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University Committee Meeting Minutes 2017-10-23

University Committee Meeting Minutes

Minutes approved 10/30/2017
Approved minutes for October 23, 2017          Approved on October 30, 2017

UC members present: Amasino, Bowers, Ventura, Wanner (chair), Warfield
UC member absent: Litovsky
Others present: S. Smith, J. Richard, J. Smith, H. Daniels, J. O'Meara, M. Felber, 

Chair Anja Wanner called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. Associate Vice Chancellor Jocelyn Milner distributed an overview of the campus academic structure (see also: apir.wisc.edu/institution/academic-structure/) and she and Secretary of the Faculty Steve Smith discussed the structure with the UC, including its benefits and challenges, how it fits into the overall campus digital system, and specific example cases of programs within the structure. The challenge that Milner and Smith would like input from the UC to help address is what to do with requests for non-academic units to house academic programs. These requests raise serious governance and accountability concerns and there is currently no clear guidance in FPP about when to allow exceptions. Specific examples in L&S (where the benefits of a "department-like unit" structure are unclear) and SMPH (where academic programs would potentially not have faculty oversight) were discussed at length. UC will need to follow up on this and requests that Milner and Smith draft up a one-page articulation of the problem. 
Chief Human Resources Officer Wayne Guthrie explained his plan for restructuring following the retirement of Office of Talent Management Director Don Schutt. Still working with OHR's "4 verticals" (compensation, titling, benefits, and payroll; talent retention, engagement, and recruiting; training and development; and internal operations), collaboration teams (aka "clouds") will be created comprising a talent and retention person, a benefits person, and a workforce relations person. Teams will be assigned to schools/divisions ("customers"), formalizing the collaboration process and making it so that units always know whom to call. Teams will be led by a customer relationship manager. Discussion followed, and segued into a discussion of the OHR website, which is begin completely redesigned.

Director of the Office of Compliance Cathy Trueba, Director of Workforce Relations Patrick Sheehan, Title IX Coordinator Lauren Hasselbacher, and Dean of Students Lori Berquam presented and discussed the new campus policy on sexual harassment and sexual violence (summary memo; memo to UC). Trueba provided background and context; ample discussion followed, including what major change from current operations would be (training); complexity of document and need for a visual summary of some sort, perhaps tailored to different audiences/users; how advisory group and coordinating council interact; related national contexts; requirement to report; and how best to move this forward to the Faculty Senate. With regard to the latter, this will brought to the Senate for a first reading in November, with a recommendation to endorse the new policy and modify the existing II-303 to eliminate the first two sections and retitle the remaining sections as dealing with freedom of expression rather than sexual misconduct.

Wanner called attention to the announcement of a new website about the proposed UW System restructuring. Smith called attention to the annual faculty data report from APIR and advised the UC of the annual promotion increases memo from the Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff. On the former, it was noted that it would be interesting to see a similar breakdown report of people who leave the university. On the latter, no objections or concerns were raised. The minutes for the meeting of University Committee Meeting Minutes 2017-10-16  were approved.

Jack O'Meara reported that PROFS continues to work on entrepreneurial legislation and on potential changes to the new workload reporting requirements. Discussion about proposed System restructuring and whether PROFS and/or UC should consider a response. Consensus conclusion that there is simply not enough information to respond at this point. Consensus also that the process to this point has been awful.

The UC reviewed the November Faculty Senate agenda, which the provost will be chairing, along with documents for changes to FPP Chapter 11. Latter evolved into discussion about summer workload and other related items. UC reiterated importance of provost speaking about TTC during opening remarks, which Smith will communicate to her. Warfield moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss personnel matters. Motion seconded and passed at 2:55 p.m. The UC approved one dual role waiver with a contingency and one clock extension with a rule clarification. The University Committee nominated faculty for service on a de novo review (CFRR) committee. Amasino moved to reconvene in open session. The motion was seconded and passed at 3:22 p.m. Wanner adjourned immediately.