Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. with 149 voting members present (94 needed for quorum). Memorial resolutions were offered for Professor Emeritus Thomas Dale Brock (Faculty Document 3034), Professor Emeritus Warren H. Gabelman (Faculty Document 3035), Professor Emeritus David Spooner (Faculty Document 3036), Professor Emeritus Neal A. Jorgensen (Faculty Document 3037), and Professor Emeritus Howard James Larsen (Faculty Document 3038).

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin delivered the annual state of the university address. She shared information about her listening and learning tour around the state of Wisconsin and on campus. This year’s entering class is the largest in the history of the university with approximately 8,635 students due to an increase in the yield of accepted applications. This year’s class is also the most racially diverse with over 31% of students of color and more than half of those students from under-represented groups. UW–Madison is in the top ten public universities for its six-year graduation rate. Time to degree is under four years, and the gap between graduate rates of majority and under-represented students has narrowed. More than 60% of students graduate from UW–Madison debt free. UW–Madison was in the top ten of public institutions for US News and World Report this year, and, in a recent study, was identified as one of five universities that has trained more than 10% of current tenured or tenure-track faculty members.

Chancellor Mnookin is watching the Harvard and North Carolina Supreme Court cases closely. Outcomes of those cases regarding race-conscious college admissions would likely affect UW–Madison. There is also a gubernatorial election this year, which will lead into the state budget process. The Regents have put forward a strong budget request that includes the UW–Madison Engineering building as its the number one capital building project request. The budget also includes 4% salary increases for the next two years. Chancellor Mnookin reiterated the need for the university to have its own bonding authority.  

Chancellor Mnookin has observed that people are invested in the institution. There is a deep commitment to collaboration here, and UW–Madison has a rich environment to learning with commitment to teaching excellence. A commitment to free speech and academic freedom is a long-standing tradition. People have also expressed interest in continuing to diversify faculty, staff and students, providing additional services to first generation and Pell students, supporting employees more fully, providing better infrastructure to support large grants, expanding industry partnerships and working on sustainability to name a few priorities.  

Lauren Papp, University Committee chair, welcomed everyone to the new academic year. She is looking forward to the positive impact the Faculty Senate will make this year.

The Faculty Senate Minutes 2022-05-02 were approved by consent. Changes to Faculty Policies and Procedures (FPP) standardizing membership information for the Campus Transportation Committee (Faculty Document 3039) were approved by consent.

Professor Lauren Papp (University Committee chair, district 120) presented the University Committee annual report for 2021-2022 (Faculty Document 3040), Professor Carey McAndrews (Planning and Landscape Architecture, district 22) presented the Campus Transportation Committee annual report for 2020-2021 (Faculty Document 3041), and Professor Catherine Arnott Smith presented the Information Technology Committee annual report for 2021-2022 (Faculty Document 3042). There were no questions on these reports.

Professor Michael Bernard-Donals, University Committee member, moved approval to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures to remove the Board of Regents approval for leaves of absence for governmental service (Faculty Document 3043). The motion was approved.

Professor Lauren Papp, University Committee chair, presented a first reading of a proposal to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures to provide departmental executive committees the authority to allow university staff to participate in the annual preference ballot for department chair (Faculty Document 3044). A faculty senator provided revisions for consideration.

Professor Fernando Tejedo-Herrero, University Committee member, presented a first reading of a proposal to amend Faculty Policies and Procedures to further define emerit status and include information on disqualification and removal of the honorific title (Faculty Document 3045). A faculty senator provided revisions for consideration.

Senators were encouraged to take the two first readings back to their departments for comments. A vote on these items is anticipated at the November meeting.

Chancellor Mnookin adjourned the meeting at 4:49 pm.