FACULTY SENATE MINUTES

02 March 2020

Chancellor Rebecca Blank called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. with 133 voting members present (112 needed for quorum). Memorial resolutions were offered for Professor Emeritus Richard Allen Askey (Faculty Document 2871), Professor Emeritus Glenn Barquest (Faculty Document 2872), Professor Emeritus Edward Fadell (Faculty Document 2873), Professor Emeritus Sufian Husseini (Faculty Document 2874) and Professor Emeritus Richard Walker (Faculty Document 2875). Chancellor Blank provided the latest information about COVID-19 (coronavirus). UW-Madison is monitoring the situation and has suspended university-sponsored study abroad programs in China, South Korea, and Italy. Students from these programs are being advised to return to their home address and self-monitor for 14 days. A number of these programs are offering distance learning options for the rest of the semester. Faculty considering international travel this spring should consult travel advisories via the U.S. State Department and CDC. She encouraged attendees to participate in the 2020 census and reminded attendees about the guidelines for political activity on campus. Chancellor Blank announced that UW-Madison is once again number 1 in Peace Corps volunteers. Spring commencement for bachelors, masters, and law degrees will take place on May 9 featuring author James Patterson, and John Felder, an organizer of the Black Student Strike of 1969. Finally, she shared that Steve Ackerman has been named the new Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education and Derek Kindle has been named the new Vice Provost for Enrollment Management.

University Committee chair Terry Warfield (University Committee, District 120, Business) continued the practice to take a moment to reflect on one sentence of the Our Shared Future plaque at each senate meeting. There were no questions for either the chancellor or the UC chair.

Steve Ackerman, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, presented the State of the Research Enterprise, which focused on the annual NSF research expenditure rankings, internal grant programs, WARF resources, and graduate student recruitment.

The Faculty Senate Minutes 2020-02-03 were approved.

Professor Corinna Burger (Neurology), chair of the Kemper K. Knapp Bequest Committee, presented their annual report (Faculty Document 2876). Associate Dean Karen Wassarman (Bacteriology), presented, for informational purposes, the report on the creation of the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences and the discontinuation of the Department of Animal Sciences and the Department of Dairy Science (Faculty Document 2877).

Professor Warfield presented the preliminary slates for the elections to Divisional Executive Committees and the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee and announced that the elections will be held in early April (Faculty Document 2878); there is still an opportunity for nominations. There were no questions or comments on any of these reports.            

Professor Warfield moved adoption of a resolution creating the academic staff “Professor of Practice” (Faculty Document 2870). The motion was seconded and there were several comments. The motion passed by voice vote. Professor Warfield presented Faculty Document 2879 for a first reading to create section in 7.18 in Faculty Policies and Procedures titled “Promotion to the Rank of Full Professor”. There were several comments; the senators were encouraged to send other comments to the University Committee to be incorporated into the document as it is brought forward for vote in April. Professor Warfield moved adoption of a resolution calling for emergency and helpline numbers to be added to newly issued faculty/staff Wiscards (Faculty Document 2880). The motion was seconded. The motion passed by voice vote without dissent.

The meeting adjourned at 4:48 pm.

Heather Daniels

Secretary of the Faculty