University Committee Meeting Minutes 2019-09-23

Minutes for September 23, 2019
approved as corrected September 30, 2019

UC members present: Campagnola, Halverson, Sandgren, Ventura, Warfield (chair), Wolf

Others: Jack O’Meara, Amol Guyol, Heather Daniels, Bill Tishler, Michael Bernard-Donals, Jane Richard, and those in the text below

Chair Terry Warfield called the meeting to order at 1:31 p.m. Wolf presented highlights of the meeting of the University of Wisconsin Faculty Representatives held September 20, particularly system’s policy on chancellor search committees, and a proposal to re-vamp pay schedules. The UC meeting of September 16, 2019 were approved as corrected.

Halverson moved to approve the faculty senate document updating Faculty Policies & Procedures language in 9.07 (clarifying the role of the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities in grievance cases). It was seconded and all were in favor.

Interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, Steve Ackerman, on the 5^th anniversary since the office was formed, commemorated several successful projects, including: expanding matching grants (mainly for lab equipment), cluster hires (often brings research funding), UW2020 (which has a return on investment of 3:1), and a program to provide resources (e.g. competitive counter offers) for recruiting graduate students. Among the upcoming initiatives are a library collections enhancement and a new round of UW2020.

Provost Karl Scholz remarked on the record-breaking freshman class of 7500, which put a strain on housing and other services; next year’s target will likely be several hundred fewer (see news.wisc.edu/meet-the-record-breaking-class-of-2022/ and APIR’s data digest for more statistics). There’s been little change in the percentage of under-represented groups (10.9%); on the other hand, Bucky’s Tuition Promise participation (for low-income Wisconsin residents) has increased from 796 last year to 848 students. The provost’s office will focus on moving UW up from last place among peers in awarding Pell grants. A thoughtful discussion on retention ensued.

Scholz has reservations about the draft guidelines around teaching professor title, mainly that the requirement that the instructor must have a Ph.D., and must do scholarship on teaching as well as teaching. A lively discussion ensued.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank encouraged all to attend the imminent Faculty of Color reception, the Hamel Music Center will have a soft opening, and the Van Hise Society will experience the wonderful acoustics of the HCM in a rare in-person meeting. The Secretary of the Faculty search and screen committee is meeting this week. UW-Madison rose in the US News ranking from 49 to 46.

The discussion moved to the Honorary Degrees process. A request came to the Committee on Honorary Degrees to rescind an honorary degree—the last time this happened was 1917! The general consensus is that the process to rescind an honorary degree might reflect the process to award one, that is, tentatively, the department should put together a strong case for rescinding, which would be presented to the Committee on Honorary Degrees for vote, if CHD agreed, the request would go to the University Committee/Chancellor, then on to the Board of Regents. A discussion on various options ensued.

The Board of Regent’s chancellor search policy was revisited. A passionate discussion ensued.

Sandgren 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 2:53 p.m. The Honorary Degree process to rescind a degree was continued. The UC moved into executive session to discuss the search and screen process for the Secretary of the Faculty position.

Sandgren moved to reconvene in open session. It was seconded, and Warfield adjourn the meeting at 3:00.