Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 05-26-16
Approved 6-9-16
Members Present: Bruno Browning; Trish Iaccarino; Sarah Kuba; Michael Moscicke; Heather McFadden, Chair; Robert Newsom; Deb Shapiro
Guests: David Baum, Michael Bernard-Donals, Jenny Dahlberg, Sarah Mangelsdorf, Jake Smith, David Vanness
The meeting was called to order at 2:02 p.m. by Bruno Browning, Vice Chair Elect.
The minutes of May 19, 2016, were approved with corrections.
General Reports
• Chair Heather McFadden reported that the Shared Governance Values Statement will move forward. There was a brief discussion regarding Heather M. continuing as the representative to the UW System group of Titling and Total Compensation. ASEC agreed that Heather M. should continue in this capacity.
• Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reported that 1356 or 19% of surveys on academic staff work life have been completed. She attended a town hall aimed at advisors regarding changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act. They had very similar questions to those that have been asked by ASEC. There was quite a bit of concern expressed regarding negative effects of the change on climate throughout the institution. The questions and concerns expressed will be posted on the advising website.
Heather D. also gave an update regarding the progress in reviewing staff salary adjustments at SMPH. All promotions have been reviewed. The review of other salary adjustments is continuing with approximately 10 approvals each week.
Guest: Sarah Mangelsdorf, Provost
ASEC shared their concerns regarding the situation at SMPH and staff salary adjustments with the Provost.
Provost Mangelsdorf discussed the move of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education from the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. UW-Madison is the only school and the Association of American Universities (AAU) to not have their sponsored projects office within their research office. The change will require a vote in the Faculty Senate in the fall.
Sarah Mangelsdorf provided an update on the Chemistry Building and dean reviews for next year. Chemistry is working on fundraising for the rest of the cost of the building. Money doesn’t need to be in hand to start construction, but it does need to be committed. The dean reviews for next year will include Bob Golden (SMPH), Paul Robbins (Nelson Institute), Kate Vandenbosch (CALS), and Soyeon Shim (SOHE).
Guest: Michael Bernard-Donals, Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff
Michael told ASEC he had a conversation with his counterpart at Indiana University regarding the changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). She collected information regarding what other CIC schools are doing with the changes. Most are exploring the matter at this point. At Indiana, they will raise salaries to the FLSA threshold of any employees making $40,000 or more. They believe this is the “break-even” point where paying overtime or moving the salary makes sense. There are only 167 salaried employees at Indiana below this threshold. Michael asked ASEC to share their thoughts and concerns regarding the changes in FLSA.
Guests: David Baum and Deb Shapiro, Teaching Academy
David and Deb discussed the Teaching Academy’s proposal for a campus-wide survey of students to evaluate courses on UW Essential Learning Outcomes. The proposal will go to the Faculty Senate in the fall.
There is currently no central system for generating standardized course evaluations. There is interest in getting a central system, but it will not be required to be used. Currently, course evaluations data are not made available to students or other stakeholders. There is an institutional need for comparable data across the university. Essential learning outcomes could be used to collect this type of data. A small pilot project was funded to try out this method. This survey would be supplemental to departmental evaluations.
ASEC agreed to take the proposed resolution to the Assembly in the fall. The resolution asks for formation of a small committee to develop a process and system which would collect these data as well as determine how the results can be displayed.
Business
• FLSA Communication
ASEC discussed a draft communication that would be sent to all academic staff regarding the recent FLSA changes. ASEC suggested several additions including language regarding part-time versus full-time and the possible student services exemption. ASEC will look at this again on June 9 before sending it out.
• Recreational Sports Board and Tennis Instructors Decision
ASEC asked for the draft statement to be sent out to academic staff members of the Recreation Sports Board with a copy to the Board chairs and director of Recreational Sports.
Motion to convene in Closed Session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to discuss nominations to the Academic Staff Appeals Committee and Academic Staff Assembly appointments (Moscicke). Seconded. Approved.
Motion to Convene in Open Session (Moscicke). Seconded. Approved.
Business
• Nominations/Appointments
Motion to reappoint continuing Assembly representatives in the even numbered districts (Moscicke). Seconded. Approved.
• Proposed No Confidence Resolution
ASEC reviewed a possible no confidence resolution regarding UW System and President Cross. There was vigorous discussion regarding the pros and cons of bringing a resolution in front of the Assembly in the fall. By the end of the discussion, there was interest by many in the room of bringing a resolution in the fall that would include positive statements about the UW-Madison campus and the upcoming biennial budget. ASEC asked for a continuing discussion of the proposed resolution at its next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 5:02 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff
ASEC Minutes
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016
67 Bascom Hall
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2016
67 Bascom Hall
Members Present: Bruno Browning; Trish Iaccarino; Sarah Kuba; Michael Moscicke; Heather McFadden, Chair; Robert Newsom; Deb Shapiro
Guests: David Baum, Michael Bernard-Donals, Jenny Dahlberg, Sarah Mangelsdorf, Jake Smith, David Vanness
The meeting was called to order at 2:02 p.m. by Bruno Browning, Vice Chair Elect.
The minutes of May 19, 2016, were approved with corrections.
General Reports
• Chair Heather McFadden reported that the Shared Governance Values Statement will move forward. There was a brief discussion regarding Heather M. continuing as the representative to the UW System group of Titling and Total Compensation. ASEC agreed that Heather M. should continue in this capacity.
• Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reported that 1356 or 19% of surveys on academic staff work life have been completed. She attended a town hall aimed at advisors regarding changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act. They had very similar questions to those that have been asked by ASEC. There was quite a bit of concern expressed regarding negative effects of the change on climate throughout the institution. The questions and concerns expressed will be posted on the advising website.
Heather D. also gave an update regarding the progress in reviewing staff salary adjustments at SMPH. All promotions have been reviewed. The review of other salary adjustments is continuing with approximately 10 approvals each week.
Guest: Sarah Mangelsdorf, Provost
ASEC shared their concerns regarding the situation at SMPH and staff salary adjustments with the Provost.
Provost Mangelsdorf discussed the move of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education from the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. UW-Madison is the only school and the Association of American Universities (AAU) to not have their sponsored projects office within their research office. The change will require a vote in the Faculty Senate in the fall.
Sarah Mangelsdorf provided an update on the Chemistry Building and dean reviews for next year. Chemistry is working on fundraising for the rest of the cost of the building. Money doesn’t need to be in hand to start construction, but it does need to be committed. The dean reviews for next year will include Bob Golden (SMPH), Paul Robbins (Nelson Institute), Kate Vandenbosch (CALS), and Soyeon Shim (SOHE).
Guest: Michael Bernard-Donals, Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff
Michael told ASEC he had a conversation with his counterpart at Indiana University regarding the changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). She collected information regarding what other CIC schools are doing with the changes. Most are exploring the matter at this point. At Indiana, they will raise salaries to the FLSA threshold of any employees making $40,000 or more. They believe this is the “break-even” point where paying overtime or moving the salary makes sense. There are only 167 salaried employees at Indiana below this threshold. Michael asked ASEC to share their thoughts and concerns regarding the changes in FLSA.
Guests: David Baum and Deb Shapiro, Teaching Academy
David and Deb discussed the Teaching Academy’s proposal for a campus-wide survey of students to evaluate courses on UW Essential Learning Outcomes. The proposal will go to the Faculty Senate in the fall.
There is currently no central system for generating standardized course evaluations. There is interest in getting a central system, but it will not be required to be used. Currently, course evaluations data are not made available to students or other stakeholders. There is an institutional need for comparable data across the university. Essential learning outcomes could be used to collect this type of data. A small pilot project was funded to try out this method. This survey would be supplemental to departmental evaluations.
ASEC agreed to take the proposed resolution to the Assembly in the fall. The resolution asks for formation of a small committee to develop a process and system which would collect these data as well as determine how the results can be displayed.
Business
• FLSA Communication
ASEC discussed a draft communication that would be sent to all academic staff regarding the recent FLSA changes. ASEC suggested several additions including language regarding part-time versus full-time and the possible student services exemption. ASEC will look at this again on June 9 before sending it out.
• Recreational Sports Board and Tennis Instructors Decision
ASEC asked for the draft statement to be sent out to academic staff members of the Recreation Sports Board with a copy to the Board chairs and director of Recreational Sports.
Motion to convene in Closed Session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to discuss nominations to the Academic Staff Appeals Committee and Academic Staff Assembly appointments (Moscicke). Seconded. Approved.
Motion to Convene in Open Session (Moscicke). Seconded. Approved.
Business
• Nominations/Appointments
Motion to reappoint continuing Assembly representatives in the even numbered districts (Moscicke). Seconded. Approved.
• Proposed No Confidence Resolution
ASEC reviewed a possible no confidence resolution regarding UW System and President Cross. There was vigorous discussion regarding the pros and cons of bringing a resolution in front of the Assembly in the fall. By the end of the discussion, there was interest by many in the room of bringing a resolution in the fall that would include positive statements about the UW-Madison campus and the upcoming biennial budget. ASEC asked for a continuing discussion of the proposed resolution at its next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 5:02 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff