Academic Staff Assembly (ASA) Minutes
DRAFT
MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 20 March 2006
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:45 pm)
Interim provost Gina Sapiro called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 2/13/2006 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved
as corrected.
Standing Committee Reports
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) - Frank Kooistra, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/asec.html; https://lists.wisc.edu/read/?forum=assembly
The Academic Staff Institute will be held on April 5. All Assembly representatives
and alternates are encouraged to attend. Register soon at the Wiscape
website. http://www.wiscape.wisc.edu/calendar/details.asp?id=407
The summer Leadership Conference will be held at UW-Eau Claire July 13-14.
Excellence Award winners will be introduced at the May 8 Assembly. A reception will be hosted by the chancellor at Olin House on May 10 for winners and their guests.
Guests at ASEC meetings last month included Dean Julie Underwood of the School of Education and Brian Mattmiller of UW Communications.
The ASEC/CASI brown bag lunch will be held at Union South on April 28.
Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee (CEBC) - Bill Steffenhagen,
chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/cebc/index2.htm
Districting and Representation Committee (DRC) - Charlene Krembs, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/drc.html
Nominating Committee - Mary Ray, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/nc.html
Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) - Carla Love and John
Mather, co-chairs
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pppc/index.htm
Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) - Donna Cole
and Lisa Jansen, co-chairs
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pdrc/index.html
Other Reports
College of Engineering Committee on Academic Staff Issues - Dennis Ray
and Kim Manner
The CASI conducted eight dialogue sessions with 45 members of the college's
academic staff and prepared FAQs addressing some of the issues raised.
They invited the dean to make presentations at CASI meetings on responses
to budget reductions and redesign efforts. The CASI sponsored a brown
bag with department chairs and Steve Lund on various personnel issues
and another one on interpersonal communications with Steve Pearson.
The CASI met with ASEC and offered suggestions on improving relations with ASEC and the Assembly. Recommendations included continued efforts to have an honorific professorial title for instructional staff, inclusion of university service in performance reviews, more education on change management, better training of faculty on academic staff rights.
GUEST: Professor Andrew Reschovsky, Lafollette School of Public Affairs
http://www.lafollette.wisc.edu/publications/workingpapers/#2006-003
Prof. Reschovsky explained the features and potential impact of the Taxpayer's Protection Amendment - the legislature's latest iteration of TABOR. In the new version, this constitutional amendment would limit growth of revenue in every level government. Limits could be raised only by an approved referendum. "Revenue" would include taxes, fees, fines, licenses, and bonds. Excluded are college tuition and bond proceeds.
These limits will effectively reduce public services since government tends to purchases services that increase in price faster than regular consumer goods. Health care costs for a large aging population would be one example. Since federal support is being reduced, this will put an additional strains on state budgets and will ultimately reduce the ability of the state to grow economically. Had this legislation been in place for the past 20 years, state appropriations to the University would have been $200 million less in a best-case scenario.
For the future, assuming this legislation would pass, the university System would have to reduce enrollment by 12% or 16,250 students or conceivably close campuses. Rising tuition could not offset the lack of state support. The lack of funding would reduce the ability of attracting and retaining faculty even more than currently. Faculty now bring in $3.50 for every $1.00 of state support. The state would have fewer high-skilled people for a labor market thereby reducing economic growth.
The legislature will take up this bill again in its April-May session. There are now enough votes in the Assembly for it to pass, the votes in the Senate are more problematic. It will need to pass in two session of the legislature before it would go to the voters in a referendum.
BUSINESS
1. Presentation of the Standing Committee slates: Mara McDonald for the
Nominating Committee
Slates were approved by unanimous consent. Motions passed adding Carla
Love to the PPPC slate and Bill Steffenhagen to the CEBC slate. Additional
candidates may be added by petition within ten days.
2. Committee to work on collective bargaining enabling legislation provisions
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/360SB452amended.htm
Frank asked for volunteers from the Assembly to help draft conditions
under which enabling legislation might be acceptable to academic staff.
There were two volunteers: Michael Jacob, District 463 and Mark Zehner,
District 433. Others interested should contact the Secretary.
3. Report on UWS Chapter 7 - disciplinary action for felons
http://www.secfac.wisc.edu/senate/2006/0306/1897.pdf
Regent Spector asked campus' governance units to review the new provisions
in UWS7 under which faculty and academic staff with indefinite appointments
could be dismissed for cause. ASEC agreed with the opinions of the Faculty
Senate that the timeline requiring a swift decision by the provost would
not allow for due process. See Professor Larry Kahan's comments at http://www.secfac.wisc.edu/senate/2006/0306/1898.pdf
Provost Report - Virginia Sapiro
The provost has received the reports from the external and internal teams
reviewing aspects of how information technology on campus is used and
managed. The reports have been forwarded now to a number of campus groups
including ASEC, the University Committee, ASM, ITC, DoIT, CITG, and a
dean's task force. These groups will have a chance to comment on the reports
and make their own reactions known to the provost by early April. Three
questions need to be answered through the final analysis:
1 Are there any changes that need to be made structurally before hiring
a new CIO?
2. How can we make the position of CIO more attractive when attempting
a hire?
3. What advice would you give to a new CIO coming into this organization?
As Gina said a fond farewell to the Assembly at her last meeting as interim provost, Frank Kooistra thanked her and praised her open style of communication and genuine interest in issues of the academic staff. She received a standing ovation from the Assembly.
Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff