Minutes for April 26, 2021 

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

Others: Michaela Aust, Michael Bernard-Donals, Michelle Felber, Lesley Fisher, David Giroux, Matt Mayrl, Kelly Meyerhofer, Jack O’Meara, Noel Radomski, Jane Richard, Jake Smith

Chair Wolf called the meeting to order at 1:30 pm.

The minutes of the meeting of April 19, 2021 were approved by consent. 

Michelle Felber and Jack O’Meara gave an update on PROFS activities. There will be a budget forum on May 7; PROFS members met with new state representative Samba Baldeh. Joint Finance is holding the occasional budget hearings; PROFS registered against some of the election bills that limit voting and registered again a bill that challenges transgender athletes.

Karl Scholz, Provost, shared the good news in the faculty salaries survey- UW-Madison had ranked last of peers for many years, and is now fifth. The university is developing plans on how to accommodate students who may be unable to enter the United States this fall.

Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, said that about one-half of the employees and about one-third of students have been vaccinated. The employee numbers are likely higher as many have been vaccinated off campus, but haven’t uploaded their information to UHS yet.

The dedication of space for the Divine 9 memorial (black sororities and fraternities) next to Vilas Hall was a moving event. They are now fundraising for the memorial itself. The chancellor, provost, and chief diversity officer are holding follow-up town halls for black faculty and staff and DEI leaders including shared governance committees.

Laurent Heller, the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration is leaving UW-Madison. The interim VCFA will be Rob Cramer, who currently serves as the interim director of Facilities Planning and Management.

Eric Raimy, UW System Representative for UW-Madison, had a conversation with the UC about his work as this year’s representative. He’ll take a break during a planned sabbatical next year, but happy to come back to the role afterwards.

The University Committee approved sending out a memo to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education about the Conflict of Commitment policy. The Academic Staff Executive Committee have asked to sign on. The memo asks the offices to provide a mechanism for feedback and questions on the policy.

Masters moved to go into closed session; it was seconded and approved at 3:38.

Tracy moved to go into open session; it was seconded and approved at 4:12. Two tenure clock extensions and 3 dual role waivers were approved.

Chair Wolf adjourned the meeting at 4:18.