APPROVED 10-13-14


Vice Chancellor Darrell Bazzell called the meeting to order at 3:34 p.m.

Automatic Consent: The Academic Staff Assembly minutes of Monday, May 12, 2014, were approved as distributed.  

Guests Amy Rettammel and Mallory Musolf, Madison Academic Staff Association (MASA)
MASA is an informal professional development and networking group for academic staff.  The organization complements the formal governance structures that are now in place.  MASA is a membership organization and will be holding several events this fall.

Guest Michael Moscicke, Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization (ASPRO)
ASPRO is a lobbying organization for academic staff throughout UW System.  In the past, ASPRO has concentrated on pay and benefits issues for academic staff at the legislature.  

Guest Michael Bernard-Donals, Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff
Michael Bernard-Donals began this position on July 1, 2014.  His office houses a number of programs including the strategic hiring initiative, diversity initiative for faculty, cluster hire initiative, and faculty and staff pay tools (CCF, high demand fund, etc.).  He meets regularly to hear issues of concern from governance groups.  Issues he is currently working on include multiple roles issue, critical compensation fund and high demand exercise, supervisor training, and supporting the work life of faculty and staff.

Guest Darrell Bazzell, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
During the last fiscal year, the University had to spend down balances for continuing cost items.  The state froze tuition as well as cut the budget of the UW System.  There is approximately $23 million in ongoing spending that would leave a structural imbalance due to legislative action in the last biennium.  The legislature either needs to address imbalance or UW will need to reallocate resources to address it.

The Board of Regents asked for new money in its budget.  If the budget is approved by the legislature in full and resources are allocated by the UW System as they have traditionally been allocated, there will be a $5 million shortfall across system or $1.3 million for UW-Madison.  Costs to continue are fixed costs that increase every year.  Historically tuition increases help cover some of these fixed increased costs.  Without a tuition increase, there is another deficit that would either need to be filled by the legislature or through the reallocation of resources.  Because of the budget forecast, the Chancellor felt like it was prudent to conduct a budget reduction exercise.  Plans are due at the end of October.  

In regards to the sale of UW property, revenue generated by such sales would be used to retire debt of the property and then other state debt.  The state is currently assessing power plants on UW-Madison campus.  The State Building Commission and Joint Committee on Finance approval is needed before the sale can happen.  The Knapp House is one surplus property that UW-Madison has put on the list of available properties.  

Standing Committee and Other Reports
•    ASEC – Chair Heather McFadden announced the School of Education CASI art show and the annual Wisconsin Women in Higher Education conference on October 23-24.  The Secretary of the Academic Staff has launched a new academic staff governance website.  ASEC is currently soliciting names of academic staff interested in serving on the search and screen committee for the Dean of the Graduate School.  The academic staff governance orientation is October 1 from 11:30-1:00 at Gordon Commons.  The first ever Shared Governance Reception on October 7 from 3:00-5:00 at Gordon Commons.  Chancellor Blank will be speaking at 3:30.  Faculty, classified staff, and academic staff will all be receiving a letter on the importance of shared governance participation in the coming weeks from the Chancellor, Provost, and Vice Chancellor Bazzell, which will be directed toward campus leaders and supervisors.

Heather McFadden talked about the priority setting meeting for academic staff governance.  These priorities are based off the survey that was sent to all academic staff last spring.  The priorities this year include: Job Security, HR Design, Benefits and Compensation, Professional Opportunities, and Engagement.  An Assembly resolution from last year (ASA#513) asked ASEC to charge an ad hoc committee on bridge funding.  This committee has been busy working over the summer and will report to the Assembly soon.  Some topics for upcoming Assembly meetings include bridge funding, performance management, hostile and intimidating behavior, limited employees and their participation in academic staff governance, and Assembly district size and composition.

•    Nominating Committee – Jim Rogers reported that there are two new committee co-chairs for the committee, Tom Browne and Sheila Stoeckel.  There are current openings on the Communications Committee (2) and Mentoring Committee (1).  The committee begin working will begin this month to identify candidates for standing committees. The Nominating Committee plans to a have all slates filled by early December.  As part of this process, they will be contacting committee chairs for information on work plans for the coming year.  The new Academic Staff website, acstaff.wisc.edu, has a link in the very top left labeled “Get Involved” to our Academic Staff committee interest survey.  This committee interest survey will be sent to all Academic Staff within the next few weeks. From this survey they will get an updated pool of candidates who may be asked to serve as openings come up.

Business
ASPP Changes Chapter 13.03 (ASA #525)-Second vote
There was a motion to approve by Jim Rogers (District #499).  Seconded.  Motion was made by Noel Radomski (District #577) to remove the following: B. Regular meetings first sentence remove “during the academic year” and fourth sentence remove “or by the chancellor or provost with consent of the ASEC”; D. Special meetings first sentence remove “chancellor or provost, or the”.  Seconded.  Motion failed.

Motion to table until the next Assembly meeting was made by Noel Radomski (District #577).  Seconded.  Motion Failed.

Call for question was made by David Black (District #461).  Original motion passed.

ASPP Changes Chapter 13.03 (ASA #532)-Second vote
Linda Scholl presented changes to Chapter 13.  Moved.  Seconded.  Approved.

ASPP Changes Chapter 13.03 (ASA #533)-First vote
Deb Brauer presented changes to Chapter 13.  Moved.  Seconded.  Approved unanimously.

Meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff