Members Present: Bruno Browning; Jenny Dahlberg; Mallory Musolf; Kevin Niemi, chair; Jim Rogers; Deb Shapiro; Lindsey Stoddard Cameron

Guest: Michael Bernard-Donals, Sarah Mangelsdorf, Megan Spurgeon

The meeting was called to order at 2:03 p.m.

The minutes of February 22, 2018, were approved with changes.

ASEC Chair Kevin Niemi reported that the UW-Madison ASPRO board members met to discuss the revitalization of ASPRO. They are asking ASEC to form an ad hoc committee to work on a plan that can be launched after state elections in the fall. 

 

Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reviewed the Faculty Senate materials, which have a number of items of interest to academic staff including: Changes to Campus Diversity and Climate Committee; Proposal to clarify FPP 3.05.H regarding the policy on Academic Staff as Advisors; Proposal to create the Committee on Disability Access and Inclusion; and Proposal to Create the immigration and International Issues Committee. These are all first readings. ASEC had concerns about the small number of academic staff on the Committee on Disability Access and Inclusion as well as the makeup of the various subcommittees. Heather will email Steve Smith, Secretary of the Faculty, with ASEC’s concerns.  

Elections should be ready to go either late next week or early the following week. A petition was received so Heather is getting a statement from that person so they can be added to the slate.

The University Committee talked about the ad hoc working group that will look at the tenure issue for incoming UW-Extension employees.  There will be 4 faculty from each institution and the meetings will be convened by Steve Smith and Andrea Cool, UW-Extension Secretary.

Provost Mangelsdorf discussed the library master plan.  Consultants were hired to prepare the master plan, and they presented a preliminary report last semester in some open sessions. The plan will not be implemented in full, and the documents are “idea” documents. There are environmental concerns about the Memorial Library stacks including no fire suppression and no humidity control.  In addition, the library is running out of room to store the new books that are being purchased every year.  There is a new digital browsing tool that will show not just UW-Madison library holdings, but also UW System’s, and Big Ten Academic Alliance’s. The tool will show the actual cover of the book in order that they would be on the shelves.  

The Campus Protest Oversight Group is working on guidance regarding what steps to take when planning for a protest. They will look at developing scenarios and planning events to minimize the potential for violence. The Provost will share this document once it is more finalized.

Michael Bernard-Donals shared that he had polled Vice Provosts in the Big Ten regarding grievance rights for limited appointees. The responses were highly variable. Some have rights through regular employee channels, some have rights to grieve only to the Chancellor or Provost directly, and some don’t have any rights.  There doesn’t seem to be a good model. He met with Patrick Sheehan (OHR), Brian Vaughan (Legal Affairs), and Heather Daniels regarding this issue. Patrick and Brian are going to draft a document for grievances for limited employees regarding hostile and intimidating behavior.

The Hostile and Intimidating Behavior liaisons met. The liaisons feel dissatisfied with their roles as connectors. The issue of limitations of local human resources people to deal with hostile and intimidating behavior was also a theme.  

•March Assembly Agenda

Motion to approve the March Assembly agenda (Dahlberg). Seconded. Approved.

•UW-Extension work group

ASEC discussed the formation of an UW Extension work group to look at academic staff governance issues.This work group will consist of 4 academic staff from each institution with the two secretaries serving as ex official, non-voting members.The work group will review UW-Madison and UW-Extension academic staff policies to identify areas of difference. ASEC discussed possible membership and the necessity for needing policy analysis and governance experience. Heather will solicit nominations from those identified.

Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.