Minutes for October 18, 2021

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

Others present besides those listed below: Michael Bernard-Donals, Michelle Felber, Lesley Fisher, John Horn, Matt Mayrl, Jane Richard

Chair Sandgren called the meeting to order at 1:01.

The minutes of the meeting of October 11, 2021 was approved by consent.

Rob Cramer, Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, and Paul Seitz, Director of Strategic Initiatives, discussed revenue growth and how it needs to be internally generated since funding from the state has been declining. Recent strategies include philanthropy, research and development, summer session, professional and non-residential tuition, professional master’s programs, and undergraduate enrollment growth. Another group came up with: corporate and industry partnerships, auxiliary and asset optimization, and real estate.

UW-Madison and University Research Park will identify real estate parcels that could be developed or leased. The UW System Board of Regents would allow University Research Park to purchase the parcel, and proceeds from the land value would come back to UW-Madison.

Bill Karpus, Dean of the Graduate School, announced that the fall 2021 graduate student enrollment is up from fall 2019 (35 for doctoral and 230 for masters). Online events for graduate school recruitment continues to provide a higher yield than traditional in person events. They awarded 36 dissertation completion fellowships in spring of 2021 and 34 of those students have defended their dissertations. There may be another competition for spring 2022.

The Graduate School is currently working to set the pay rates for graduate assistants for next year, to be announced by November 1. In comparison with AAU peers, TA rates are 7% above the median and RA rates are 9.4%. Karpus would like them to be in the top quartile.

Halverson moved to convene in closed session; it was seconded and approved at 2:03.

Sandgren moved to reconvene in open session; it was seconded and approved at 2:25.

Chancellor Blank confirmed her departure from UW-Madison in summer 2022. The UW System Board of Regents will decide the search and screen schedule. Provost Karl Scholz will replace her on the UW System Presidential Search and Screen Committee. She recently attended a WARF Board meeting and was impressed that they provide equity in startup companies.

In regards to the Biden Executive Order on vaccine mandates, UW-Madison is moving jointly with UW System, and there should be more clarity on what the order means and how UW System institutions will comply with it in the next couple weeks. A report on the accommodations process is being drafted.

Professor Willie Choi, chair of the Budget Committee, presented their annual report. They spent much of the last year talking about COVID-19 and its effects on the budget as well as the biennial budget process. The committee is spending some time this year examining their charge.

Sandgren moved to convene in closed session; it was seconded and approved at 3:20.

Masters moved to reconvene in open session; it was seconded and approved at 4:06.

The University Committee agreed to submit comments regarding the revisions to the UW System Board of Regents policy on the search process for chancellors, stating that a chancellor at UW-Madison should have a terminal degree and be tenurable. Secretary Daniels, along with Chair Sandgren will draft the statement and submit it by Friday, October 22.

Chair Sandgren adjourned the meeting at 4:12.