Approved Minutes for May 06, 2019          Approved May 13, 2019

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

UC member absent: Campagnola

Others present (in addition to those indicated below): S. Smith, J. Richard, M. Aust, M. Felber, J. Smith, H. Daniels, E. Sandgren, M. Mayrl, G. Bump

Chair Rick Amasino called the meeting to order at 1:02 p.m. The UC discussed an update on the classroom locking project sent by Chief Roman [link] and decided to send it to department chairs for distribution to faculty and instructional staff. UC would also like to discuss building accessibility and locking schedules more broadly with UWPD and others at a future meeting. The UC discussed a request to survey our faculty about the Faculty Senate. Given past experience with external faculty surveys, the UC has asked Secretary of the Faculty Steve Smith to get input from senators and AAUP chapter, which will be done over the summer.  University Committee Meeting Minutes 2019-04-22 , were approved. Following some discussion, the UC decided that, after the Senate acts on the “professor of practice” resolution, an ad hoc committee will be charged to look into practitioner-instructor titles, both short term/terminal and long term/permanent.

Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf, now in her last month on campus, is preparing lists to share with the interim and new provosts. The most pressing items are transitioning faculty disciplinary cases, which take up a great deal of the provost’s time. Discussion ensued. In response to a question about promotion to full professor, Mangelsdorf offered that she believes campus could benefit from more regularization on this. She recommended the UC refer to a white paper drafted by Vice Provost Michael Bernard-Donals and to best practices guidance developed by Bernard-Donals and Secretary Smith. Mangelsdorf believes this is an opportune time for faculty to revisit this and to develop unitary campuswide guidance in conjunction with deans. 

Kirsten Wolf 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 approved at 1:51 p.m. The UC nominated potential chairs for the Committee on Honorary Degrees and approved two one-year clock extensions. The UC also discussed new information in a grievance case. Terry Warfield moved to reconvene in open session. The motion was seconded and passed at 2:30 p.m.

Chancellor Becky Blank reported on Hilldale, Vilas, and ASEC awards, and provided detail on upcoming commencement. There will be a Native Nations Summit this Friday, with the leaders of all 13 recognized tribes and one not federally recognized. Blank reported on her discussions with those working on the budget at the other end of State St. Campus Ice Cream Social is May 29. Between now and then Blank will be traveling to China to meet with alums, participate in admitted students events, celebrate 40 years of connection with Nanjing and the announcement of UW as one of their four strategic partners, and attend an IP conference involving WARF and more. Blank and the UC discussed recent graduate student protests and the need for an official governance group for graduate students beyond what ASM is currently capable of. Some discussion of the UWS credit transfer issue. Amasino adjourned the meeting at 2:52 p.m.