Minutes for March 11, 2024

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Jones, Li (chair pro-tem), Tejedo-Herrero, Zweibel
Others present: Julie Scharm

Chair pro-tem Li called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm. 

Tejedo-Herrero motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss a faculty hire at 1:01 pm. 

Bernard-Donals motioned to reconvene in open session at 1:16 pm. It was seconded and approved. 

The minutes from March 4, 2024, were approved by automatic consent.

The University Committee reviewed several proposed changes to Faculty Policies and Procedures to be included in the next Faculty Senate agenda. They discussed whether the UC should maintain approval of committee appointments for candidates that are vetted by the Committee on Committees and shared with the University Committee for approval. They decided they were comfortable with the proposed change that those seats be appointed by the Committee on Committees especially with two UC members serving on the Committee on Committees. 

Dietram Scheufele, chair of the Committee on Honorary Degrees, provided an update on the activities of the committee following the changes to the committee size approved by the Faculty Senate in the fall. The committee is playing a more active role in the nomination and selection process rather than relying on nominations from departments and academic units. Honorary degree candidates should have a mutual reputational benefit. The university community will still be able to submit ideas of candidates, but will not need to prepare nomination materials. Ideas can be submitted at any time and will remain on an ongoing list of possible nominees for the committee to consider. A call for candidate ideas will be sent to campus this fall. 

Li adjourned the meeting at 2:16 pm.