Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 10-31-13

Approved 11-4-13

ASEC Minutes
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, October 31, 2013
67 Bascom Hall


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

Guests:  Paul DeLuca, Ian Robertson

The meeting was called to order at 2:01 p.m.

The minutes of October 24, 2013 were approved.

Guest: Provost Paul DeLuca
    Provost DeLuca discussed work done by Jocelyn Milner’s office on how colleges are ranked and the factors involved.  One of the factors is publications.  Research has shown that there are many variants of the institution name being used by faculty and staff in journal articles.  ASEC agreed to have an announcement about use of the proper institution name in publications at the December Assembly meeting.

Reports:

•    Chair Heather McFadden reported that the University Committee plans to begin approving multiple-year exceptions for academic staff to teach.  She reported that the University Committee was interested in endorsing the academic staff Critical Compensation Fund resolution.  ASEC suggested that instead it would be helpful for the University Committee to make a statement to faculty asking them to support CCF awards for academic staff.  The last day for classified elections was yesterday, October 30, 2013.  
There are some changes regarding the CCF guidelines.  The stated goal will be 30% of academic staff to receive awards, but there will be a minimum of 20%.  The majority of awards will be awarded to academic staff not having received them during the last round.  However, ASEC’s wish to have that be 70% to new awardees will be included in the instructions.
•    Secretary Heather Daniels reported that Research and Sponsored Programs has asked if additional grant data would be requested.  She also reported that she has drafted a committee responsibility sheet.  She and Mary attended an open meetings law workshop and will be meeting with John Dowling to clarify questions.  
Heather D. asked if a meeting should be scheduled with the CASI reps.  ASEC asked that she do this.  She questions that memorial process, after unsuccessful attempts were made to secure someone to write a memorial resolution.  ASEC recommended an alternative of reading a list of names.  Lastly, she reported that she and Mary will be visiting the Secretary of the Faculty office to have a demo of their voting system.

Guest: Ian Robertson, Dean of College of Engineering
Heather M. gave an overview of academic staff and academic staff governance.   Dean Robertson remarked that the Engineering CASI is not currently very active.  ASEC agreed to reach out to the Engineering CASI.  The College of Engineering is working on strategic planning that is being run by department chairs.  There are Research Innovation, Infrastructure, Educational Innovation, and Equity and Diversity committees.  The last strategic plan is 20 years old.  The strategic plan will go live for comments in January.  It will be a five-year plan.  The College’s Advisory Board meets in April, and will see an almost finished version.  There is also a new graduate student group in the College.  

Guest: Steve Lund, Director of Academic Personnel Office
Steve discussed CCF and he would like to present at the November Academic Staff Assembly meeting.  Voice vote approved.

Liaison Reports
UW System Representative – Kevin Niemi reported.
•    No leadership conference until 2015 – Superior to host.  Virtual meeting held this year.
•    He proposed that student governance invite politicians to shadow them for the day to show a day in the life of a student, as this was very successful on other campuses.
•    Kevin will share the CCF document with UW System representatives.

University Academic Planning Committee – Jeff Shokler reported.
•    A new Department of Emergency Medicine in the School of Medicine and Public Health was established.
•    A new named option in the MBA General Management program – Option:  Corporate Executive MBA was established to deliver this program at an off-campus location.  

Business
•    November Assembly meeting agenda voted and approved.
•    December Assembly meeting agenda discussed.
•    Discussion arose regarding Academic Staff Priorities and the process for arriving at these.  It was proposed that these priorities be brought back to the body of the assembly for review and possible changes.  Robert Newsom was charged with writing an executive summary on the results of the survey given to all academic staff.  Based on this summary, a possible change in priorities may be put before the assembly.  Summary to be presented at the December Academic Staff Assembly meeting.
•    Bridge Funding was discussed and it was voted and approved to enlist the help of the Advisory Committee on Budget Issues, Policies and Strategies (Chair Russell Dimond).  
Heather Mc Fadden will invite Russell to ASEC next week to discuss this.
•    Convene in Closed Session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to discuss nominations and appointments to the Professional Development and Recognition Committee, and Search and Screen Committee for the School of Pharmacy Dean.  (Moved. Seconded. Approved.)
•    Athletic Board selection committee names voted and approved:  Kevin Niemi, Trish Iaccarino, and Heather Mc Fadden.
•    International Studies Dean Search and Screen Committee names voted and approved:  Susan Miller and Masarah Van Eyck
•    Reconvened in open session. (Moved. Seconded. Approved.)

Meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff, Marwa Bassiouni, ASEC, and Mary Johansen, Office of Secretary of the Academic Staff