Academic Staff Executive Committee Minutes 10-24-19

Approved 10/31/19

ASEC Minutes
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, October 24, 2019
53 Bascom Hall

Members Present: Donna Cole; Tim Dalby; Mallory Musolf, vice chair; Leslie Petty; Deb Shapiro; Lindsey Stoddard Cameron; Bill Tishler

Guests: Michael Bernard-Donals, Diane Blaskowski, Jake Smith, Mark Walters

The meeting was called to order at 2:03 p.m.

The minutes of October 10 and 17, 2019 were approved.

General Reports
Mallory Musolf, ASEC vice chair, provided a brief update on concerns about lack of parking in some areas. It is an existing problem, and for those who are interested, there is someone to contact in parking with individual questions. ASEC will invite Patrick Kass to an upcoming meeting.

Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff, reported that the Shared Governance Reception was a success. Attendance was low, and this event may have run its course. The second academic staff chat on performance evaluations and supervisors was held. Heather has asked OHR for some data on fixed-term terminal appointments on behalf of ASEC. The Title and Total Compensation Project Shared Governance Advisory Committee met. The two items of note were about discussions for distinguished prefix being a lump sum rather than base adjustment and the title Faculty Associate is being added. 

Liaison Reports
Donna Cole reported that she is working with the SMPH and Engineering CASI on ways to connect with the Dean. 

Tim Dalby attended the Wisconsin Public Media session on forming a CASI as well as ASM student council where the Wiscard Resolution was passed.  CEBC also met yesterday to brainstorm some questions about the Title and Total Compensation Project.

Bill Tishler reported the University Committee had some concerns about the protest guidelines in light of a blog.

Deb Shapiro reported that the Librarian’s Assembly had been working on changing their name and including university staff in the organization. They conducted a survey about this idea and are considering what to do next.

Business
November Assembly Agenda
The Office of Human Resources will present on the Title and Total Compensation Project at this meeting. ASEC also reviewed the resolution calling for the formation of a committee to write a land acknowledgment for the Assembly.
Draft Charge for Ad Hoc Committee to Review Youth Protection
ASEC reviewed a charge drafted by Bill and Heather. Motion to approve the charge and form a committee (Dalby). Seconded. Approved.
Topics for Provost
Update on Youth Protection
Research Professor Title
Academic Staff Governance Goals

Guest: Michael Bernard-Donals, Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff
ASEC asked Michael to talk about the committee that looked at retention of underrepresented faculty. The committee held focus groups, looked at exit survey data, WISELI worklife survey and general issues of retention. They produced a report with nearly 3 dozen recommendations. There were a few major recommendations including divisional accountability and department accountability for climate issues and retention. There is an American Public Land Grant Universities (APLU) initiative called iChange to develop change plans for increasing diversity in STEM. UW-Madison is one of the participating institutions. They have taken some of the recommendations from the report and transplanted them into the change plan for this project. 

Michael reported on the performance evaluation chat for employees. He took away several things from the conversation. There is confusion about how the tool works and how the process works. The tool is driving the process and conversations are not happening at they should. There is not enough training on the process. In addition, there is spotty use of the tool. Employees reported a positive experience with performance evaluations if their supervisor had a positive view of the process. It is not clear how and whether evaluations should lead to other things like compensation increases.  Also many supervisors do not know what their supervisees do.
   
Guests: Diane Blaskowski and Mark Walters, Office of Human Resources (Title and Total Compensation Project)
Diane Blaskowski reported that mapping from the divisions/schools/colleges is due on October 31. Approximately 62% of staff have been mapped so far. The TTC team will look at the alignment of the mapped titles. Standard job descriptions will be released on November 11. From December through February, managers will confirm mapping, create positions descriptions and then have conversations with their employees. 

They are working on the Salary Administration Guidelines. The guidelines are a user guide on how to use the compensation tools, how to set salaries and adjust them. The guide will include information on what each quartile of a salary range should indicate for hiring as well as continuing employees. There will be some new terms that will need defining including parity and equity. Parity will mean maintaining salary relationships for the same titles. Equity will mean addressing salary differences relative to protected statuses such as gender, race, and age. 

Meeting adjourned at 4:47 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Academic Staff