December 7, 2015
Audio recording
Transcription

Chancellor Rebecca Blank called the meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. with 150 voting members present (111 needed for quorum).
1. Memorial Resolutions were offered for:

Professor Emeritus Stanley Kutler (Fac Doc 2587)
Professor Emerita Claudia Card (Fac Doc 2588)
Professor Emerita Signe Skott Cooper (Fac Doc 2589)
Professor Emeritus David Linberg (Fac Doc 2590)

2. Announcements/Information Items.

Chancellor Blank called attention to the fact that nominations are being accepted for shared governance spring elections and encouraged faculty to consider running. Blank highlighted recent national recognition of improvements in graduation rates, along with steadily declining gaps in retention and graduation rates between white and historically disadvantaged students. She also provided updates on national research rankings, the naming of a UW-Madison Rhodes Scholar, and a large gift to the School of Music. The chancellor also updated the Senate on the work of the UW System Tenure Task Force, campus diversity efforts, and development of a new graduate assistant compensation.

3. Question Period.

There were several questions and comments, primarily on graduate assistant compensation.

AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS

4. The minutes of the Faculty Senate Minutes 2015-11-02 meeting were approved as distributed.

REPORTS

5. Professor Judith Burstyn (Chemistry and President of PROFS) presented the annual report of PROFS, Inc., for 2014-2015 (Fac Doc 2591).
There were no questions or comments.
6. Professor Natalia de Leon Gatti (Agronomy and co-chair of the Committee on Women in the University) presented the annual reports of the Committee on Women in the University for 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 (Fac Doc 2592).
There was one comment addressing parental leave and one question on compensation.
7. Professor Phil Brown (Geoscience and chair of the University Curriculum Committee) presented the annual reports of the University Curriculum Committee for 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 (Fac Doc 2593).
There were no questions or comments.

OLD BUSINESS

8. Professor Dorothy Farrar-Edwards (Kinesiology, University Committee member, and chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Post-Tenure Review) moved approval of Faculty Document 2583a on post-tenure review.

There were two comments in favor of the motion. The motion to approve Faculty Document 2583a passed by unanimous voice vote.

SPECIAL ORDER

10. Chancellor Blank took up agenda item 10 due to time constraints. There were no objections. Prof. Burstyn (Chemistry) moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to consider the recommendation of the Committee on Honorary Degrees. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Professor David McDonald (History and chair of the Committee on Honorary Degrees) presented background information on the nominees for honorary degrees. Senators voted by paper ballot whether to award the honorary degrees. All four candidates were approved.

NEW BUSINESS

9. Prof. Robert Hamers (Chemistry and chair of the Commission on Faculty Compensation and Economic Benefits) presented the report of the Commission on Faculty Compensation and Economic Benefits and moved endorsement of the reports recommendations (Fac Doc 2594).
The motion was seconded and there were several comments and questions, addressing other employment categories, multiple births/adoptions, gendered language, dual career employees, and process. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Steven K. Smith
Secretary of the Faculty