Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 02-02-17

Approved 2-9-17
ASEC Minutes
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Thursday, February 2, 2017
53 Bascom Hall

Members Present:  Bruno Browning; Aaron Crandall; Jenny Dahlberg; Sarah Kuba; Michael Moscicke; Mallory Musolf; Kevin Niemi, Chair; Deb Shapiro

Guests: Tim Dalby, Jackie Hank, Mark Plane, Crystal Potts, Parthy Schachter, Jake Smith, Gretchen Viney

The meeting was called to order at 2:02 p.m.

The minutes of January 26, 2017, were approved with corrections.

General Reports
Chair Kevin Niemi reported he attended a meeting with the other UW-Madison shared governance chairs.  They discussed the faculty assistant (FA) pay issue and the shared governance statement.  He met with three faculty assistants to discuss the FA pay issue.  The UW System Academic Staff Representatives are meeting next Friday.

Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reported that the spring round of Professional Development grants is now live.  The Excellence Award packets are being reviewed by the Professional Development and Recognition Committee.  There was an Academic Staff Chat on job security.

Heather attended the Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee meeting this week.  Rachel Jeris from the Office of Legal Affairs attended.  There seems to be agreement that Title IX provisions apply to both discipline and dismissal.  The committee believes that they want to create a new ASPP chapter for these provisions. 

Liaison Reports
Deb Shapiro reported that the Higher Learning Commission committee had its first meeting. 

Guest: Crystal Potts, Director of State Relations
Crystal Potts worked for Howard Marklein in the state legislature when he was in the Assembly and in the Senate as well as member of the Joint Finance Committee.  She spends approximately four days a week in the Capitol and is often the first point of contact for members of the legislature on a wide variety of questions. 

The Chancellor is meeting with leadership in the legislature in both houses and both parties.  She is also meeting with members of the higher education committees for both houses.  She is talking about the budget request from UW System, the importance of the capital budget, the compensation plan for employees, opposition to the fetal tissue research bill, and opposition to campus carry.  She will be holding a town hall teleconference with alums.   
For the long-term, Crystal has begun meeting with new legislators.  She asks them “How can UW-Madison be a resource for the legislature?”  She provides them with a one-page sheet on the state-wide impact of UW-Madison and a booklet highlighting one alum from every county.  UW-Madison is also providing lists of graduates, dean’s list, and admitted students from their districts. 

On campus, they are working on invitations to legislators to visit campus for special events and tours.  She is partnering with Campus and Visitor Services to pair legislators with campus tour guides from their district.

Business

•    Resolution on President Trump’s Executive Order
ASEC discussed the draft resolution for the February Assembly agenda.
•    Resolution on Faculty Assistant Pay
ASEC discussed the resolution brought forward by a representative for the February Assembly agenda.  The resolution was withdrawn for the February meeting and will likely be submitted for the March meeting.  There will instead be a presentation about the issue at the February meeting.   

Motion to Convene in Closed Session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to discuss appointment to the Districting and Recognition Committee and nominations to the Nominating Committee slate (Browning). Seconded. Approved.

Motion to Convene in Open Session (Browning). Seconded. Approved.

Business

•    Appointment
Motion to appoint Brady Minter to the Districting and Representation Committee (Browning). Seconded. Approved.
•    Nominating Committee Slate
Motion to approve the Nominating Committee slate (Shapiro). Seconded. Approved.
•    February Assembly Agenda
There is an addition Memorial Resolution that has been added to the agenda.  The Faculty Assistant Resolution will be removed, and they will be added as guests.  Motion to approve the February Assembly agenda (Browning). Seconded. Approved.
•    Pie Chart from Budget in Brief-next steps
ASEC asked Heather Daniels to forward ASEC’s suggestions to Scott Hildebrand.
•    Topics for Provost
Free tuition proposal, budget, criminal background information and students, executive order travel ban, protest concerns

ASEC recessed at 3:50 pm and reconvened at 4:14 pm.

Guests: Jackie Hank and Gretchen Viney, Academic Staff Representatives to the Athletic Board
Jackie and Gretchen discussed the Athletic Board’s annual report.  Both of them serve as sports liaisons.  They are required to attend practices, home games, and one away game.  Sports liaisons are charged with reviewing the sport.  Athletes are surveyed each year following the completion of the sport and also after they exhaust their eligibility.  The sports liaisons make recommendations on coach contract renewals or extensions.  
Other committees of the board include the Academic and Compliance Committee, Finance, Facilities and Operations Committee, and Equity, Diversity and Student Welfare Committee.  Graduation rates for athletes are good.  Athletes participate in academic services, which include academic counselors and tutors.  There are also student/athlete development opportunities.  These include professional development, leadership, diversity and inclusion, and career development.  There is an outreach component to athletics called Badgers Give Back.  They have been very involved with the Madison Metropolitan School District and American Family Children’s Hospital.

Meeting adjourned at 4:36 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff