University Committee Meeting Minutes 2026-08-03
Minutes for August 3, 2026
UC members present: Chui, de Leon, Haynes, Johnson
Others present: Greg Bump, Michelle Felber, Lesley Fisher, Jamie Gutkowski, Sabine Martin, Mallory Musolf, Julie Scharm, Lindsey Stoddard Cameron
Chair Pro Tem Chui called the meeting to order at 1:07 pm.
Haynes motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(a)(c) and (f) to discuss waivers, committee appointments and grievances at 1:08 pm. Two tenure clock extensions and one temporary assignment were approved.
Chui motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to reconvene in open session at 1:31 pm.
Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs Kent Weigel shared that 10-12 faculty are being recruited in the diversity of thought initiative, for studying Western tradition or the free market enterprise. There is a process for schools and colleges to submit proposals and to date, nine searches have been approved.
The post-tenure review increment for faculty will be included in the November standard faculty base adjustment memo. The post-tenure review increment will become standard for full professors with successful post-tenure reviews. Faculty who are on leave from their faculty appointments and being paid by an outside entity (e.g., Morgridge Institute) but still performing all their faculty duties can use that entity’s review for their university post-tenure review.
Provost John Zumbrunnen shared that the Year of AI Readiness and Competency is a coordinated, campuswide effort to ensure that students, faculty and staff are prepared to use artificial intelligence thoughtfully, responsibly and in service to the Wisconsin Idea. The AI Readiness and Competency Working Group, co-chaired by Didier Contis, chief information officer and vice provost for information technology, and Professor Kristin Eschenfelder, interim dean of the College of Letters and Science, will conduct an inventory of AI resources and training, and develop recommendations for guidelines and safe practices.
Ashley Miller is the new vice provost for enrollment management effective September 8, 2026. Percival Matthews will continue as special advisor focused on access and community for an additional year. Allison Prasch will serve as a special advisor for pluralism and will lead the Wisconsin Experience space. Sarah Barber is the new chief of staff to the provost.
There is continued work on developing the Madison Commitment to promote excellence in leadership and supervision on campus.
Office of Compliance Director Jaimee Gilford, Associate Director of Civil Rights Compliance and Title IX Coordinator Lauren Hasselbacher and Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs Nancy Lynch provided additional background and information on the hostile and intimidating behavior (HIB) process. The HIB process is an institutional creation and university construct intended to address egregious conduct.
The associate director of civil rights compliance and the assistant director of investigations are responsible for making determinations about which cases meet the policy’s prima facie test to move forward with a formal investigation. The prima facie elements require: 1) The conduct is unwelcome, 2) It occurs in or relating to employment activities, 3) It does not further the legitimate academic or operational interests of the university, and 4) A reasonable person would find the conduct so severe or pervasive that it makes the complainant’s conditions for work inhospitable or intolerable, it unreasonably and negatively affects the complainant’s well-being or safety in the workplace, or unreasonably interferes with the complainant’s ability to carry out their work responsibilities to the university.
The policy also specifically notes that it “is not meant to constrain or prevent supervisors or management from addressing workplace performance issues through institutional performance management practices that serve a legitimate academic or operational interest, or address behavior or actions through discipline, so long as applicable policies, procedures, and commonly accepted workplace management practices are being observed.”
When the Office of Compliance declines to move forward with an HIB investigation, the complainant is provided a written explanation and is referred to local human resources or the Office of Human Resources Workforce Relations and any other appropriate resources. Complainants are given an opportunity to ask questions or provide additional information for consideration.
Chief Information Officer Didier Contis shared six priority pillars for the university’s information technology: support student growth and success; enable discovery, creation and innovation; advance AI readiness, access and competency; modernize operations and user experience; manage risk and compliance; cultivate excellence in the workforce. In the area of student success, more laptops have been added to the computer loaner program, which is seeing increased demand. In FY27, the university will continue to invest in research drive and research object services to meet demand and work on data center capacity, including hosting and cooling capabilities. An IT Federation is being developed as an operating model for coordinating IT services across the university. For the Year of AI Readiness and Competency, the AI Readiness and Competency Working Group will bring initial guiding principles and recommendations on AI governance to shared governance for feedback.
Johnson motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(a)(c) and (f) to discuss waivers, committee appointments and grievances at 3:45 pm.
Chui adjourned the meeting at 4:00 pm.
Minutes submitted by Julie Scharm, deputy secretary of the faculty.