University Committee minutes for December 16, 2019

Approved as amended 1/6/2020

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

Others: Jack O’Meara, Bill Tishler, Jake Smith, Heather Daniels, Matt Mayrl, Greg Bump, Amol Guyol, and those in the text below

Chair Warfield called the meeting to order at 1:15. Wolf reported on the System Faculty Rep meeting where Regent Grebe asked and took questions, which were mainly about the system president hire and UW-Madison’s new enrollment policy and its effect on the other schools. A lively discussion ensued about the virtual listening sessions system will host to aid in the search and screen. Richard reported that the Athletic Board recruitment memo went out on December 10, with applications due January 31. Daniels gave the background on a conceal carry policy that was approved by faculty senate in 2011; the UC agreed that it should remain as a governance policy. The UC meetings for spring 2020 will begin at 1:30. O’Meara reported on a state compensation plan letter signed by UC chair Warfield and PROFS chair Dorothy Edwards sent to the Wisconsin Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER). The minutes of the meeting of December 9, 2019 were approved by consent.

Compliance Officer Jaimee Gilford, along with Mari Magler, Director of the McBurney Disability Resource Center, and Barb Lanser, Employee Disability Resource Coordinator, explained the Emotional Support Animal policies and the updated Service Animal policies (links will be updated when policies are available online). The UC had several questions about how to best provide accommodations, particularly for students taking exams. Magler advised instructors use Testing and Evaluation Services (T & E) accommodated proctoring services. Magler also reported that there’s been 190% growth in requests to McBurney, mostly in the mental health area, without a corresponding uptick in resources, though there will be a new ADA coordinator starting early spring semester.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor had a good experience at the Faculty Senate in December—and she was applauded! She distributed a chart with the demands of the Student Involvement Coalition (SIC) and the administration’s responses and efforts to resolve them. Another lively discussion ensued, this time revolving around some of the demands, student groups in general, communications between all kinds of groups, and shared governance representation.

VC Reesor stayed to discuss, with Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Laurent Heller the evolving protest policy, which is in a bit of a holding pattern while system revises its plan, then the campus policy will be finalized with compatible language and procedures, with a tentative rollout of fall 2020.

VC Heller was asked about the change to a biweekly pay schedule, which involves a lot of work and big impact but it would also simplify processes and eventually save some money. Some benefits include: smoothing benefit payments, and it would get paychecks to new 9-month employees quicker. An advisory group is being formed to explore options.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank said ROSE BOWL!! Enthusiastic discussion ensued.

The Board of Regents voted unanimously approved UW-Madison’s enrollment policy; the fund raising campaign will be closed off with a Morgridge match of $70,000,000.

Chief Information Officer and Vice Provost for Information Technology Lois Brooks, with Tamara Walker, DoIT User Services Director, gave an update on IT projects. Good news for research and data management: this fall 5 terabytes of storage will be provided per PI and provisions to meet federal data protection. Dual authentication deployment is almost complete (affiliates not covered, nor emeriti). NetIDs had to be changed for 14,000 students after a password hack.

UW System mandated an inventory of every university-owned computer; each will also have anti-virus (and other) software installed, usually remotely/automatically. How security will be handled for personal devices is still under discussion, something especially urgent for devices interacting with sensitive data. A thoughtful discussion ensued; circling around the fact that support isn’t standard across campus.

Wisclist is being replaced (see handouts on status and strategy)—at a slowed-down pace—looking at Office 365 or google groups; google is compliant for more campus processes.

Sandgren 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 3:19. The UC considered and unanimously approved one 1-year clinical-initial clock extensions, and eight rule waiver requests.

Sandgren moved to reconvene in open session to adjourn. The motion was seconded and passed at 3:42 p.m., at which point Warfield declared the meeting adjourned.