Minutes for September 22, 2025

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Chui, de Leon, Jones, Kendall, Mathieu

Others present: Greg Bump, Victoria Comella, Jack O’Meara, Allison La Tarte, Landis Varughese

Chair Jones called the meeting to order at 1:01 pm.

The University Committee will host a faculty town hall this fall, and Vice Chancellor Rob Cramer will attend the second half to address questions regarding the new budget approach. A Faculty Senate orientation meeting will be held for all senators and alternates on October 1, 2025, 12pm-1pm, via Zoom.

The minutes from the September 15, 2025 meeting were approved as distributed.

The University Committee approved the establishment of an Ad Hoc Academic Freedom Committee, which will be charged in fall 2025.

The University Committee reviewed the draft agenda for the October 6, 2025 Faculty Senate meeting.

Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen and Professor and Special Advisor to the Provost Remzi Arapaci-Dusseau shared that they are working on consultation and approval processes towards creating a new college in the computing and data science space. In 2018, former Chancellor Blank formed a task force to provide recommendations on the university’s direction in the field of computing. As a result, the School of Computing and Data Science (SCDS) launched in 2019, housing the departments of Computer Sciences, Statistics and the Information School in a formal structure within the College of Letters and Science. SCDS went on to form a data science major, develop professional programs, and engage in a major fundraising activity to build Morgridge Hall. In 2023, in partnership with former Provost Charles Isbell, a second task force was formed, comprised of deans, directors and academics across the country. They recommended the establishment of a college with a unified vision. After their report, there was consultation with the core departments, the dean, and an ad hoc visioning group to discuss the potential new college. Each core department voted unanimously on the new college with their intent to join, if established.

Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs Kent Weigel shared that three Big Ten universities have put tenure clock extension policies in place related to the federal funding changes, two of which are only for the upcoming academic year. The University Committee discussed the need to support junior faculty and the shifting landscape of the university’s expectations of assistant professors.

Bernard-Donals motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss waivers at 3:24 pm. One tenure clock extension and two leaves of absence were approved. Bernard-Donals motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to reconvene in open session at 3:41 pm.

Jones adjourned the meeting at 3:48 pm.

Minutes submitted by Julie Scharm, deputy secretary of the faculty.