Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 08-01-13

Members present: Marwa Bassiouni, Denny Hackel, Trish Iaccarino, Jim Maynard, Heather McFadden, Chair, Robert Newsom, Kevin Niemi, Jeff Shokler, Past Chair, Erin Silva, Vice Chair 

Guests: Darrell Bazzell, Vice Chancellor for Administration, Jenny Dahlberg, CEBC, Paul DeLuca, Provost, Curtis Ryals, PDRC, Debbie Weber, CNCS

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

The minutes for July 18, 2013 were approved with corrections.

Announcements/Good Works: Robert Newsom’s appointment has been extended.

• Professional Development and Recognition Committee: Curtis Ryals reported that two new members have joined their committee.

• Chair: Heather McFadden reported on the recent Chair’s Chat.  Classified staff elections may be held for general seats.  Some seats may be designated for a particular type of representative, i.e., second shift employee.  The plan is to have elections this fall.  Secretary of the Classified Staff interviews were held yesterday.  

• The Chancellor has several priorities for her first months as Chancellor.  These include budgeting, fundraising, and meeting legislators.  The Open Book project has been delayed again.   

• Secretary: Heather Daniels reported that the office has a new email address, soas@soas.wisc.edu.  In order to reach Mary or Heather, everyone is encouraged to use this new address.

• The Provost reported on the UW System President search process.  The search will start in the Fall with the goal of having someone in place in January.  There will be representation from different campuses on the search committee including academic staff.  President Reilly will leave at end of December and take a position with the American Council on Education.  

• Provost DeLuca has made interim appointments in the diversity office.  Patrick Sims will be serving as the Interim Vice Provost and Ruby Paredes will be serve as the Interim Associate Vice Provost.  Provost DeLuca would like the next diversity plan in place by Fall.  Patrick and Ruby have been assigned to work with the committee to help get the plan together.  The current plan is to have “encounter” sessions during the fall hosted by the ad hoc committee.  A framework for the plan will be drafted in September and the encounters will occur in October.  

• Provost DeLuca briefly discussed the issue of multiple roles for academic staff and said he had raised the issue with the University Committee.  He believes that campus needs a mechanism in order to do this.  There is some added difficulty due to effort reporting requirements.  

• It is too early to tell about state selling off any university assets.  One change that has occurred is that the state has more control of the leasing process.  This could have a larger impact on campus.  

• Budget update.  UW System needed $202 million in new money for the current biennium.  The ongoing cost that will be needed for two years from now is $62 million.  Our share of that cost is approximately $24 million.  Our share of the cut to the budget for the first year is $20 million.  

• The Chancellor is considering a project around responsible budgeting.  A committee may be assembled to work on this issue.  If so, it will involve academic staff.  

• Laurie presented a layout for the new home page.  ASEC gave several suggestions and thanked the committee for all their work.

• Liaison Roles:  ASEC members volunteered to be liaisons for both CASIs and Assembly Standing Committees.  Volunteers should make contact with the chair to open lines of communication.   The hope is that ASEC will hear about issues earlier, because of these direct communications.

• Multiple Roles: Robert Newsom asked that ASEC discuss ways to approach the multiple roles issue.  This item was tabled for discussion at a future meeting.  

• Discussion on Priority Setting Meeting:  ASEC moved to review 2012-13 priorities to a future ASEC meeting.  Heather M and Heather D will meet with Rosa Garner to discuss the goals and logistics of this meeting.  It was suggested that the new liaison roles be discussed and how they can be utilized.  Addition thoughts included making sure things are actionable, realizing that this year has less time pressure and fewer items already on the plate of academic staff governance, and soliciting the voices of committee chairs during the meeting.   ASEC decided to send out a brief Qualtrics survey to all academic staff regarding their top priority for governance.  The Secretary of the Academic Staff will produce a draft of the survey for the next ASEC meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 p.m.

Submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff