University Committee Meeting Minutes 2015-03-16
approved March 23, 2015
March 16, 2015
Present: Broman, Edwards, Fair (chair; by phone), Petty, Wendt
Absent: Meyerand
1. Meeting called to order: 12:32 PM. (Meeting chaired by Petty.)
2. Updates on VCR candidate meetings.
3. Petty reviewed agenda and topics for discussion.
4. Discussion of new tax on certificates, professional masters, revenue-generating programs.
5. 12:49 PM: Edwards left.
6. Extensive preparatory discussion for Athletic Board visitors.
7. Minutes of the meeting of March 9, 2015, approved.
8. PROFS was not asked for legislative update due to time constraint, earlier Board meeting.
9. Athletics Board update (Mark Covaleski, David Gardner)
a. Covaleski briefed the UC on discussions surrounding proposal to create ad hoc committee for marquee hires. Covaleski in agreement with spirit of proposal, if not necessarily all the specific wording. Language must clearly identify when ad hoc committee would be invoked and who would be on it. Ample discussion.
b. Gardner indicated that the priorities of the proposal are maintenance of the committee as link between hiring and the Board, recognition of need for expediency, and need for diversity of governance voices on the committee.
c. Proposal will only need approval by the Board, not the governance groups.
d. Gardner, Covaleski, and ASEC will follow up to craft language. Covaleski will present final version to UC on April 20. Proposal will go to Athletics hiring committee on April 23 and full board 2 days later.
10. Broman jumped to move and Wendt 2nd to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss personnel matters. Motion passed: 1:25 PM.
11. The UC considered and unanimously approved one tenure clock extension and one track change request.
12. The UC considered nominations for UW System task forces on shared governance and tenure.
13. The UC considered nominations for possible assignment to a committee on budget.
14. Wendt moved and Fair 2nd to reconvene in open session. Motion passed: 1:36 PM.
15. Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration update (Darrell Bazzell)
a. Discussion of possible charge for ad hoc budget committee. Four general areas of possible work identified: budget process, current cuts, public authority, and development of expertise. Some feeling that much of this is already covered by existing structure.
b. Discussion of new tuition remission rates and broader context of this fee.
c. Discussion of new campus tax on 131 activity.
d. Bazzell updated the UC on current understanding of budget cuts and campus “worksheets” created by UW System.
16. 1:54 PM: Edwards returned.
17. 1:56 PM: Broman left.
18. Provost update (Sarah Mangelsdorf)
a. Mangelsdorf called UC’s attention to policy developed to comply with state Executive Order 54, relating to reporting requirements and training as regards inappropriate contact with minors. Ample discussion.
b. Mangelsdorf briefed the UC on UW-Madison’s addition to federal list of universities being investigated for responses to sexual assault allegations. Discussion.
c. Discussion of events and issues related to shooting of Tony Robinson.
19. Chancellor update (Rebecca Blank)
a. Blank updated the UC on VCRGE candidate visits and search and screen process.
b. Blank updated the UC on meetings in Milwaukee and conversations with Regents. Madison will make tuition proposal at April BOR meeting.
c. Responding to a question, Blank indicated that she does not expect Madison to have to absorb any more than its historic share of the budget cuts.
d. In response to a question about whether the public authority proposal is losing momentum, Blank said only time will tell. Blank also reiterated her position that, although public authority does not guarantee anything in the long term, a public authority model is the best way toward stable funding stream and other protections that will strengthen the university. Ample discussion.
e. Blank reminded the UC about the call for nominees for UWS task forces.
f. Discussion of tuition remission increase. One way to spread burden of cuts to the research enterprise. Would like to set steady increase in future. Ample discussion.
20. Faculty open letter to UW System (Irwin Goldman, Nancy Kendall; Gen Carter, Derek Field)
a. Open letter has also been signed by many non-faculty across the state, including current students, alums, and staff. Goldman and Kendall reported that many of the questions and issues that the open letter brought up were addressed by the Senate resolutions passed at the March meeting. Ample discussion.
b. In answer to a question about the broader political and policy context of the public authority, Petty summarized the perspectives that the UC has gotten from System, Madison administration, and statewide faculty reps.
c. In response to a question about the UC’s thinking about the public authority and how it relates to faculty governance, Fair and others reiterated that the UC has not taken a position on the public authority other than that it requires substantially more study. Ample discussion and complete agreement that lack of information on public authority is a serious problem.
21. MOOCs and Lifelong Learning (Jeff Russell)
a. Russell updated the UC on lifelong learning activities and briefly reviewed “Lifelong Learning 2020: A UW-Madison Campus-Wide Strategic Plan” (January 2015), a primarily internal document that will need expansion with greater specifics.
b. Russell briefed the UC on communications and messaging efforts for lifelong learning, including an aggregating website aimed at helping people advance their careers with accessible and flexible degrees, which has seen a good deal of traffic despite not yet being promoted.
c. Russell brought the UC up to date on campus MOOC activities. The current round of six 4-week courses is focused more at the state level than the traditional global MOOC model, extending the Wisconsin Idea and building local partnerships.
d. Ample discussion.
22. The UC unanimously approved the following nominees to UW System task forces:
a. Shared governance: Beth Meyerand
b. Tenure: Dorothy Farrar Edwards and Patty McManus
23. Meeting adjourned: 3:48 PM.