Approved minutes for October 30, 2017          Approved November 6, 2017

UC members present: Litovsky, Ventura, Wanner (chair), Warfield
UC members absent: Amasino, Bowers
Others present: S. Smith, D. Whitwam, J. Richard, M. Felber, J. Smith, J. O’Meara, H. Daniels, M. Mayrl

Chair Anja Wanner called the meeting to order at 1:17 p.m. Athletic Board chair Peter Miller reported that one of the key issues discussed at the full AB meeting of October 13 was Big Ten and NCAA student transfer policy. This is a complex issue that is addressed in two main areas: undergraduate student transfer and post-graduate eligibility. UW-Madison and other Big Ten institutions have an opportunity to help shape conference and national discourse on policy in these areas. This is likely just one of a much broader set of topics to come on student-athlete rights. Miller also reported that the Academics and Compliance subcommittee met on October 4 to review and approve teams’ travel schedules. UW-Madison’s policy on missing classes for athletics participation was discussed. In comparison with other Big Ten institutions, UW-Madison has the most stringent policy: limit of 6 absences, then must seek Board approval, which will not grant exceptions unless GPA 2.5 or above. Broad discussion throughout.

Terry Warfield reported on the UWS fac reps meeting held the previous Friday and dominated by System reorganization proposal. The meeting had lots of good questions, few answers. Consensus all around that this is very poor change management. Warfield also reported that there is a System study underway of low enrollment programs. The UC discussed and approved removing the cybersecurity item from the November Senate agenda, to make room for more preliminary discussions. The minutes of the meeting of October 23, 2017, were approved.

Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning Steve Cramer distributed and discussed two handouts: an update on the EI Online Learning Initiative [edinnovation.wisc.edu/online-learning/] and a recommended course syllabus format and essential content template. The EI Online Learning Initiative’s objectives including building an online course standard and UW online brand, developing an institutional infrastructure for course development, expanding access to course offerings, creating pathways and communications for building, maintaining, and accessing online courses, and contributing to existing campus strategies of reduced time to degree, expanded summer term, and development of new academic programs. An online course inventory is under way. On the course syllabus format and essential content, a group has been meeting for several months and developed a syllabus template that is part required items and part best practices. May of our peers already have this in place and it’s mandatory. Cramer will be meeting with vendor to determine how much of this can be automated. Ample discussion throughout.

Jack O’Meara reported that the anti-abortion bill has passed out of committee, which was not a surprise. Unclear yet whether this bill, which will have an effect on our accreditation and thus on our enrollments and applications, will pass the full Senate. Discussion of fetal tissue bills, CPA bill, and entrepreneurial bill.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank reported on the UWS reorganization, which she believes is basically good news for the Madison campus. Cooperative Extension is part of every other land grant institution and its return to Madison will create lots of synergy possibilities. Only concern about proposal from our campus’s perspective is that other parts of Extension are being split apart, including online and public broadcasting – and the latter sits on our campus. Seems a completely wasted opportunity and no good reasons have been given for not including it. UW-Madison will not do anything formal about this prior to the BOR vote, but that will be followed by a year of difficult organizational issues, first among which will be tenure. Ample discussion, primarily about tenure, but also about planning, conference services, governance, and more. Blank also reported on developments at WSB surrounding the premature announcement about the MBA program and reiterated her belief, which Business faculty and others appear to share, that the WSB dean has the right vision of where WSB should go and that should keep moving forward. National publicity about eliminating a program is unfortunate when focus should be on innovation and moving forwards. The Campus Climate Report will be officially rolled out in the coming days, in an approach similar to that of the sexual assault survey. There is both good news and challenging information in the report. Ample discussion. Blank also reported on the lead situation in Bascom, senior administration structures, online vs non-online tuition flexibility, and events and happenings (including homecoming events, parents/family weekend, chancellor advisory committee, and more). Discussion of legislative developments and “College of Computing” proposal, an effort that has completely bypassed the university itself. Wanner adjourned the meeting at 2:40 p.m.