Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 05-25-17

Approved 6-1-17

ASEC Minutes
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25, 2017
55 Bascom Hall

Members Present:  Bruno Browning; Aaron Crandall; Sarah Kuba; Robert Newsom; Kevin Niemi, Chair; Deb Shapiro

Guests: Laurent Heller, Marsha Mailick, Jake Smith

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

The minutes of May 18, 2017, were approved.

General Reports

Chair Kevin Niemi reported that the omnibus motion for the UW System budget was out and currently being debated in the Joint Finance Committee.  There was also an article in the local press about how the Group Insurance Board could save $60 million.  Proposals include increasing the share of the premium paid by employees as well as an increase in deductible caps.

Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reported that the University Committee (UC) briefly discussed with Patrick Sims the possibility of a shared governance committee on Native American issues.  They also discussed dual-roles for academic staff researchers and instructors.  The UC is looking at making four different blanket exceptions to the current approval process: directed study credits, very short-term teaching assignments like one or two weeks, summer teaching and summer research. 

She also reported on a meeting she had with Cheryl Adams-Kadera about academic staff instructional starting pay rates.  Some academic staff in Nursing called the office about possible changes to the bylaws of the Nursing CASI.  The changes weren’t coming to the CASI as previous changes had.  It is Heather’s understanding that any further steps have been delayed until the fall.

Liaison Reports

Aaron Crandall reported that the west-side CASIs held a joint meeting and would like to work more collaboratively and also set up some joint events.  The CASIs included were SMPH, Pharmacy, Vet Med, and Nursing.

Motion to Convene in Closed Session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c), and (f) to discuss appointments to the Campus Diversity and Climate Committee and Recreational Sports Board and nominations to Ad Hoc Student Services Advisory Committee. (Browning). Seconded. Approved.

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


Business
•    Motion to appoint Elizabeth Valentine to the Campus Diversity and Climate Committee (Newsom). Seconded. Approved.
•    Motion to appoint Shari Smith and Mary Treleven to the Recreational Sports Board (Shapiro). Seconded. Approved.
•    Motion to nominate Molly Reinhard and Darren Martin to the Ad Hoc Student Services Advisory Committee (Crandall). Seconded. Approved.
•    Academic Staff Chat Topics
ASEC brainstormed possible academic staff chat topics for the 2017-18 academic year.
•    Academic Staff Priorities Planning Process
ASEC discussed different ways such a process could happen this summer.  One idea was to hold a half-day meeting in August.  ASEC will revisit and finalize plans at an upcoming meeting.
•    Topics for Provost
Budget Reaction-Performance Metrics

Guest: Laurent Heller, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

ASEC asked Vice Chancellor Heller about the new Ad Hoc Student Services Advisory Committee.  He responded that he feels it is good to be intentional about the way administration at UW-Madison is structured.  The Ad Hoc Student Services Advisory Committee will be a good way to look at structure through the student services lens.  Any changes need to make sense and have to be positive.  It is important to elevate the stature of student life. 

The UW System Foundation audits by the Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) are set to begin.  They have contacted Laurent to have an opening conference.  The audit scope is broadly written.

Guest: Marsha Mailick, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education

Vice Chancellor Mailick said that she was very supportive of the idea of having an actual title that was “research professor”.  She has been talking with the Chancellor, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration about the idea.  It is one of the ways to expand the research enterprise on campus. 

She is planning to continue to do internal reviews of VCRGE centers.  This is a good time for the centers to take stock in what they are doing and where they could improve.  
There has been some discussion between the UW Press and UW Libraries about the Press moving back on campus to Memorial Library.  There may be a change in the reporting structure, but that would come second. 

The date of transition for the Office of Industrial Partnerships (OIP) to move to RSP will be July 1.  One motivation was to not have two sponsored research offices in the VCRGE.  She believes that OIP will benefit from being part of RSP.  Less than 10% of the current contracts signed by OIP are industry contracts.  She believes the move will support the campus goal to grow industry sponsored research.

Meeting adjourned at 4:36 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff