Minutes for March 30, 2020

UC members present: Campagnola, Halverson, Sandgren, Ventura, Warfield (chair), Wolf

Also present, besides those mentioned below: Michaela Aust, Greg Bump, Michelle Felber, Amol Goyal, Matt Mayrl, Kelly Meyerhofer, Jane Richard, Cole Roecker, Jake Smith

Chair Warfield called the meeting to order at 1:33.

Sandgren moved to approve the University Committee minutes for March 23, 2020. The motion was seconded and approved.  

Kirsten Wolf reported that she attended many meetings in regards to the Pass/Fail policy for the current semester. A fail means the student will not receive credit for the course. Students with Ds or Fs would receive a fail if they opt to take that option. The UC had many questions.

Jack O’Meara with PROFS reported that a new revenue estimate from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau is due at the end of April.

Steve Ventura reported on an initiative to add language into tenure guidelines for diversity and community engaged scholarship. Steve and Earlise Ward attended the all divisional meeting in late February to present the idea, and committees are looking at incorporating the language into their revised guidelines for next year. The language isn’t intended to be a requirement but rather give recognition to activities in these areas. It was suggested that this information be shared with the Faculty Senate in May.

The University Committee discussed the logistics of electronic voting for a Senate meeting held through videoconferencing to give some guidance to the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty.

The University Committee reviewed and supports the latest draft of the promotion to full professor section to be added to Faculty Policies and Procedures (7.18).

Chancellor Rebecca Blank reported that she has been awestruck by the effort of the faculty and instructional staff to get courses online and operating: 99.9% were online as of last Wednesday. Efforts are now pivoted towards making sure that as many classes are operating effectively. She suggested faculty send out a brief survey to students asking for feedback in real time. The university is purchasing a software tool that will allow for exam proctoring.

UW-Madison is collecting information on the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic to the university. If the university returns to normal operations in June, the estimated cost is $100 million. Federal legislation last week allocates some money to schools with 50% of the amount to go to students and the other half to institutions. UW-Madison is estimated to receive a total of $19 million with half of that amount going to students. The legislation also expanded FMLA with an offset of costs to private institutions, but not to public institutions.

Employees were provided with 80 hours of COVID-19 leave that can be used by who don’t have to work and can’t telecommute as well as employees who become ill or need to stay home to take care of children. Other human resources decisions will be communicated as soon as possible.

Fewer than 600 students have been consolidated into four dorms to make space for quarantined students and first responders. The Lowell Center is being used by the state for those with symptoms but no place to isolate. 

There will be an announcement soon about summer camps, student orientation and summer term.

Two staff members have tested positive to COVID-19, but no students living on campus. There are students off campus and at their homes who have tested positive following spring break trips.

Sandgren moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss a tenure clock extension and personnel matters. The motion was seconded and passed at 2:38. The UC approved one tenure clock extension.

Wolf moved to convene in open session which was seconded at 3:04 when Chair Warfield adjourned the meeting.