Approved minutes for July 16, 2018          Approved August 13, 2018

UC members present: Amasino (chair), Campagnola, Ventura, Warfield, Wolf

UC member absent: Bowers

Others present: S. Smith, J. Richard, I. Goldman, H. Daniels, C. Springer, M. Aust, M. Mayrl

Chair Rick Amasino called the meeting to order at 1:01 p.m. SOF Steve Smith asked UC members to review the following items: draft annual leadership letter on shared governance, proposal for shared governance working groups on Extension transition issues [link], and UWS shared governance meeting materials that Terry Warfield had mentioned at the last meeting. No objections or concerns were voiced about any of these items. The UC discussed the October Faculty Senate agenda and agreed that the topic of graduate student support will be recast and revisited. The minutes of the meeting of July 2, 2018, were approved with one formatting glitch corrected. Jack O’Meara reported that PROFS will be having a candidate forum for District 77 (which covers much of downtown Madison) in late July or very early August.

Office of Compliance Director Cathy Trueba and Title IX Coordinator Lauren Hasselbacher presented a new proposed UW-Madison policy on Consensual Relationships [link]. This is an HR policy and enforcement will reside in the Office of Workforce Relations, rather than the Office of Compliance. Trueba summarized what has happened so far on this policy and the major changes and important points, including that “instructors” includes graduate students, that this new policy is substantially different from prior campus policy but not from UWS policy, and that the main foci of the policy are that it prohibits relationships with students over whom instructors have authority and strongly discourages any relationship with undergraduate students. Ample discussion ensued.

Newly appointed Interim Vice Provost Casey Nagy provided an update on Extension-Madison reunification. The July 1 transition of conference and mailing services went well; more detailed planning of the (more complicated) public media and Coop transition is now under way. DLE may transition between the two other groups, depending on resolution of the tenure issue. Ample discussion, including of what the governance ramifications are with the new division/vice provost established and also about UWS/BoR authority for coordination of outreach activities. 

Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf reported that the WSB dean search has been launched and that there will be (only) two dean reviews in the coming year: Podesta and Swanson. She also reported on the hiring of a new director of public broadcasting (a somewhat odd search because it was conducted by UWEX, but the hire was made by Madison) and on UWEX leadership transfers to Madison. Some discussion followed about consensual relationship policy, Extension restructuring, and free speech/protest guidelines.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank reported on group trip to Upham Woods, NSF press conference on UW cosmic ray discoveries, and her upcoming trip to Eau Claire, as well as other trips. She also indicated that discussion about potential research collaboration with FoxConn continues and the safety audit of Athletics is due out in about a month. Some discussion followed about school/college budgeting, the 3rd year of the Young African Leaders program, and faculty awards.

Warfield 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 2:50 p.m. The UC considered and passed a track transfer from the School of Veterinary Medicine. The UC also considered, amply discussed, and approved with reservations a one-year leave of absence and tenure clock extension. The UC reviewed the status of one grievance (which is still awaiting further information) and considered a second grievance. After substantial discussion, the latter was denied and referred back to the department and college. In response to the departure of two faculty members from the university and resultant vacancies on the Commission on Faculty Compensation and Economic Benefits, the UC temporarily suspended the rule limiting the number of faculty on this committee to more than three from a single division. This suspension allows the top recipient of votes in the last election to fill one of the vacancies and also facilitates greater gender equity on this committee. The UC created a list of nominees and alternates for the VCRGE search and screen committee. Warfield moved to reconvene in open session. The motion was seconded and passed at 4:24 p.m., at which time Amasino adjourned the meeting.