Minutes for February 27, 2017

UC members present: Amasino (arrived 1:35 pm), Bowers, Broman, Litovsky (arrived 1:12 pm), Wanner, Wendt (chair)

Others present: S. Smith, M. Felber, J. Richard, J. Smith, H. Daniels, M. Bernard-Donals, O. Arain, G. Bump, M. Mayrl

Chair Amy Wendt called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m., reminded those present about the WSB finalist visits, and reviewed materials available in Box. Secretary Steve Smith confirmed that Athletic Board interviews will take place on the Friday of Spring Break. Michelle Felber reminded folks about the PROFS Steering Committee meeting, a summary of the budget distributed, and ongoing state and federal issues. A state budget forum is tentatively scheduled for March 16.

Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsha Mailick and Associate Vice Chancellor Jan Greenberg presented and discussed the final draft of the report on the IRB study. Mailick credited Greenberg with all the success of the survey and report. UC enthusiastically appreciated all the work that went into it and the conversations and improvements that have resulted. Greenberg discussed next steps, which include reviewing with IRB leadership and others for feedback and then disseminating. The latter will include sharing copies with all who completed the survey, placing on web page, focus groups around campus, meetings with divisional associate VCs, and presentation to the Faculty Senate. The OVCRGE and others will take several concrete steps relating to the report’s recommendations, including working with both IRBs to create a minimal risk protocol, appointing a working group of active researchers and IRB users (and ideally a UC member) to advise the OVCRGE, benchmarking other campuses for ideas on innovation and streamlining, analyzing data to identify bottlenecks in order to cut down process time, and implementing a short post-approval survey for all IRB approvals to help identify problems early on. Some of this is already underway, including the appointment of Casey Nagy on the benchmarking. Ample discussion ensued, including lengthy consideration of how to address consistency concerns and the need for guidance on interpretation.

VCRGE Marsha Mailick, VCFA Laurent Heller, and acting associate VC for FP&M Margaret Tennessen discussed ways to improve building and remodeling of research/lab facilities on campus. Heller started by pointing out that finding ways to make research succeed is a mission imperative. A handout was distributed with results of a recent APR project in FP&M to identify potential improvements. The report of this APR project has been delivered to Interim CIO Lehman. Ample discussion included creation of a third “channel” at FP&M for gift/grant projects, the need to make FP&M projects seamless to the customer, budget and resource limitations and soundness of cost estimates, billing procedures, documenting project changes, prioritization of requests (as opposed to first-come, first-served, which is the current method), using the new recruitment portal to identify research space needs, staffing and the possibility of dedicated lab specialists (a “research channel”), and partnerships and standardization.

Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf asked about some items on the Faculty Senate agenda, which led to a discussion about the Health Care Advisory Committee and the ad hoc committee on equitable and inclusive health care. Mangelsdorf and the UC discussed WSB dean finalists, PTR, and the ongoing Faculty Assistants issue. The provost’s time concluded with a debriefing on the reception for faculty of color, an event co-hosted by the chief diversity officer and the UC chair. Much of the discussion centered on how to raise the profile of the event and increase attendance, particularly of the honorees themselves.

The UC reviewed the March Faculty Senate agenda, especially the request from a senator to include the Faculty Assistant pay rate issue as an informational item. In addition to the fact that the request came after the deadline for this month’s meeting, the UC decided that this matter was not appropriate to bring to the Senate at this time, given that it is being addressed both administratively and through Academic Staff governance already. Both the chancellor and the provost separately opined that a Senate presentation on this issue seems overly specific given other similar issues for other groups and that highlighting this narrow slice of a broader issue already being addressed did not make sense. The UC also felt strongly that the broader Titling & Compensation study currently underway was a more appropriate, holistic, and effective way to address this specific issue at the same time as broader related topics. The UC unanimously endorsed including FAs in the to-be-appointed ad hoc committee on instructional staff and also talking with the CHRO to make sure that this specific concern is being addressed appropriately and expeditiously.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank recapped the successful and productive leadership breakfast and her breakfast meeting with the Dane County delegation, segueing into a summary of the state capital budget proposal. The good news on the latter is that the renovation and maintenance budget has been restored. More problematic is the fact that the itemized capital budget includes no projects on our campus and no approval of our non-state (program revenue) construction request. This will cause serious delays and increased costs to the needed Vet Med construction, and will certainly be one item campus will work to get changed as the budget process proceeds. Campus program-revenue projects and our own ability to bond projects (an authority all of our peers have) would not cost the state anything. Ample discussion on budget matters, including purchasing-rule limitations on various initiatives and efforts. Blank concluded her time with the UC with updates on her upcoming meetings in DC, the opening of the Black Cultural Center, Senate agenda items, and immigration issues. Discussion.

Anja Wanner moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss personnel matters. The motion was seconded and passed at 3:06 p.m. The UC met at length with a representative from legal services to discuss a grievance. All agreed that in addition to the resolution of this case itself, this process has served as a test case for the campus HIB policy, which may require some tweaks. Following the departure of the legal services representative, the UC continued to discuss this case for some time. Broman will draft memo summarizing conclusions and recommendations for consideration at next meeting. The UC identified additional potential members for a de novo (CFRR) review committee and selected a chair from among the members who have accepted so far. The UC responded to a departmental request for observers on a tenure case who are familiar with the Humanities division. Wanner and Broman were unanimously approved to serve in this capacity. The UC considered and unanimously approved one tenure clock extension. The UC considered faculty members to serve on the Administrative Improvement Award selection committee and forwarded on one name and an alternate. The UC unanimously elected Anja Wanner to serve as UC Chair for 2017-2018. Rick Amasino moved to reconvene in open session. The motion was seconded and passed at 4:30 p.m., at which point Wendt adjourned.