Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 03-19-2026
Approved 03-26-26
ASEC Agenda
1:00 – 3:30 p.m., Thursday, March 19, 2026
53 Bascom Hall; https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/97722653207
Members present: Aaron Crandall, Richard Barajas, Hanna Blazel, Alissa Ewer (chair), Eunsook Jung, Nicole Senter, Diane Stojanovich, Nola Walker
Members absent: Terry Paape
Guests: Greg Bump, Brianna Charneski, Barret Elward, Tim Dalby, Jennifer Mnookin, Jennifer Noyes, Lewis Sheats, Mary Thompson, Scott Wildman, Michael Zenz, John Zumbrunnen
The meeting was called to order at 1:02 p.m.
The minutes of March 5 were approved.
General Reports
ASEC Chair Alissa Ewer reported that OHR is taking deliberate steps to elevate Referral Priority for the HR campus community. They recently presented this topic at a meeting with HR leads in February. Chair Ewer encouraged ASEC members to share the Referral Priority Guide for employees webpage (hr.wisc.edu/hr-guides/for-employees/referral-priority-guide-for-employees/) with School/College/Division Committees on Academic Staff Issues they liaise with. Chair Ewer attended an Operational Excellence Advancement Program Deep Dive Session on position management. The session, led by Deloitte, highlighted the benefits of position management, particularly its role in enhancing visibility and understanding of workforce needs.
Secretary of the Academic Staff Mallory Musolf thanked ASEC for providing feedback on the Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee draft job security document. The Academic Staff Chat on layoffs and nonrenewals was held for the second time this academic year, with OHR’s Office of Workforce Relations and the Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff providing information on policy and procedural guidance. The call for nominations for the UW–Madison Chancellor Search and Screen Committee went out to all academic staff. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, March 25 at noon.
Liaison Reports
Diane Stojanovich reported that the Wisconsin Public Media (WPM) Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) heard an update from its working group on AI. Finalist interviews for the executive director of WPM concluded. An announcement is anticipated in the next two weeks.
Richard Barajas reported that the Pharmacy CASI discussed initiatives in their strategic plan.
Nola Walker reported that the International Division (ID) CASI discussed the ID Staff Excellence Awards as well as an update on its mentorship program. Feedback from the recent ASEC listening session identified a strong need for improved campus communication and guidance around campus initiatives that impact staff. There is interest in expanding discussion time with guest presenters at Assembly meetings.
Chair Ewer reported that the Nominating Committee is planning to contact shared governance committee members that are up for renewal. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) CASI learned the OVCR plans to create a research office dedicated to supporting large grants. The CASI also discussed their districting process as well as potential updates to their bylaws.
Guest: John Zumbrunnen, Provost
Provost Zumbrunnen reflected on the recent Academic Staff Assembly meeting and shared appreciation for the way colleagues engaged thoughtfully with complex issues.
The Campus Planning Committee (CPC) last met in November 2025. The adjustments impacting the cadence of meetings has likely to do with the changes in UW System’s capital budget planning timeline. ASEC recommended soliciting meeting topics from CPC members ahead of meetings.
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced negotiated rulemaking to reform the higher education accreditation system. Provost Zumbrunnen would like to discuss this with ASEC at a future meeting.
The Board of Regents approved an update to Regent Policy Document 4-12 that would permit University of Wisconsin System Institutions to offer three-year bachelor’s degrees. While other UW System institutions are exploring this opportunity, UW–Madison is not doing so at this time. If campus considers moving in this direction at some point, there will be robust conversation with stakeholders, including governance groups.
Guest: Lewis Sheats, Associate Vice Chancellor (AVC) and Executive Director, Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub
AVC Sheats has a strong entrepreneurial background. In his role, he seeks to scale up current entrepreneurial efforts at UW through the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub. The Hub will serve as the front door to entrepreneurship at UW, connecting students, faculty, staff, and alumni to programs, mentors, and capital. The vision for the Hub is to establish UW as the number one R1 university for entrepreneurship nationally. This includes more startups launched by UW talent and research across all disciplines. The Hub is intentionally inclusive and designed for everyone. There are several ways for academic staff to engage in the Hub. It provides opportunities for staff to participate in venture creation; build and connect programs across campus; provide mentorship and guidance; and leverage Hub resources for support and advocacy.
Guest: Jennifer Mnookin, Chancellor
Following an extensive search, John Zumbrunnen has been announced as the new Provost after serving in an interim capacity. Chancellor Mnookin expressed appreciation for all of the campus engagement throughout the search.
Chancellor Mnookin described serving the university in a time of challenge as a privilege, noting she felt fortunate to be part of an institution devoted to public higher education and distinguished by its strong sense of place and engagement. She also discussed accomplishments of the institution that she was proud of including the areas of environmental sustainability; pluralism and dialogue; access and affordability; and developments in innovation and research infrastructure (i.e., Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub and the RISE Initiative).
Dean Eric Wilcots will serve as interim chancellor beginning May 17, bringing deep institutional knowledge and a collaborative approach. The Board of Regents is leading the national search for the next chancellor. The search will begin this spring and continue through fall 2026.
Guest: Paul Seitz, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
Director Seitz discussed the 2026 Administrative Quality Satisfaction Survey (AQSS) process. The survey will assess customer experience and service quality across select administrative functions. It will gather quantitative feedback on administrative activities, including those at the central, divisional, and departmental level. Qualitative feedback will also be collected through open-ended questions. This survey was last conducted in 2024, and academic staff had the highest response rate of all employee groups. ASEC encouraged the survey to include definitions, so respondents better understand what is being asked.
Business
- April Assembly agenda
ASEC reviewed the agenda. Assembly Representative for District 300 Barret Elward and ASEC discussed proposed resolutions in the Faculty Senate and Associated Students of Madison, as well as a draft resolution on minimum and maximum wage. ASEC recommended Representative Elward work with the Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee on the wage resolution.
- Topics for ASEC meeting guests
VCFA: Operational Excellence Advancement Program; support impacts and RISE; budget approach
Meeting adjourned at 3:42 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Mallory Musolf, secretary of the academic staff