Minutes for September 29, 2025

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

Others present: Anis Azlan, Greg Bump, Lesley Fisher, Sabine Martin, Mallory Musolf, Julie Scharm

Chair Jones called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm.

Stephen Young, Taylor Odel and Lindsey Stoddard Cameron reported on CURAFA. They spent time this past year looking at capacity driving factors in regards to enrollment including housing, teaching space/schedule and social spaces. They also discussed the global language requirement that was passed by the Faculty Senate in the 1980s. This requirement had been listed on the Office of Admissions website and was removed primarily due to the automatic admission law. They facilitated a meeting of stakeholders in the spring to have a first discussion.

The minutes from the September 22, 2025, meeting were approved as distributed.

The UW System faculty representatives had a chance to discuss the Universities of Wisconsin survey for faculty and instructional staff on free speech and academic freedom. They have officially requested a delay. They also requested in writing information from Universities of Wisconsin legal about the confidentiality of individual survey responses.

The University Committee had a long discussion regarding the proposed Regents transfer policy and plans to comment on the policy as a group. Initial concerns include ensuring student success, infringement on faculty roles in determining academic requirements, and the process followed by the Universities of Wisconsin.

Michelle Felber and Jack O’Meara from PROFS are watching the anticipated federal government shutdown and also following bills in the state legislature. These include freedom of expression on campus, MIA recovery project, spinal cord research funding, limiting tuition increases to CPI, prohibiting guns on campus, and antisemitism legislation. They have prepared a statement on the antisemitism legislation that should be available soon.

The UC reviewed all materials and finalized the Faculty Senate agenda.

Dorota Brzezinska, Vice Chancellor for Research, indicated that guidelines from the federal government included language that reimbursement for grant expenditures during the shutdown will be reimbursed.

In response to federal changes, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research is redirecting some WARF funding to faculty who need to pivot their research. There will be a call for proposals opening on October 6. There will be a competition for research core revitalization in the spring as well as seed funding for large interdisciplinary teams aimed at specific federal funding opportunities.

The office has been working on strategic planning since June. They hired a consultant who has interviewed over 70 stakeholders. The objective is to develop a framework for a structure to anticipate future research needs.

In regards to RISE-AI, the Data Science Institute will serve as headquarters for those hires providing some programming and connections. This model is likely to be used for the other two RISE initiatives, and they are working for a unit that could house them.

There is interest in expanding the campus’ research portfolio with the Department of Defense. They have appointed Dave Schroeder as Director of National Security projects to assist with this. He is holding a DOD 101 workshop and more than 70 people have registered. He will also provide individual coaching and perhaps organize some trips to DARPA.

Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen discussed the possible move of the Graduate School from Bascom to WARF. He indicated he has heard the feedback on the issue, and no final decision has been made, although one would need to be made in the next 3-5 weeks if the renovation of the floor in WARF needs to move forward. The needs of OLA and compliance include private offices to work with complainants and respondents.

Interim Provost Zumbrunnen briefly discussed the proposed core general education regents policy release this week. It is the first stage in implementing the requirement in Act 15 that all general education requirements be transferrable between Universities of Wisconsin campuses. Every UW campus would be required to have 30-36 general education credits from 10-12 courses that fit into 6 categories. UW-Madison’s general education requirements will not need to change as a result of this policy.

There is an administrative burden for implementing the transfer program. In addition, departments may need to rethink the relationship between general education requirements and major/degree requirements. UW-Madison continues to assert the importance of faculty control over curriculum and the need for any changes regarding general education requirements to go through faculty governance processes. The Board of Regents must submit this policy to the Joint Committee on Employment Relations but Act 15 does not require the committee to approve it.

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 3:03 pm. Three tenure clock extensions were approved. Chui motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to reconvene in open session at 3:21 pm.

The UC continued discussion on how to support assistant professors. They asked for a memo to be sent this fall reminding all faculty of the availability of tenure clock extensions for issues arising from federal issues.

The UC will move forward with appointing faculty members to the Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Freedom.

Jones adjourned the meeting at 4:04pm.

Minutes submitted by Heather Daniels, secretary of the faculty.