Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 02-25-16
Approved 2-25-16
Members Present: Bruno Browning; Aaron Crandall; Trish Iaccarino; Sarah Kuba; Michael Moscicke; Heather McFadden, Chair; Kevin Niemi; Deb Shapiro
Guests: Mary Czynszak-Lyne, Zubin Mufti, Patrick Sheehan, Jake Smith, Sarah Van Orman
The meeting was called to order at 2:02 p.m.
The minutes of February 4 and February 11, 2016, were approved.
General Reports
• Chair Heather McFadden mentioned that the materials around the campus conversations on diversity seemed very student centered. She asked ASEC members to think about if they had any concerns. In the Capitol Times article about increasing and decreasing enrollments, there is a sentence about Pam Oliver saying something about not allowing adjunct instructors to teach courses or more than 100 or 200 students. Heather M. again asked ASEC to think about whether they have any concerns. The Employee Choice program, which will allow university staff to switch to academic staff will begin soon and the first employees will be able to move on May 1. The Office of Human Resources is working to develop fact sheets and departments will give employees individualized information. The new rules regarding FLSA exemptions will be issued by the federal government in July with 2-6 months for implementation. It seems that even faculty will not be automatically considered exempt. There is a module for performance management in the new applicant tracking tool the Office of Human Resources purchased. The campus may require the use of this system.
• Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reported the Academic Staff Institute keynote speaker will be David Walsh, former member of the Board of Regents. The Wisconsin State Journal asked for emails that were sent to academic staff regarding the WPRI survey that was sent to instructional staff.
Business
• Degrees for Academic Staff Positions
It was suggested that an ad hoc committee be formed to look at this issue. The committee should include broad representation including Assembly members. Bruno will write up a draft charge including the composition of the committee.
• March Assembly Agenda
ASEC reviewed a draft agenda. The Campus Master Plan group has asked to attend and present a preliminary plan. Also members of the group that worked on the Children in the Workplace Policy will present. For voting items, there are ASPP changes and the Children in the Workplace Policy.
• Streaming Assembly Meeting
ASEC discussed this idea, and all were in favor of implementing this at the next Assembly meeting.
• Review Topics/Issues for Provost
ASEC mentioned the following items they would like to see the Provost discuss: reorganization of the structure of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (VCFA), how budget issues will be handled while the interim VCFA is in place, and any major budget initiatives for the next biennial budget.
Guest: Sarah Van Orman, Director of University Health Services
Sarah provided the new University of Wisconsin-Madison smoke-free policy. The old policy was out of date and not in line with current state law. The new policy spells out any exceptions to the smoke-free policy and also adds e-cigarettes as a prohibited item. The policy will go into effect on April 1.
Guests: Zubin Mufti and Patrick Sheehan, Office of Human Resources
There is now one policy for Employee Coursework and Training Assistance Procedures for all employees. The policy uses a maximum number of credits each year rather than semester. In addition the school/college/division will be charged in making final decisions on whether someone is eligible for reimbursements.
The Office of Human Resources have been creating electronic personnel records for university staff side for several years. These have always been held centrally due to state law. Several schools/colleges/divisions are participating in a pilot project of making faculty and academic staff personnel files electronic. Every school/college/division will have their own set of electronic files drawers. Right now, the personnel file is only viewable by other school/college/division staff. The pilot project is working on designing a system that can house the documents.
Guests: Carol Van Hulle and Russell Dimond, Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Committee on Titling and Compensation
ASEC thanked the committee for all their work. ASEC talked through the draft from the committee. Some minor changes were suggested, and Heather McFadden will send her changes once she is back at work. Russell and Carol will incorporate the changes and send it back to ASEC for review.
Meeting adjourned at 4:24 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff
ASEC Minutes
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 18, 2016
67 Bascom Hall
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 18, 2016
67 Bascom Hall
Members Present: Bruno Browning; Aaron Crandall; Trish Iaccarino; Sarah Kuba; Michael Moscicke; Heather McFadden, Chair; Kevin Niemi; Deb Shapiro
Guests: Mary Czynszak-Lyne, Zubin Mufti, Patrick Sheehan, Jake Smith, Sarah Van Orman
The meeting was called to order at 2:02 p.m.
The minutes of February 4 and February 11, 2016, were approved.
General Reports
• Chair Heather McFadden mentioned that the materials around the campus conversations on diversity seemed very student centered. She asked ASEC members to think about if they had any concerns. In the Capitol Times article about increasing and decreasing enrollments, there is a sentence about Pam Oliver saying something about not allowing adjunct instructors to teach courses or more than 100 or 200 students. Heather M. again asked ASEC to think about whether they have any concerns. The Employee Choice program, which will allow university staff to switch to academic staff will begin soon and the first employees will be able to move on May 1. The Office of Human Resources is working to develop fact sheets and departments will give employees individualized information. The new rules regarding FLSA exemptions will be issued by the federal government in July with 2-6 months for implementation. It seems that even faculty will not be automatically considered exempt. There is a module for performance management in the new applicant tracking tool the Office of Human Resources purchased. The campus may require the use of this system.
• Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reported the Academic Staff Institute keynote speaker will be David Walsh, former member of the Board of Regents. The Wisconsin State Journal asked for emails that were sent to academic staff regarding the WPRI survey that was sent to instructional staff.
Business
• Degrees for Academic Staff Positions
It was suggested that an ad hoc committee be formed to look at this issue. The committee should include broad representation including Assembly members. Bruno will write up a draft charge including the composition of the committee.
• March Assembly Agenda
ASEC reviewed a draft agenda. The Campus Master Plan group has asked to attend and present a preliminary plan. Also members of the group that worked on the Children in the Workplace Policy will present. For voting items, there are ASPP changes and the Children in the Workplace Policy.
• Streaming Assembly Meeting
ASEC discussed this idea, and all were in favor of implementing this at the next Assembly meeting.
• Review Topics/Issues for Provost
ASEC mentioned the following items they would like to see the Provost discuss: reorganization of the structure of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (VCFA), how budget issues will be handled while the interim VCFA is in place, and any major budget initiatives for the next biennial budget.
Guest: Sarah Van Orman, Director of University Health Services
Sarah provided the new University of Wisconsin-Madison smoke-free policy. The old policy was out of date and not in line with current state law. The new policy spells out any exceptions to the smoke-free policy and also adds e-cigarettes as a prohibited item. The policy will go into effect on April 1.
Guests: Zubin Mufti and Patrick Sheehan, Office of Human Resources
There is now one policy for Employee Coursework and Training Assistance Procedures for all employees. The policy uses a maximum number of credits each year rather than semester. In addition the school/college/division will be charged in making final decisions on whether someone is eligible for reimbursements.
The Office of Human Resources have been creating electronic personnel records for university staff side for several years. These have always been held centrally due to state law. Several schools/colleges/divisions are participating in a pilot project of making faculty and academic staff personnel files electronic. Every school/college/division will have their own set of electronic files drawers. Right now, the personnel file is only viewable by other school/college/division staff. The pilot project is working on designing a system that can house the documents.
Guests: Carol Van Hulle and Russell Dimond, Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Committee on Titling and Compensation
ASEC thanked the committee for all their work. ASEC talked through the draft from the committee. Some minor changes were suggested, and Heather McFadden will send her changes once she is back at work. Russell and Carol will incorporate the changes and send it back to ASEC for review.
Meeting adjourned at 4:24 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff