July 16, 2015

Present: Broman, Edwards, Litovsky (by phone), Meyerand (chair), Wendt

Absent: Wanner

1. Meeting called to order: 10:37 AM.

2. Wendt moved and Broman 2nd to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss personnel matters. Motion passed: 10:37 AM.

3. Ample discussion and background on matters relating to recent social media events and faculty involvement. Multiple responses considered. Consensus to draft response statement. Drafting conducted in closed session because it involved discussion of specific personnel matters.

4. Edwards moved and Wendt 2nd to reconvene in open session. 

5. Statement as approved: “As faculty members at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we support free speech and diversity of opinion, as has been our tradition. Such freedom requires responsible behavior and in this respect we are deeply dismayed with the actions Prof. Sara Goldrick-Rab has taken toward students and faculty on Twitter in recent weeks to discourage them from coming here. While claiming to stand for academic freedom, she has in fact damaged that principle and our institution with inaccurate statements and misrepresentations. We stand with our fellow faculty, staff, and students who have devoted themselves to maintaining and building on our university’s extraordinary and distinguished record of teaching, research, and service to the people of Wisconsin and beyond.”

6. Meeting adjourned: 11:18 AM.