Academic Staff Communications Committee

Annual Report

2008-2009

The Academic Staff Communications Committee (ASCC) was established in 2007. Members during the 2008-09 year included Bruce Orchard (Engineering), Irene Katele (Law), Renee Meiller (Engineering), Bob Rettammel (Surgery), Dick Geier (MERIT), Mary Possin (Limnology), Mark Lilleleht (International Studies), and Brian Rust (DoIT/chair). Bruce and Irene were on medical leave during most of the year.

 

* Communications plan

The ASCC drafted and carried out its first comprehensive communication plan. Features included launching and fine-tuning the web site, establishing a liaison with UW Communications, production of a video, and publication of a new descriptive statement, FAQ and history.

 

* Web site

A new web site was developed and launched during the year. It was produced largely by DoIT staff, with some financial support from the Secretary of the Academic Staff Office. Committee chairs and other designees were given the ability to publish committee info, news and events to the site. Several academic staff were given a brief orientation on how to create content.

 

* Video

With permission and cost-coverage from Media, Education Resources, and Information Technology (MERIT), Dick Geier produced a brief video on who Academic Staff are and what they do for the university. Due to delays with the web, it was rolled out very slowly. It received rave reviews from ASEC and the Academic Staff Assembly.

 

* UW Communications Liaison

In an effort to improve access to good stories on Academic Staff, the ASCC established Ellen Yazbec Page as our liaison with UW Communications. Ellen is the editor of Wisconsin Week, and as such, has provided leads on several articles featuring Academic Staff. Whenever possible, she tries to note Academic Staff credentials of those featured in UW Communications stories. The ASCC has also published profiles of Academic Staff on our web site.

 

Submitted by Brain Rust, Chair, Academic Staff Communications Committee, 2008-2009

2008-09 Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee Annual Report 
Member: Al Benzschawel, Scott Converse, Linda Pittz, Dennis Ray, Kay Schoenherr, Jim Wollack, Beth Workmaster, and Miriam Simmons, chair 
The majority of the committee’s time was spent working on the “Instructional Leaves for Instructional Academic Staff: Proposal for a Four-Year Pilot” report.

 

Accomplishments:

•In cooperation with the Graduate School CASI we completed the FAQ for the Academic Staff web page which was up loaded in September. The page will be reviewed annually each September. 
•The “Instructional Leaves for Instructional Academic Staff: Proposal for a Four-Year Pilot” report led by Dennis Ray was revised several times. It was accepted by ASEC and given to Chancellor Martin, Interim Provost Julie Underwood, and Vice Chancellor for Administration Daryl Bazzell in May. The Vice-Provost for Faculty and Staff, Steve Stern plans to convene a phase-two version of the proposal for implementation and approval to review legal, administrative, and financial aspects, etc.

•After many years of discussions regarding Category A Maxima, Jim Wollack agreed to draft a summary status report. When completed the report will be given to ASEC for review and discussion.

•Continued advocating and monitoring the progress toward Domestic Partner benefits.

•Participated in the annual October Campus Benefits Fair, staffing a table with information on the FAQ, Domestic Partner Benefits and Retirement issues.

 

Districting and Representation Committee 
Annual Report for 2008-09

 

Ongoing

•Each month, the DRC districted an average of 155 new academic staff members and reviewed district assignments for an average of 84 academic staff members with changes in title or department. This amounted to a total of 2,859 district placements and reviews for the year. As of the end of the 2008-09 fiscal year, the total number of academic staff in the districting database was 7510.

•Reviewed district profiles and district membership for logic and consistency, making corrections as needed. Responded to individual queries about districts and/or district placement. 
•Reviewed districts as needed to fit within required size limits (35 to 75 members per district); prioritized those districts in need of adjustment.

•Provided Secretary’s office with monthly lists of new and changed academic staff. 
•Updated the DRC database of district members on a monthly basis and posted to the DRC website - http://drc.academic-staff.wisc.edu/

•Updated FAQ entries and Public District Profiles (PDP), both found on DRC web site. 
•Contacted representatives as needed regarding “grandparenting.” This procedure allows a representative who typically would be moved to a new district due to title, department or location change to remain in their district for one year or the next district election, whichever is later.

2008-09 Committee Members

Brian Deith 
Anne Gunther, Chair 
Erica Laughlin 
Mark Werner 
Bambi Wilson 
Tom Wright

 

ACADEMIC STAFF NOMINATING COMMITTEE 
2008-09 Annual Report

 

2008-09 members: Luanne von Schneidemesser, Chair (L&S), Gale Barber (Nursing), Consuelo Lopez-Springfield (L&S), Kim J Manner (Engineering), Mara McDonald (CALS), Tim O’Connor (Education), Lance Rodenkirch (Medicine and Public Health), Jennifer Sheridan (Engineering), David Werther (Continuing Studies)

 

The Nominating Committee (NC) met once monthly throughout the academic year.

 

The NC maintains a candidate pool, a list of individuals interested in serving on Academic Staff and Joint Governance Committees from which to draw nominations. Multiple techniques are used to identify appropriate candidates. NC members may be directly contacted: http://acstaff.wisc.edu/Committees/posting.aspx?item=10

 

NC member Jennifer Sheridan has been working on an on-line form which allows prospective candidates to see which committees exist on campus, get a brief description of the functions of the committees, and select and submit a list of committees on which they would be interested in serving. This Interest Form can now be accessed through the following link: 
http://acstaff.wisc.edu/getInvolved.aspx , or by clicking on the Get Involved and My Committee interests buttons on the AS website.

An on-going effort is underway to define and establish consistent and effective procedures for the selection of candidates.

 

During 2008-2009, the Nominating Committee found 20 candidates for AS standing committees to be on the Academic Staff Assembly election slates: 

·         ASEC 

·         Communications 

·         Compensation and Economic Benefits 

·         Districting and Representation 

·         Professional Development and Recognition 

·         Personnel Policies and Procedures

·          

The NC forwarded names for 26 openings on Academic Staff committees: 
Area Review Committees: Administrative/Student Services/ Library, Biological/Medical Sciences, Humanities/Social Sciences, Physical Sciences/ Engineering 
Distinguished Prefix Review Committee 
Appeals

 

There were openings on 21 shared governance committees, for which we found 40 candidates: 

·         Access and Accommodation in Instruction 

·         ADA Task Force 

·         Archives 

·         Bicycle-Pedestrian Subcommittee 

·         Campus Diversity Oversight 

·         Campus Transportation 

·         Commission on Fraternities and Sororities 

·         Equity and Diversity Resource Center Advisory 

·         Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues 

·         Health Care Advisory 

·         Information Technology 

·         Labor Licensing 

·         Lakeshore Nature Preserve 

·         Lectures 

·         Library 

·         Memorial Library 

·         Morgridge Center 

·         Recreational Sports Board 

·         Student Academic and Non-academic Misconduct 

·         Student Hearing Examiners 

·         Undergraduate Recruitment, Admissions, and Financial Aid 
Women in the University

 

The NC contacted a larger number of individuals to find those willing to serve on governance committees than in the past. Committees usually required a minimum of 4-12 contacts before being filled; ASEC required more than 70 contacts.

Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) 
2008-2009 Annual Report to the Academic Staff Assembly

 

Job Security:

Reviewed the school and college job security reports for 2007-2008 and followed up on questionable reasons for denying job security to employees with five or more years of academic staff service.

Approved a request from APO for a one-year hiatus in the requirement that campus units report to APO the results of the annual job security exercise

Job security data for ALL academic staff as well as individual units is available from the academic staff website (http://acstaff.wisc.edu) on the Employment and Benefits page. Over the past 6 years, the percent of academic staff with five or more years of service that received increased job security or had fixed-term renewable appointments has remained stable. However, the percent of academic staff that have indefinite appointments has dropped from 10% in 2001-02 to 2.6% in 2007-08. 

Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (ASPP):

Continued a line-by-line review of ASPP, reading for clarity, coherence, and consistency; consulted with the Academic Personnel Office as necessary; drafted revisions; completed chapter 5 and the partial review of chapter 6. The PPPC anticipates submitting a revised version of ASPP to the Academic Staff Assembly for review and approval in Fall, 2009. Revisions will then be sent to the Board of Regents for final approval.

Area Review and Distinguished Prefix Committees:

Reviewed the four Area Review Committees (Administrative/Student Services/Library, Biological/Medical, Humanities/Social Science, and Physical Sciences/Engineering) annual reports, and that of the Distinguished Prefix Review Committee

At the request of ASEC, we formed a joint subcommittee with CEBC to revisit the revisions made to the guidelines for the distinguished prefix passed by the Assembly in 2006. 

Academic Staff Appeals Committee: 
Worked with APO on revising reporting procedures for ASAC, and on creating and reviewing flowcharts to clarify the review process.

 

Limited Appointments

At the request of ASEC, began participation in a review of the appropriateness of using limited appointments for certain positions along with other interested parties.

Communication and Consultation: 
Reviewed and made recommendations for improving the PPPC and Academics Staff websites. Reviewed and made recommendations regarding the job description for the Secretary of the Academic Staff.

Respectfully submitted to the Academic Staff Assembly.

Committee members:

Mo Noonan Bischof, co-chair 
Deborah Brauer 
Bruno Browning, co-chair 
Sandra Guthrie 
Jeanne Hendricks 
Greg Iaccarino 
Nancy Krattiger-Ziltener 
Carla Love 
Marsha Mansfield

August 13, 2009

ACADEMIC STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 
AND RECOGNITION COMMITTEE (PDRC) 
ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009 

Committee members 
Colleen Barrett, Rick Burnson(co-chair), Nichelle Cobb, Donna Cole, Maddy Covelli, Ulrike Dieterle, Lynn Edlefson, Carol Hulland, Lisa Jansen, Lynette Karls, Miranda McClenaghan, Kevin Niemi(co-chair), Sarah Schutt.

 

Professional Development Grants 
The Fall 2008 round of grants considered proposals for the second half of FY09 and activities occurring from January 1 to June 30, 2009. 40 applications were received from 14 units across campus. The total amount of funding requested was $37,378; an average of $934 per request. 31 awards were made, a 78% award rate. The total amount awarded was $25,830; an average award of $833. Two information sessions were held prior to the award deadlines, one on each end of campus. A total of 51 people attended. One of the presentations was video-recorded and now is available continuously on the PD Grant Web site.

The Spring 2009 round of grants considered proposals for the first half of FY10 and activities occurring from July 1 to December 31, 2009. 35 applications were received from 10 units across campus, for a total requested amount of $26,935. The average amount requested was $823. 32 awards were made, a 91% award rate. The total amount awarded was $26,342; an average of $823 per request. One information session was held prior to the award deadline, and 30 people attended.

Goals for the coming year include raising awareness among academic staff about the availability of funds and increasing the number of applications received; working with the new staff in the Academic Staff Office to transition the award application and review processes to a Web-based model; and reviewing award guidelines to consider additional ways funds might be used to support professional development for academic staff.

 

Excellence Awards 
Each year the PDRC reviews nominations and selects recipients of UW-Madison academic staff excellence awards. A framed photo of Bascom Hill was presented to each award winner. Acting Provost Underwood provided funding for the framed photos this year. 
The following awards were given to UW-Madison academic staff during a reception hosted by Chancellor Martin at the Fluno Center: 

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research: Independent Investigator 
Jin Woo Bok, Associate Scientist in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology 
The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research: Critical Research Support 
Thomas Wise, Researcher in the Department of Physics, College of Letters and Science 
The Robert Heideman Award for Excellence in Public Service and Outreach 
John Ferrick, Associate Director of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences International Programs 
The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Service to the University 
Don Woolston, Assistant Dean and Director of the Engineering General Resource Office in the College of Engineering 
TheWisconsin Alumni Association Awards for Excellence in Leadership: College, School 
or the Larger University Community 
Michele Besant, Special Librarian and Director, School of Library and Information Studies Library Laboratory 
The Wisconsin Alumni Association Awards for Excellence in Leadership, Individual Unit 
Level 
Jocelyn Milner, Associate Vice Provost and Director of the Office of Academic Planning and Analysis 
The Chancellor's Hilldale Award for Excellence in Teaching 
Julia McGivern, Clinical Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in the School of Education 
Martha Casey Award for Dedicated Service to the University 
Donna Janke, Assistant Dean in the College of Letters and Science, Office of Research Services 
The Ann Wallace Career Achievement Award 
William Steffenhagen, Outreach Program Manager in the Department of Dairy Science

 

In addition to UW-Madison excellence awards, the PDRC also reviews nominations for UW-System and Regent Awards and selects nominations to forward to UW-System and Regent Committees. The following nominations were chosen to be forwarded to UW-System award committees: 
Regents Excellence Award (Names forwarded to System) 
Regents Award for Excellence, individual: Lezli Redmond, Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention 
Alliant Energy Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award 
Irene Katele, Law School

Executive Education Grants 
Through the generosity of the School of Business, significantly reduced-price course enrollment 
grants are available to academic staff who wish to take courses in the Executive Education Program. 
This year's recipients and their courses are: 
Andrea Poehling - Accelerated Six Sigma 
Brian Asen - Leading and Working with People 
Ronald Harris - How to Influence without Direct Authority 
Hanns-Peter Nagel - Integrated Marketing Communications 
William Robus - Project Management: Planning, Scheduling and Control

 

Looking Forward 
The committee looks forward to

•Making PDRC-Academic Staff website updates 
•Examining how PD Executive Educations grants are disbursed on campus 
•Finding ways to better get the word out on PD and Exec Ed grants to potential applicants 
•Reviewing parameters for grant awarding 
•Creating one central storage space for PDRC guidelines on MyWebSpace