Approved 11-10-25

ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY MEETING MINUTES

272 Bascom Hall

Monday, October 13, 2025

3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.

Memorial Resolution for Heather L. Reese (ASA #855)

Jason Butler presented the memorial resolution for Heather Reese.

Guest: Dorota A. Grejner-Brzezinska, Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR)

VCR Grenjer-Brzezinska recently celebrated her one-year anniversary at UW–Madison and voiced appreciation for the opportunity and support during her first year.

UW–Madison’s Federal Relations website (federalrelations.wisc.edu/for-campus-community/) is the central source for information on federal actions affecting the campus. Campus has a team of experts in Madison and in Washington, D.C. tracking and assessing this very quickly shifting landscape. They are also proactively engaged with key campus stakeholders, including the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation, as well as professional organizations such as the Association of American Universities (AAU) and Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). To date, there are 109 stop work orders and terminations on campus. VCR Grenjer-Brzezinska recognized the hard work of Research and Sponsored Programs staff to support the research enterprise on campus during this time.

Given the current federal funding environment, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research’s (OVCR) 2025 Fall Research Competition will prioritize projects that have experienced or are likely to experience an interruption to or termination of federal funding. The OVCR is also offering a number of initiatives to support research on campus, including the Reimaging Next Phase Research, Research Core Revitalization Program, and Igniting Interdisciplinary Innovation.

The OVCR launched a strategic planning process and hired Urban Impact Advisors to support this effort. The process will focus on the following priorities: anticipating future research needs; envisioning a sustainable research enterprise; and fostering an aligned and impact-oriented culture within the OVCR.

Amy Wendt, associate vice chancellor (AVC) for research in the physical sciences, retired on October 1. Mike Graham, professor of chemical and biological engineering, will serve as interim AVC for research in the physical sciences. Dave Schroeder was named the inaugural Director of National Security Initiatives. This role reports to the VCR and has a dotted line to the Vice Chancellor for University Relations. On November 3, Ricardo Carrion Jr. will assume his new role as the next director of the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. The OVCR is recruiting for the director of security research and export control position.

The Data Science Institute (DSI) is responsible for a new campus-wide effort called the RISE-AI Collaboration HQ. Led by DSI Director Kyle Cranmer, RISE-AI Collaboration HQ will connect new RISE faculty with existing campus networks advancing scholarship in the field of artificial intelligence.

Automatic Consent Business

The Academic Staff Assembly minutes of Monday, September 8, 2025 were approved.

Reports

ASEC Chair Alissa Ewer presented the ASEC report. ASEC is seeking nominations of academic staff in instructional and research roles for consideration to the newly formed Ad Hoc Academic Freedom Committee. Nominations are due October 20.

Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization (ASPRO) Board President Jenny Dahlberg presented the ASPRO report. The Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges will hold a hearing on October 15. On the agenda, there are two proposed bills, SB 399 (https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/proposals/sb399) and SB 498 (https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/proposals/sb498), that ASPRO opposes. Members of the Assembly were encouraged to visit the ASPRO booth at the Employee Benefits and Resource Fair on October 14.

J.J. Andrews, member of the Committee on Undergraduate Recruitment, Admissions, and Financial Aid (CURAFA), presented the committee’s 2024-25 annual report (ASA #853). The committee’s mission is to build a scholarly and diverse undergraduate student population by initiating, monitoring, and advising on policies related to student recruitment and missions and financial aid. Last academic year, the committee identified and made recommendations on two topics of interest: the global language requirement policy and capacity-driven enrollment factors (housing and teaching facilities).

Resolution for Implementation of Key Findings from the Final Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Age in the Workplace (ASA #854)

Albert Muniz, ASEC member, moved approval of ASA Document 854. Motion seconded. Approved.

Interim Provost Report

Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen expressed deep gratitude for the work of academic staff at UW–Madison.

The federal government shutdown has been in effect since October 1. Over the summer, a campus-level work group began scenario planning for a possible shutdown and continues to monitor the situation. The longer the federal shutdown persists, the more likely its impacts will be felt on campus.

At the state level, there are two updates relating to the implementation of provisions in Act 15 (https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/acts/15). First, the Universities of Wisconsin released a draft Regent Policy Document on the Core General Education Requirements. The draft policy does not require UW–Madison to add or remove its general education requirements, including the ethnic studies requirement. Second, the Universities of Wisconsin is developing a draft policy on instructional workload. As a reminder, effective September 1, 2026, faculty and instructional academic staff with a 9-month appointment are required to teach a minimum of 12 credits each year (at least one course per semester). Those with a 12-month appointment are required to teach a minimum of 15 credits (at least one course per semester). The policy can include additional exceptions. Interim Provost Zumbrunnen remains optimistic that the policy will be workable for UW–Madison. Policy development is in process so please watch for future updates.

UW–Madison will seek Board of Regents approval to permit the campus to reorganize some existing departments into a new administrative division, which would become a new college in the broad space of computer and information sciences. If approved, the college would be the new home for units that currently reside within the School of Computer, Data, and Information Sciences in the College of Letters and Science.

Fall 2025 new graduate student enrollment saw a slight decline overall. The decline is the result of fewer international enrollees as well as graduate programs choosing to lower the number of admissions offers due to financial uncertainty. The incoming freshman class is 8,500 undergraduate students. This incoming class has more Pell Grant students than any previous class. It also has at least one student represented from every county in Wisconsin and at least one student from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Meeting adjourned at 5:04 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Mallory Musolf, secretary of the academic staff