ASEC Minutes
2:00-4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, 2013
67 Bascom

Members Present: Marwa Bassiouni, Heather Daniels, Past Chair, Denny Hackel, Robin Kurtz, Jim Maynard, Robert Newsom, Jeff Shokler, Chair.

Members Absent: Heather McFadden, Vice-Chair; Erin Silva.

Guests: Ida Balderrama-Trudell, Ad Hoc Diversity Plan Committee; Jenny Dahlberg, CEBC; Russell Dimond, CCF; Bill Elvey, Associate Vice-Chancellor for FPM; Patrick Kass, Director, Transportation Services, Steve Lund, Director, Academic Personnel Office; Steve Stern, Vice-Provost for Faculty and Staff

The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m.

The ASEC minutes for Thursday, June 20, 2013 were approved with minor corrections.

Business

• Convene in closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to consider appointment of nominees for shared governance committees and members of the Ad Hoc Diversity Plan Committee. [Moved by Denny Hackel. Seconded. Approved.]
  -    Move to approve Sara Nagreen for appointment to the Campus Transportation Committee. [Moved. Seconded. Approved.]
  -    Move to invite Ida Balderrama-Trudell, member of the Ad Hoc Diversity Plan Committee to join ASEC in closed session. [Moved. Seconded. Approved.]
  -    Move to appoint Andrew Lokuta and Raymond Neal for appointment to the Ad Hoc Diversity Plan Committee. [Moved. Seconded. Approved.]
• Move out of closed session [Moved by Jim Maynard. Seconded. Approved.]
• Finalize ASEC meeting time for 2013-2014: Confirmed for 2:00-4:30.

General Reports

• Jeff Shokler, ASEC Chair: Jeff reported on a very good discussion at UAPC on the instructional space study that mirrored comments from the discussion with ASEC. Jeff thanked Heather Daniels and Robin Kurtz for their service to academic staff governance. ASEC thanked Jeff for his leadership during 2012-2013.
• Jo Ann Carr, Interim Secretary of the Academic Staff: The thank you lunch for Heather Daniels and Robin Kurtz has been rescheduled for August 9 from 12:00-1:30.
• Heather Daniels and Denny Hackel, HR Design Advisory Committee: Faculty expressed concerns about the salary ranges for classified staff moved to academic staff and the potential impact of fewer protections for University Staff than for state classified staff.

Guest: Steve Stern: Steve discussed three issues with ASEC: Legislative action on HR Design: Steve shared the opinion that the campus should identify the good ideas that were generated in the development of the HR Design Strategic Plan that can be implemented by campus during this biennium. He also recommended that ASEC should be more direct and if helpful, forceful, in their advocacy of high priority items for ASEC such as promotion levels. Salary cap maxima: Steve recommended that ASEC should work with APO and the Provost’s office to develop a new methodology for the extraordinary range to address the salary cap issue. This work team should have a well-defined charge and a firm, near-term date for presenting the new methodology. Morale and human sustainability: Steve recommended that ASEC consider the triangle of productivity, grievances, and renewal that result from morale and human sustainability issues as one possible focus of their initial meeting with Chancellor Blank. Steve noted that it is important to provide a specific priority for Chancellor Blank that is both attainable and impactful. ASEC also asked about the importance of data or a preliminary plan for promotion levels that provides reward for strong performers.

Provost update: Paul Deluca expressed the opinion that the HR Design issue could be revisited before the next set of budget deliberations and stated that Chancellor Blank is very attuned to this entire issue. Paul reported that Chancellor Blank’s initial focus will be on the multiple external audiences with whom the university works. A major issue is the lack of building alumni relationships with students while in the program and upon graduation. ASEC inquired about the timeline for the Discovery to Product initiative and Paul responded that he will initiating a search for a Director for this initiative and working to establish an external advisory board. ASEC also inquired about university policy regarding intellectual property; Paul responded that each agreement is an individual negotiation and that Discovery to Product will assist with this negotiation.

Guest: Steve Lund summarized the pay plan that has been presented by Joint Committee on Employee Relations that will provide 1% on July 1, 2013 and 1% on July 1, 2014. The Board of Regents is meeting on July 12 to establish distribution guidelines. Supplemental health insurance conversion has not been changed.

Guests: Bill Elvey and Patrick Kass discussed the history of the memorandum of understanding with Athletics for the management of parking for events and the status of the new agreement. Transportation Services will retain all net revenues from athletic event parking. ASEC asked about the availability of parking for permit holders and Bill responded that permit holders may make arrangements for parking. ASEC also inquired about setting the rates for event parking. Patrick responded that the special events revenue subsidizes the rates paid by university staff. ASEC also asked about discussions about increasing the number of parking spaces on campus. Patrick responded that a traffic study will provide information about this issue.

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIR REPORTS

• Compensation and Economic Benefits: Jenny Dahlberg: Karen Tusack and Jenny Dahlberg have been re-elected co-chairs.
• Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Budget Issues, Policies and Strategies – Russell Dimond: The CCF report is being finalized.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:32 p.m.

Submitted by Jo Ann Carr, Interim Secretary of the Academic Staff