Minutes for December 16, 2024

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Jones, Kendall, Li, Stein, Zweibel

Others present: Anjo Brekalo, Greg Bump, Lesley Fisher, Ashley Hagen, John Horn, Becky Jacobs, Mallory Musolf, Jack O’Meara, Julie Scharm, Dom Zappia

Chair Li called the meeting to order at 12:30 pm.

Christina Olstad, Dean of Students, Brent Plisch, Interim Chief of Police, and Argyle Wade, Chief of Staff for the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, visited the University Committee to talk about the proposed resolution by a member of the Faculty Senate regarding the police interaction with the Library Mall encampment on May 1, 2024. Interim Chief Plisch outlined security concerns the University of Wisconsin Police Department (UWPD) had near and around the encampment. During the police action on May 1, there were no issues for the first hour or so. In the end, there were some injuries, including a faculty member who had a cut on their head.

There was discussion about the Protest Administrative Review Team, which is co-chaired by Dean of Students Olstad and Interim Chief Plisch. This body meets to review protests that have already happened and does not have the expertise to lead an investigation. The Protest Decision-Making Team makes decisions regarding protest actions and is made up of members of the administration.

Interim Chief Plisch indicated that the three accrediting bodies of the UWPD review every single incident where the use of force is deployed, including the May 1, 2024, action.

Rob Cramer, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, indicated that an ad hoc sustainability council is being created that will be center on accountability, and land use will be examined in the next master plan. 

Regarding the new budget approach, the shadow budget data will be available in mid to late January. It is important that deans talk with faculty and departments about how they will allocate funding. Finalists for the UWPD chief of police will visit in January, with an opportunity for governance groups to meet with them.

The minutes from December 9, 2024, meeting were approved by automatic consent.

The University Committee approved the annual base adjustment changes for promotions for 2025-2026. The University Committee response to the draft copyright policy revision was submitted to the Universities of Wisconsin.

Bill Karpus, Dean of the Graduate School, shared that five new members were inducted into the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society. He would like to get more faculty involved.

Dean Karpus reported that the change in reporting line from the vice chancellor for research to the provost has been productive. It has given him some new opportunities he was not afforded before. The IT transfer is lagging, but that’s understandable given the complexity.

Judith Burstyn, Professor in the Department of Chemistry, shared her wisdom from when she served as the University Committee chair during the last time there was an effort to separate UW-Madison from UW System. She indicated that there was generally an underappreciation of the value of UW System to UW-Madison when you looked at the state-wide political context. Viriginia was one state system that was being located at when she was the UC chair. In Virginia, institutions compete against one another for funding.

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin shared that over 2,000 degrees were conferred in December. No announcement is expected for the new dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health until January. The College of Engineering dean finalists will visit campus in January.

The University Committee discussed their concerns about the proposed changes to the UW System copyright policy with the Chancellor.

Morton Gernsbacher, chair of the Committee on Committees, provided an update on the committee’s role in putting together election slates and appointing faculty members to committees. It is more difficult to find faculty who are willing to serve. This is not a problem unique to UW-Madison.

Stein motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss committee appointments at 3:20 pm. One dual-role and one tenure clock extension were approved.

Stein motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to reconvene in open session at 3:41 pm.

Li adjourned the meeting at 4:00 pm.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, secretary of the faculty.