Recording 
Transcript

Chancellor Rebecca Blank called the online meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. with 160 voting members present (113 needed for quorum.) Memorial resolutions were offered for Professor Emeritus Truman Lowe (Faculty document 2888) and Professor Emeritus Halliman H. Winsborough (Faculty document 2889).

Chancellor Blank thanked outgoing University Committee members and welcomed new UC chair and members. She is proud of how UW Madison is adapting to the current crisis, and showing the University’s value to the state. She reviewed what the pandemic currently means for the financial picture: salary and hiring freezes, furloughs, Work-share programs, reduced hours, reassignments, and the provost, vice chancellors and chancellor are taking a 15% reduction in pay for the next six months. These reductions should take the campus through the end of October. Additionally, the state has announced that all executive branch agencies, including the university, will be asked to cut 5 percent of its state tax dollar funding yet this fiscal year (which ends on June 30).

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Laurent Heller gave more details about the financial impacts of the pandemic. He stressed that there is much uncertainty about financial projections, just as with the public health and safety issues and projections, and the two affect each other. They are focusing their modeling on three different scenarios: 1) the most optimistic envisions on things returning to something close to normal fairly quickly, without any more huge effect on finances; 2) the middle of the road envisions longer term effects on revenue streams, of up to a 300 million dollar impact; and 3) the most pessimistic, with significant and long lasting effects, of up to 500 million dollars impact. No one knows which scenario will emerge. There are many unknowns, including what happens in the fall, and whether classes will be in person, online, or  blended—and how will that affect tuition. The state budget also contains big unknowns. The “good news” is that we were in “fairly” good position financially when this all started. Vice Chancellor Heller continues to work with the chancellor and shared governance committees on financial issues and scenarios. 

Chancellor Blank talked about preparation for the fall semester and what would have to happen in order to resume. The entire next year is likely to be abnormal. Large lectures probably won’t meet in person. Admission numbers for fall currently look fairly normal, but we can’t be sure what the reality will be. Admissions and Marketing have stepped up outreach to potential freshmen. Summer orientation will be held online. This is finals week. Commencement will be held virtually on May 9. Several dean searches have been underway. The new dean of the Division of Extension, Karl Martin, has been announced, and two other dean searches are moving forward (Law School, and the College of Letters and Science). Six faculty members have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Terry Warfield reflected on his last meeting as UC chair and thanked Chancellor Blank and Provost Schultz for their work with faculty on shared governance discussions and decisions. Planning for this fall will continue this summer.

Chancellor Blank and Vice Chancellor addressed some questions about their remarks and reports.

The Minutes of the meeting of April 4, 2020 were approved by consent.

Chancellor Blank drew attention to the Faculty Committees General Election Spring 2020 Results. (Faculty document 2890), congratulated the winners, and thanked everyone who voted and agreed to serve.

Professor Carey McAndrews presented the Campus Transportation Committee Annual Report for 2018-2019 (Faculty document 2891). In addition to the official annual report document she sought to contextualize the committee’s work with three points: 1) the physical campus, 2) the broader implications of transportation on the whole campus, and 3) parking. There were no questions on her report.

J.J. Andrews and Rachelle Winkle-Wagner presented on the Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid (CURAFA) Annual Report for 2019-2020 (Faculty document 2892). The report explored why students of color who are offered admission to UW-Madison may not choose to enroll. Campus climate in general and campus climate messaging might affect low yield rate. The report gave three recommendations: 1) provide necessary support to broaden existing diversity based outreach, recruitment and admissions initiatives 2) promote diversity and inclusion in the mission statement and branding materials and 3) increase necessary support for students for inclusive and diverse campus communities and campus initiatives.

The senate discussed and voted on the Proposal to Change Faculty Legislation II-105 Summary Period for Academic Semester: Adjust the Deadline to Submit Grades to 72 Hours After the Final Exam Day (Faculty Document 2887 Rev). See the document in today’s packet for the wording of the proposed change. The proposal takes into account comments and questions from the April 20 meeting. Terry Warfield and Scott Owczarek responded to some questions and comments today. The resolution passed by unanimous consent.

Terry Warfield presented the Our Shared Future: UW-Madison and the Ho-Chunk Nation: Resolution (Faculty document 2893). UW-Madison Faculty Senate encourages members of the university community to continue to collaborate and partner with Wisconsin’s First Nations. The resolution passed by unanimous consent.

Terry Warfield presented the Resolution to Support UW-Madison DACA Employees (Faculty document 2894). The Immigration and International Issues Committee wrote this resolution to go on record in support of DACA employees. This is similar to the resolution previously passed in support of DACA students. The resolution passed by unanimous consent.

The meeting adjourned at 4:50 pm.

Heather Daniels
Secretary of the Faculty