Minutes for October 07, 2024

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

Others present: Greg Bump, Michelle Felber, Ashley Hagen, Julie Scharm, Dom Zappia, Amy Ji

Chair Li called the meeting to order at 1:15 pm.

The minutes from September 30, 2024, meeting were approved with one addition by automatic consent.

Secretary Heather Daniels shared that a draft charge for a committee that will be asked to draft a policy on student evaluation of teaching would be ready for review at the next meeting. UC member Jim Stein shared several documents he had found in regards to divestment from Israel, including Wisconsin state law prohibiting it as well as a letter from more than twenty attorney generals warning Brown University Board of Trustees that if they moved forward with divestment, there were laws in more than 75% of states including Wisconsin prohibiting the states from doing business with entities who discriminate against Israel.  

Bikash Pattnaik, chair of the Immigration and International Issues Committee, presented the committee’s annual report for 2023-2024. The committee has been working with campus partners including consulting with faculty and staff services. They have identified several issues that they are looking at including gaps for financial support for international students on campus, support for DACA students, international tax system issues, and the introduction of the Welcome Crops to campus. The Welcome Corps is a new federal program to bring refugee students to college campuses. UW-Madison has been approved to bring in one student the next academic year.

The University Committee discussed proposed changes to FPP 6.41 in regards to procedures for the Committee on Honorary Degrees. These changes will be brought as a first reading to the Faculty Senate in November. They also discussed the idea of having a slate of honorary degree nominees approved by the Regents and concerns about confidentiality in the Faculty Senate. They also discussed the timeline that would be required for this change and how it doesn’t align with current practice.

The University Committee will ask divisional committees to think about issues they anticipate coming up in regards to RISE hires and the divisional tenure guidelines. It would be ideal to try to address issues proactively. Deans should ask departments to do the same with reviewing and updating their tenure guidelines. 

Stein 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 waiver at 2:14 pm. One leave of absence was approved.  

Bernard-Donals motioned, and it was seconded and approved, to reconvene in open session at 2:16 pm.

Li adjourned the meeting at 2:54 pm.