University Committee

Minutes for December 21, 2020

Approved January 04, 2021

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

Also present, besides those mentioned below: Juliana, Greg Bump, Ananda Deacon, Gideon Elliott, Lesley Fisher, Lynn Freeman, Amol Goyal, Lilly Gullickson, Eden Inoway-Ronnie, Kevin Jacobson, Jordan Kennedy, Yvonne Kim, Cleo Le, Matt Mayrl, Kelly Meyerhofer, Angela Maloney, Yomi Obuseh, Jack O’Meara, Scott Owczarek, Abbey Perkins, Jack Phillips, Jake Smith, Brandon Springer, Bill Tishler, John Zumbrunnen, Brittany Williams, Crystal Zhao 

Chair Wolf called the meeting to order at 1:15 pm.

Minutes of December 14, 2020 were passed by automatic consent. 

Chancellor Rebecca Blank discussed the draft policy for Promotion from Associate Professor to Professor. Discussion centered around whether to require outside letters. The Chancellor informed the committee that community testing at the Nielsen tennis stadium will continue through the first week of January. 

Testing will be available for staff and students in the spring semester 7 days a week with some evening hours. There will be a re-entry plan for students so they do not spread the virus when they arrive. The Chancellor is in the midst of legislative meetings to discuss budget priorities. She is also awaiting final recommendation from the Campus Planning Committee regarding Chamberlin rock.

Laurent Heller, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, reported that the governor’s budget will come out in January. It is important to have UW well situated in the proposals for both the operating budget and the capital budget. They are also making the case for flexibilities including bonding and borrowing.

The federal government has passed a bill for COVID relief. It contains $82 billion for education relief (previous relief bill included $30 billion). The bill also simplifies the FAFSA application process for financial aid and Pell grant eligibility. The formula for distribution of these funds are unknown at this point.

Papp moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss waivers and a grievance. Seconded. Passed at 1:53 pm. Two dual role waivers were approved. 

Sandgren moved to convene in open session. Seconded. Passed at 4:30 pm.

Matthew Mitnick, ASM chair, and other students shared information about the need for a special pass/fail designation that was offered in the spring semester to be offered this fall. The students indicated that the effects of the pandemic were worse this fall then they had been in the spring semester. The University Committee will do some investigating about what might be possible given the late date.

Adjourned at 5:18 pm.

Submitted by Heather Daniels, Secretary of the Faculty