Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 03-22-18

Members Present: Bruno Browning; Aaron Crandall; Mallory Musolf; Kevin Niemi, chair; Jim Rogers; Deb Shapiro; Lindsey Stoddard Cameron

Guests: Rebecca Blank, David Darling, Cathy Middlecamp, Paul Robbins, Carrie Springer, Margaret Tennessen

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

The minutes of March 8, 2018, were approved with one correction

The Office of Sustainability was created in 2012, weaving together physical aspects of campus with the academic study of sustainability. Initiatives around sustainability are moving forward again, due to the arrival of David Darling in his role with FP&M and due to resolutions from shared governance groups. Sustainability cannot move forward without the help of the academic staff, as well as the other groups on campus.

Darling discussed his career in facilities management and successes in sustainability projects in previous roles. The group emphasized the need for a common vision of sustainability. He has had success in funding and staffing to help move this issue forward. He discussed the need for change in areas such as sustainability tracking, greenhouse gas reporting, benchmarking and data analysis, goals and measures, and a campus-level strategic plan. Darling talked about moving the role of Director of the Office of Sustainability into FP&M, as FP&M is the primary source of the data. He laid out a three-phase, three-year plan for the start-up, realignment, and revitalization of the Office of Sustainability. There will be a Sustainability Advisory Group with broad involvement to help in this process. The Office will have a dotted line association with the Nelson Institute, incorporating certifications and student programs. The goal is to integrate sustainability into everything we do. ASEC emphasized the need for links between this office and research units on campus as well as campus transportation.  

ASEC Chair Kevin Niemi has been asked by an associate dean in CALS to talk about academic staff issues. 

Secretary of the Academic Staff Heather Daniels reported that the Academic Staff Institute was held last week and went well, with a particularly great keynote speaker. Bruno and Heather met with Mark Walters and Patrick Sheehan from the Office of Human Resources. They discussed the issue of pay raises for Research Associates, and it will be up to schools/colleges to decide whether Research Associates should be included in the pay plan. Regarding professorial titles, there will be an omnibus committee that will include representatives from academic staff, faculty and OHR to look at all titles. OHR will bring that committee’s recommendations to the Faculty Senate in the fall. A draft of the committee’s charter will be sent for feedback before it is finalized. Heather will set up a time for Patrick Sheehan to talk to ASEC about the new Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures. Heather will also send times to ASEC for campus stakeholder interviews of candidates for a new Title IX complaint investigator position.

Aaron Crandall reported that the Campus Planning Committee recently approved a new heritage sign on Bascom Hill near South Hall.

•Appointments-for decision

Motion to appoint Scott Mellor to the Meyerhoff Award Committee (Crandall). Seconded. Approved.

Motion to appoint Kevin Niemi, Deb Shapiro, Dorothea Salo, and Heather Mc Fadden to the UW-Madison/UW-Extension Academic Staff Governance Working Group (Musolf). Seconded. Approved.

•April Assembly Agenda

ASEC reviewed the April Assembly agenda. This will come back for approval at the next ASEC meeting.  

•Research Professor Recommendations

ASEC discussed the recommendations from the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Research Scientist Titles. Nadine Connor will be coming to the next ASEC meeting to discuss the recommendations further.

•Years of Service Discussion

ASEC reviewed a resolution from UW-Extension regarding carryover of years of service, as well as a draft of a potential motion to be taken up by the UW-Madison Academic Staff Assembly regarding how Extension’s years of academic staff service will be carried over by Madison. Heather checked with Andrea Cool regarding UW-Extension’s current definition, which counts all UW-System service regardless of employee classification. ASEC was provided a document that showed where “years of service” appears in ASPP. Discussion will continue at the next meeting, and Heather will invite Patrick Sheehan to attend if he is available.

Chancellor Blank reported that there was an increase of 20% in freshman applications over last year. She discussed the potential for a modest increase in freshman class size in conjunction with corresponding increases in quality. ASEC asked questions regarding class sizes as related to increasing instructional staff and faculty on campus, and the Chancellor indicated that hiring would take place in accordance with those needs. She discussed the Bucky’s Tuition Promise initiative, which guarantees coverage of tuition and fees for students whose household adjusted gross income is $56,000 or less. Chancellor Blank mentioned that Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television, like Cooperative Extension, will be transitioning to UW-Madison. She also mentioned that the “Mark Cook” bill will not be moving further in the legislature at this time. However, a bill related to building projects and approvals seems to be moving forward.

Meeting adjourned at 4:01 p.m.