Minutes for May 6, 2024

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Li, Tejedo-Herrero, Thibeault, Zweibel
Others present: Michaela Aust, Greg Bump, Jack O’Meara, Julie Scharm, Jake Smith, Blake Thor, Dominic Zampia

Chair Thibeault called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm. 

Bernard-Donals motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss waivers and committee appointments at 1:01 pm. One dual-role waiver was approved.

Jones motioned to reconvene in open session at 1:09 pm. It was seconded and approved. 

The minutes from April 29, 2024, were approved by automatic consent.

The UC will discuss the indirect cost task force looking at the budget approach. A formal request of the Teaching Academy has been made to move back to the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty. 

Felix Elwert joined the University Committee to discuss recommendations regarding two amendments to Faculty Policies and Procedures. He was part of a subgroup of divisional committee chairs who met to talk about issues with prior service and the tenure clock. One amendment would tie the probationary period to the period of time for evaluation. The other would allow a total of five years of prior service to be considered when the faculty member is hired. This is currently three years. Discussion on these items will continue this summer. 

The University Committee released a statement regarding the protest on Friday late afternoon. It was tweeted by UW-Madison and also in the Daily Cardinal. It encouraged both sides to continue meeting. They did meet over the weekend. 

The chancellor will be attending Faculty Senate. With the march to Faculty Senate and a large number of guests expected, it is likely that a number of people might want to ask questions or speak about the protests. The chancellor will turn over her duties of presiding to Susan following her remarks. Susan will oversee sharing of remarks as well as making sure the Senate covers the one report on a departmental name change. This will allow the chancellor to give her full attention to the speakers making remarks. Any remarks from students will require consent of the senate. Depending on time, the meeting could proceed with additional business. If the meeting needs to end before business is complete, there will need to be a motion to adjourn. The University Committee decided to allow remarks to go as late as necessary. 

Thibeault adjourned the meeting at 2:20 pm.