Minutes for August 16, 2021

UC members present: Halverson, Masters, Papp, Sandgren (chair), Tejedo-Herrero, Thibeault

Others present besides those listed below: Michael Bernard-Donals, Greg Bump, Gideon Elliott, Michelle Felber, John Horn, Charlie Hoslet, John Lucas, Jane Richard, Jake Smith, John Zumbrunnen

Chair Sandgren called the meeting to order at 1:00.

Rob Cramer, Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, reported that the recruitment is on for a new Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Management. Administrative Transformation Project (ATP) is working with UW System to correct the procurement issue from last year. The Board of Regents approved the contract with Workday, which will be the underlying ATP technology; implementation is planned for 2024 or 2025 in the areas of human resources, finance and research administration.

The University Committee reviewed new written procedures for grievances to the University Committee. They discussed the emeritus/emerita pronoun and how to eliminate the gendered usage of the term. 

The minutes of the meeting of August 2, 2021 were approved by consent. 

Steve Ackerman, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, reported that research expenditures rose by 6% last year. School/college guidelines for Research Professor have been reviewed for CALS, Engineering, Nelson Institute, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, L&S and Medicine and Public Health. One person from SMPH has been put forward to be approved in this new title. 

Karl Scholz, Provost, said that the new website for the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring will launch this week (ctlm.wisc.edu/). They are looking forward to providing support for instructors. Provost Scholz and the University Committee also discussed concerns around the accommodation process and the perception that all requests for modality changes for accommodations have been denied. 

Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, reminded the University Committee about the upcoming leadership meeting. The UW System Presidential Search and Screen Committee will meet on Friday and expects to hold listening sessions on all UW campuses; the UW-Madison campus sessions are planned for September 30 from 2:30-4:30 and October 1 from 9-11 am. About 80 new faculty will attend the New Faculty Welcome in the last week of August. Vaccination rates for faculty and staff are about 90%. The University Committee again brought up accommodation concerns. 

Thibeault moved to convene in closed session; it was seconded and approved at 2:49. One committee appointment was made and four role waivers and two tenure clock extensions were approved. 

Sandgren moved to reconvene in open session; it was seconded and approved at 3:13.

Chair Sandgren adjourned the meeting at 3:31.

« Previous: University Committee Meeting Minutes 2021-08-02

Next: University Committee Meeting Minutes 2021-08-30 »