University Committee

Minutes for November 30, 2020

Approved December 07, 2020

UC members present: Halverson, Masters, Papp, Sandgren, Tracy, Wolf (chair)

Also present, besides those mentioned below: Michaela Aust, Michael Bernard-Donals, Greg Bump, Michelle Felber, Lesley Fisher, Kevin Jacobson, Matt Mayrl, Jack O’Meara, Kelly Meyerhofer, Jane Richard, Bill Tishler

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

Sandgren moved to approve the minutes of November 23, 2020. Seconded. Approved.

Jack O’Meara with PROFS noted the start of the state budget process. The financial picture is looking surprisingly better than expected. Governor Evers is reviewing the UW System budget request. PROFS will start meeting with newly-elected Madison-area legislators.

Beth Meyerand, Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs, in discussions with the Divisional Committees, is looking at how the differential impacts of COVID-19 affect the productivity of assistant professors. Each divisional committee may handle the issue differently. The University Committee asked to be kept informed. 

The University Committee reviewed the December 7 Faculty Senate agenda.

Nasia Safdar and Tetyana Schneider, co-chairs of the Campus Diversity and Climate Committee (CDCC), along with committee coordinator Lindsay Stoddard Cameron (Office of the Secretary of the Faculty), presented the 2019-2020 annual report. The CDCC has been working with campus partners to maximize the capabilities of the Starfish student advising platform. They assisted with planning the 2019 Diversity Forum, which had over 1300 participants. They also analyzed school/college diversity plans and developed recommendations. This year the committee plans are to again work on the diversity forum, explore and recommend professional development for faculty and staff, and, with University Health Services (UHS), work on reducing the rate of sexual violence and sexual assault.

J. Michael Collins, chair of the Budget Committee, presented the 2018-2020 annual report. The committee is new and has provided a faculty, staff, and student governance voice on various budget issues. It’s important to have these conversations to help clear up misunderstandings about how the budget process works. They’ve looked at the budget formula for 101 funds based on teaching, summer session funding, extension merger, and segregated fees. The committee even met during the summer to hear financial updates of the COVID-19 impact on campus finances.

Tracy moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss waivers and committee appointments. Seconded. Passed at 2:09 pm. One dual role waiver was approved.

Tracy moved to convene in open session. Seconded. Passed at 2:27 pm.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank reported that in spring, anyone regularly on campus will be required to be COVID-19 tested twice per week. There is likely to be a re-entry testing and isolating plan for students coming back in January.

In response to a recent news item in the student newspaper regarding paying employees in other countries, Chancellor Blank suspects that the source of this story is that the university decided in August to not hire undergraduate student hourlies who were working remotely abroad because of complicating taxes and payment structures. However, ASM hired some students working remotely internationally despite this policy. These hourly employees have been paid for the work done, but they are unable to continue being employed by the university.

The Chancellor is again meeting with legislators and has also restarted meeting with donors. Winter commencement will be virtual and will include the awarding of two honorary degrees.

Adjourned at 2:53 pm.

Submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Faculty