January 11, 2016

UC members present: Broman, Edwards, Litovsky, Meyerand (chair), Wanner, Wendt

Others present: S. Smith, J. Smith, Felber, Radomski, Vaughan, Richard, Bernard-Donals

Chair Meyerand called the meeting to order at 1:01 p.m. and announced upcoming UWS listening sessions on campus. Meyerand and Secretary Smith updated the UC on progress of nominations to IRB ad hoc committee. Given committee member schedules, and other reviews, the UC has postponed the reporting date for this committee to October 2016.

Jack O’Meara (PROFS), leaving the big issues to the vice chancellor to address next, provided updates on the legislature’s shared governance bill (which may get a cross-aisle co-sponsor), a bill facilitating sales of CALS lands, and a bill on tax credits for business ventures. PROFS plans to support all three.

Vice Chancellor for University Relations Charlie Hoslet updated the UC on the Statewide Outreach Initiative via a colorful and informative handout. The goal of this initiative is to demonstrate UW-Madison’s impact across the state, in communities, with citizens and businesses. This is a long-term campaign, not intended to sway individual bills or budgets, but to have an impact in the aggregate through site visits, editorials, stories, creative outreach, and alumni efforts. Hoslet provided many details and examples and there was ample discussion, especially of the need to develop ways to assess faculty outreach efforts (both pre- and post-promotion). Wholehearted consensus that these efforts by faculty are invaluable and appreciated, but not given appropriate weight or consideration by departments, divisional committees, and the like.

Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsha Mailick reported that this has been a big year for retention activity and that the good news is that, of requests that have come to her office, 86% have been resolved favorably. This “renewal of vows” benefits both the individuals and the campus as a whole. OVCRGE will develop policy language to share with UC to clarify that “retention” means “retention” and that retention funds cannot be used if the retention is unsuccessful. Associate Vice Chancellor Dan Uhlrich briefed the UC on need to update our research misconduct policy based on federal recommendations and sample policy and aging of our existing process (from 1991, with bridging document changing burden of proof in 2008). Operating procedures and two policy documents, combined with local and central applications on campus, as well as multiple agencies with different conditions and interpretations, have resulted in a confusing web of flow charts and practices. Discussion. Recommendation to form a working group to draft new policy. The UC and SOF updated Mailick on ad hoc committee on IRBs and incorporation of URC into FPP. Mailick will present on state of research enterprise at March Senate meeting.

Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf and the UC discussed the UWS tenure task force process and the provost agreed to present an update at the February Senate. The provost asked for the UC’s advice on reconvening all or part of the budget model committee to discuss next steps of implementation. In context of other budget-related committee discussions, the UC recommended using the earlier committee as a basis, but selecting a subgroup. The provost asked for clarification on when decisions by the UAPC are final. Although timelines are sometimes blurry, program changes are not final until presented to the Senate. Rambling and animated discussion. 

Chancellor Rebecca Blank began her update by wishing a happy new year to all present. She said that voter ID continues to be a hot issue and that her executive committee would be meeting later in the week to decide between maintaining the current practice or phasing in a new student ID. Campus cannot afford to expend $2M to change all IDs immediately. Discussion. Blank will be attending various college chair and other meetings, as well as continuing state outreach travel and long-term strategic and entrepreneurial financial planning meetings with deans. Ample, rambling discussion concluded the chancellor’s update.

University Police Chief Sue Riseling provided an update on gun safety and issues related to weapons and the unique environment of campus, using an appropriate balance of humor, seriousness, and intellectual integrity to provide the UC with necessary context, background, and information. Ample discussion. The UC was particularly interested to know what it can do to address the issue. The chief stressed that the most important action is talking to neighbors, colleagues, schools about moving past facile arguments.

The UC considered and discussed possible charges for the Faculty Compensation and Economic Benefits Commission. The ideas of expanding the committee into a broader budget committee and of expanding the parental leave discussion to include staff were both seen as now being part of a bigger discussion of budget committees. The UC agreed that retention, pay tools, resultant imbalances, and effects on morale were more pressing and germane to this committee. The SOF will work with VPFS Bernard-Donals on a charge that will best help his office.

Edwards moved to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss personnel matters. Seconded. Motion passed: 3:25 p.m. Edwards then moved out of the room for a departmental meeting with the chancellor. Wanner presented and moved approval of a dual role waiver request, with the caveat that it be for one year rather than the three requested and that if subsequent years were requested, more explanation would be needed. Seconded and unanimously approved by those still present. The UC preliminarily reviewed applications for the Athletic Board, discussed possible membership for a working group on research misconduct, decided to place faculty on the risk management search, but not the Bursar search, and came up with additional nominations for the IRB ad hoc committee.

Litovsky moved to reconvene in open session. Seconded. Motion passed at 3:44 p.m. and Meyerand immediately adjourned the meeting.