RAMP, as well as working with Huron to address issues with the system.

There is a proposal to change the reporting line of the Dean of the Graduate School from the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education to the Provost. This proposal will have a first read at the Faculty Senate on November 6 and a vote on December 11. Interim Vice Chancellor Czajkowski is supportive of this change due to the Graduate School’s involvement in academic affairs, and she discussed the continuing importance of research to graduate education.

There are several OVCRGE centers that have open director positions due to retirements. Interim directors include Christy Remucal for the Aquatic Sciences Center, Abram Becker for Discovery to Product, and Jim Madsen for the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center. Josh Goldman will also serve as the administrative interim director for the Arboretum, and a search is also underway for the director of the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center.

Guest: Charles Isbell, Provost

Provost Isbell reported that Erla P. Heyns has been appointed as the new Vice Provost for Libraries. The searches for the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Dean of the School of Education are also in process. Provost Isbell has met with and charged the Vet Med search committee and will be charging the Education search committee soon. He also discussed the intent to move public presentations as early as possible during the finalists’ visits, and he is looking to maximize involvement between stakeholder groups and finalists.

Provost Isbell has consulted with directors, vice provosts, and deans in thinking about how the Office of the Provost engages across campus. He is working with Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs John Zumbrunnen on the organization of the Provost Office. Provost Isbell will engage with ASEC further on this at a later meeting.

ASEC had asked whether there were other academic staff issues that Provost Isbell had heard about during his onboarding that were distinct from those he had heard about through governance. Provost Isbell reported that issues that had come to him were no different than what he had heard in his conversations with ASEC. He discussed feedback on the use of teaching professor and research professor titles and discussed the possibility of a task force with ASEC to look at these.

Guest: Argyle Wade, Chief of Staff, Division of Student Affairs

Vice Chancellor Reesor was unable to attend ASEC at this time, and so Argyle attended in her stead. He discussed the impact of the somewhat reduced size of this year’s incoming class. When class sizes increased over the last two years, there weren’t necessarily additional resources across the board to manage those numbers. Some units are still reporting increased counseling appointments and increased requests for accommodations. The Bakke Center saw 105,000 visitors in the first two weeks of classes. They have seen a reduction in food service compared to previous years. Overall, however, student services are still seeing increased demand, despite the reduction in incoming freshmen. University Health Services and the McBurney Center have both grown a great deal. Increased awareness and decreased stigmas have led to increased engagement with these resources, and we are seeing similar demand for these services at peer institutions as well.

Student Affairs has been working hard to support students in the wake of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. They have sent direct messages to students from the region or those participating in study abroad programs, and they have also been making students aware of a variety of support resources. Student Affairs staff have been present at protests along with UWPD to ensure safety of those in attendance. The Center for Interfaith Dialogue is a new department within Student Affairs to bring people together of all faith/non-faith backgrounds to promote conversations across difference. Vice Chancellor Reesor has met with a variety of student groups to explain campus engagement and to understand their needs during this time.

General Reports

Albert Muniz, ASEC Chair, acknowledged that it was Native November. He reported on his meeting with Donna, Jake, Lesley, and the standing committee chairs. They discussed priorities for the various committees over this academic year and ways that the committees could collaborate on some initiatives.

Jake Smith, Secretary of the Academic Staff, reported on the lawsuit filed by the Governor against the Legislature for obstruction of several government functions, including the implementation of the pay plan for university employees. Chancellor Mnookin sent communication to campus about the pay plan and included a recent message from President Rothman. Erla P. Heyns has been selected as the new Vice Provost for Libraries. She will start in this position on January 1. ASEC will review nominees for the ad hoc committee on researchers and scientists at its meeting on November 16. There will be an event to celebrate Ho-Chunk banners on Bascom Hall commissioned as part of UW-Madison’s 175th anniversary. This will take place on November 7. The next Workday Walkthrough, which will be on performance reviews, will take place on November 9.

Liaison Reports

Donna Cole reported on the October meeting of the Universities of Wisconsin Reps meeting. President Rothman held a Q&A session with governance reps from all the campuses. He discussed layoffs at some of the campuses and talked about advocacy efforts to ensure passage of the state pay plan for university employees.

Lindsey Stoddard Cameron reported that the Campus Planning Committee heard presentations on projects from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Facilities Planning and Management, and the Wisconsin School of Business.

Business                                

• November Assembly Agenda

ASEC discussed the Resolution for the Creation of an Ad Hoc Committee on Age in the Workplace. Motion to approve the November Assembly Agenda (Cole). Seconded. Approved.

• Topics for Guests

VPFSA: professorial titles, status of HIB working group; question of involvement with RSP issues
DGS/UC Chair: discussion of the proposal to change the reporting line for the Dean of the Graduate School; what concerns have been raised in discussions with stakeholders to date

Meeting adjourned at 4:17 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Jake Smith, Secretary of the Academic Staff