Faculty Senate Minutes 2013-10-07

Audio Recording

The meeting was called to order by Chancellor Rebecca Blank at 3:32 p.m. with 174 voting members present.

1. Memorial resolutions were presented for:

Professor Emeritus Fritz A. Albert. faculty document 2430

Professor Emeritus Charles W. Anderson. faculty document 2431

Professor Emeritus Gordon R. Cunningham. faculty document 2432

Professor Emeritus R. Wayne Dickey. faculty document 2433

Professor Emeritus Frederick J. Giesler. faculty document 2434

Professor Emeritus Robert W. Hougas. faculty document 2435

Professor Emerita Mary Ellen Rudin. faculty document 2436

Professor Emeritus Elden J. Stang. faculty document 2437

2. Chancellor Blank presented her State of the University address. After asserting her highest priority of ensuring that UW-Madison remains financially stable, she addressed a number of budget-related topics including future state and federal funding for the university, in-state and out-of-state tuition levels, and donor contributions. She also spoke about shared governance, HR flexibilities, competitive compensation, and searches for the UW System president and UW-Madison provost. The chancellor identified five priorities on which she is presently working: relations with elected officials, donor fund drive, educational excellence, research excellence, and outreach and technology transfer.

There were several questions. 

3. Announcements/Informational Items.

Professor Michael Bernard-Donals introduced members of the University Committee and spoke about priorities that the UC will address in 2013-2014 including: ad hoc diversity planning committee, alternative budgeting models, ad hoc committee on civility and bullying in the academic workplace, ad hoc committee on fossil fuels, an alternative proposal to enhance the existing Arts Institute in lieu of creating a College of the Arts, and shared governance.

There was one question.

Professor Ruth Litovsky updated the senate on the work of the Ad Hoc Diversity Planning Committee.

Chancellor Blank called attention to the Fourth-Year Progress Report on the Campus Strategic

Framework, which was distributed at the door.

4. Question Period

There were no additional questions following the state of the university address and the announcements period.

AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS

5. The minutes of 6 May 2013 were approved as distributed.

6. Chancellor Blank called attention to the Summary of Faculty Legislation and Faculty Senate Business for 2012-2013. faculty document 2438.

CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS

7. Professor Bernard-Donals moved to confirm the appointment of Professor Carolyn Kelley (Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis) to serve on the Commission on Faculty Compensation and Economic Benefits for 2013-2014, replacing Professor Dominique Brossard who resigned from the commission.

The motion passed without negative vote. 

8. Professor Bernard-Donals moved to confirm the appointment of Professor Kenneth Sytsma (Botany) to serve on the Commission on Faculty Compensation and Economic Benefits for 2013-2014, replacing Professor James Sweet who resigned from the commission.

The motion passed without negative vote. 

REPORTS

9. Professor David McDonald submitted for informational purposes the Advisory Board’s Report on Restructuring the Division of International Studies. faculty document 2439. 

There were several questions. 

10. Mr. Jesse Markow submitted for informational purposes the Recreational Sports Board Annual Report for 2012-2013. faculty document 2427.

There was one question. 

11. Provost Paul DeLuca submitted for informational purposes the University Academic Planning Council Annual Report for 2012-2013. faculty document 2440. 

There were no questions or comments. 

NEW BUSINESS

12. Professor Bernard-Donals moved to adopt the University Committee Recommendation to Amend the Academic Calendars for 2013-2016 and 2016-2021. faculty documents 2081c and 2366a

Dr. Wren Singer provided background information on the motion.

The motion passed without negative vote.

The meeting adjourned at 5:18 p.m. 

Andrea Poehling 

Secretary of the Faculty