Minutes for September 23, 2024

UC members present: Bernard-Donals, Jones, Kendall, Li, Stein, Zweifel

Others present: Ashley Hagen, Michelle Felber, Lesley Fisher, Jack O’Meara, Mallory Musolf, Julie Scharm, Dominic Zappia

Chair Li called the meeting to order at 12:30 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 12:31 pm. One tenure clock extension was approved.

Bernard-Donals motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to reconvene in open session at 12:42 pm.

The minutes from September 16, 2024, meeting were approved by automatic consent.

The University Committee decided that Annie Jones will take the UC seat on the UAPC starting in January to allow Nancy Kendall to become the UW-Madison representative on UW System Faculty Representatives. Jim Stein was originally going to become the UW-Madison representative.

The University Committee discussed the newly issued policies on institutional statements and decided to invite Diana Harvey, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Nancy Lynch, Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs, to a meeting for further discussion.

The University Committee conducted a first review of the October Senate agenda, which consists mainly of business that was not addressed at the regular May Senate meeting.

Provost Charles Isbell discussed changes in the Division of the Arts. Amy Gilman, Director of the Chazen, will be serving as Senior Director of the Arts and Media. Chris Walker will be serving as Special Advisor to the Provost for the Arts. Public media, UW Press, the Division of the Arts and the Chazen will report to Amy. She is also managing the division. Chris Walker is handling all academics in the division. After a period of 6 months or a year, Provost Isbell plans to revisit this arrangement to see how it is working.

Provost Isbell discussed outcomes for the RISE program. He is hoping to see new types of students, degree programs, increases in large collaborative grants, and additions to infrastructure. Retention rates and research return comparisons could be done. There are other things happening at the same time that could also be affecting the outcomes, including the new Vice Chancellor for Research and the new budget approach.

Li adjourned the meeting at 2:42 pm.