Draft Minutes for May 7, 2018 Approved May 21, 2018

UC members present: Bowers, Litovsky, Ventura, Wanner (chair), Warfield

UC members absent: Amasino

Others present: S. Smith, J. Richard, M. Aust, J. Smith, J. O’Meara, B. Vaughan, M. Felber, H. Daniels,

Chair Anja Wanner called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. The minutes of the meeting of April 30, 2018, were approved. The UC discussed Faculty Senate materials and prepared for the meeting, held later that same afternoon.

Professor of Family Medicine Bruce Barrett discussed past and future actions on fossil fuel with the University Committee. Barrett summarized work in 2013-14 on the topic, which resulted in a resolution to ask the UW Foundation to divest from fossil fuels (later modified to a request to create fossil-fuel free investment options) [link]. He is asking now (and will also ask the chancellor at the Senate meeting) about progress on that recommendation. Discussion followed, including emphasis on activities currently being pursued on campus, where faculty and others have much more control over actions and outcome than with the (independent) Foundation.

Casey Nagy provided an update on UW System restructuring and the return of Cooperative Extension, including draft results of the steering groups’ strategic planning exercise. The first report to be tackled in this regard is ECC and Mail Services. Draft document circulated showed major transitional points and gives a sense of what will be required for the other, more complicated units. MOUs are currently being drafted and reviewed by senior leadership and will be shared with UC and other governance groups for review next. Nagy hopes to have 3 executable MOUs by end of month. Key distinctions will be programmatic control vested in Madison, operational day-to-day still vested in Extension. For example, in the realm of HR, hiring would require Madison approval, but payrolling would go through Extension during pendency of MOUs. Ample discussion on various aspects, including county contracts and volunteers. 

Ruth Litovsky 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 2:10 p.m. The UC discussed at length its recommendation to the chancellor for Athletic Board co-FAR. The UC discussed additional nominees for a CFRR-ordered de novo committee, as well as possibilities for de novo committee chair. The UC considered and unanimously approved a one-semester dual-role waiver. The UC and the provost discussed composition of the WSB dean search and screen committee at great length. Barb Bowers moved to reconvene in open session. The motion was seconded and passed at 3:01 p.m., at which point Wanner adjourned her penultimate UC meeting as chair.

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