University Committee Meeting Minutes 2017-05-15

University Committee Meeting Minutes

Minutes approved 5/22/2017

Approved minutes for May 15, 2017 

UC members present: Amasino (left 2:22), Bowers, Broman, Litovsky (left 3:00), Wanner, Wendt (chair)

Others present: S. Smith, S. Ventura, J. Richard, M. Chandler, M. Felber, C. Springer, H. Daniels, J. Greenberg

Chair Amy Wendt called her penultimate UC meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. and read a statement from interim CIO Mike Lehman regarding commissioning of an external review of potential security vulnerabilities. Lehman would like UC endorsement of hiring an external vendor to conduct this review. No sensitive data would be retained as part of this review. Discussion focused on potential privacy risks of this survey. UC understands need for assessment and is generally supportive, but wants independent input to get a better sense of risks, process, and plans for notification and consent prior to voting on endorsement.

Tom Broman moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss personnel matters. The motion was seconded and passed at 1:14 p.m. The UC discussed a grievance. Anja Wanner moved to reconvene in open session. The motion was seconded and approved at 1:43 p.m.

Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf asked about the IT issue raised during announcements and discussed the matter with the UC. The UC asked Mangelsdorf about library consolidation and related activities. Substantial discussion followed, centered primarily on the need for greater and clearer communication about what is currently underway and what is being considered for the future and the need for clearer distinction between long-term master plans and imminent reorganization. UC emphasized need to make sure that groups other than primary users are consulted. Mangelsdorf will follow up with Van Gemert about gaps in information and communication on plans.

Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsha Mailick provided a preview of her upcoming report to the WARF board on the successes and impacts of UW2020, which has just finished its first year. Associate Vice Chancellor Jan Greenberg directed the UC to https://research.wisc.edu/uw-madison-irb-survey-results-report/ and discussed what is found there: executive summary with link to full IRB survey report, members of the working group, changes to ARROW, and a schedule for other planned changes. This information will be shared with everyone who was invited to participate in the survey. Greenberg also shared a draft SOW for the working group, which will start work in June. Much discussion followed, about how best to communicate changes, benchmarking, and funding of IRBs. Wendt reminded Mailick that the FPP Chapter 6 Research, Safety, and Compliance committee is currently resting, with the intent to rolls (some of) its functions into the URC once the latter had gotten established, and asked her for her thoughts. Mailick will raise this with the working group and agrees that some feedback mechanism is needed. Some functions may be more appropriately broken into different groups (perhaps including a new compliance advisory committee).

Vice Chancellor for University Relations Charlie Hoslet, leaving state budget updates at this point to the chancellor and PROFS, provided an update on the federal budget. There will be a teleconference briefing soon with Director of Federal Relations Michael Lenn and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Government and Corporate Affairs Ben Miller. On a related note, campus will be joining with the Madison Chamber of Commerce and others for “Meet Madison” day in DC on June 7. Hoslet also provided an update on Project 72, which in its first phase placed billboards in 66 counties showing campus impact in those places and earned a good deal of media attention. Project 72 2.0 will kick off this fall and is more of a “thank you” campaign, thanking counties for their contributions to the UW. Last year, we got 67M impressions through this campaign (paid and earned) and Hoslet attributes some of the success of this state budget to the campaign. Hoslet informed the UC that a new public art event – Bucky on Parade – will soon be announced. Modeled on the Cows on Parade effort, 100 differently designed Buckys will be placed around the Madison area and eventually auctioned to benefit the Carbone Cancer Center. Hoslet also reminded the UC about the American Family partnership, which in 2015 formalized a long history of interactions into a 10-year, $40M agreement. A number of cross-organizational teams work on marketing and brand alignment (Am Fam gate at Camp Randall, pillars at Kohl center, official insurance for alums, partnership with J school class), community relations (WSB chair, chancellor’s scholars, L&S research, Earth day, etc.), talent management (nearly 100 alums hired since partnership started, more than 500 alums employed, alum events, professional dev programs at Fluno and customized there, career fairs, mock interviews, etc.), and business exploration (internet of things lab development, research projects on big data, etc.). Relatedly, the second year of the Am Fam golf championship will be part of the senior tour. Last year saw over 60K spectators and this year will expand with UW sponsoring a pavilion near the 18th hole with research info, Babcock ice cream, turf grass, and virtual reality tours.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank, fresh from serving ice cream, recapped the commencement weekend and last week’s ceremony for Vilas Professorship awards. For the coming week, in addition to the ice cream social, includes WARF Board, WSB dean farewell, and in lieu of her Executive Committee having their usual meeting, they will take the Native American landmark tour. Shared governance groups will soon receive a letter asking for nominees to a student advisory committee, preferably people with experience in student affairs. The new Title IX director will start soon and the chancellor has several meetings coming up with companies where we have alum employees and research partnerships. Wendt asked Blank about progress on the state budget and the UW partnership with local schools and Litovsky asked about student government. Much discussion followed on all three topics.

The UC discussed possible revisions to hostile and intimidating behavior policies with Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff Michael Bernard-Donals. Primary concern is connection between the formal and informal processes and how discipline fits with the policies. Bernard-Donals suggested that the HR processes (including letters of expectation) may be a way to appropriately connect and coordinate. All present agree that the policy was needed and is working, but that there are areas for improvement. Bernard-Donals happy to work with UC on adjusting the policy. He also informed the UC that two training curricula are being developed, one for HIB liaisons and a larger workshop-based training to be piloted in the fall for campus at large to help people understand scenarios and what to do.

Professors Greg Nellis and Sue Babcock from the College of Engineering APC discussed dual roles with the UC. The COE APC wants to understand dual role rules and figure out if there are ways to meet needs in the College. Following ample discussion, primarily about the distinction between faculty and academic staff, the UC agreed to include a blanket waiver for 9-month instructors who would benefit from research in the summer to the other blanket waivers currently being considered. Connections to (and expectations of) the TTC work currently under way were also discussed at length. Noting severe weather on the way, Wendt adjourned the meeting at 3:42 p.m.