Academic Staff Assembly (ASA) Minutes
Approved 11-12-07
MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 8 October 2007
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:20 pm)
Provost Patrick Farrell called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
MEMORIAL RESOLUTION FOR SHARON PERO – Prepared and read by Joanne Berg
AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 9/10/2007 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) – Susan Crowley, chair
The state budget is stalled in the conference committee. Continue to contact legislators with your concerns.
The new Communications Committee had its first meeting with Jo Ann Carr, Greg Iaccarino, and Lisa Jansen there to facilitate.
ASEC member Lynette Karls recently resigned, and ASEC appointed Bruce Beck to fill in until June 30, 2008.
ASEC has been discussing the future of the Academic Staff Institute and would like any input you have regarding how valuable you feel this program has been, what’s its purpose should be, and where and how often it should be held.
Professional Development and Recognition Committee, Lisa Jansen, co-chair with Maddy Covelli
PDRC presented its Annual Report with statistics about PD grants awarded and Excellence Awards given. It was recently announced by System administration that UW-Madison’s Suzanne Scott was one of the winners of the Alliant Underkofler award. Lisa also mentioned that Executive Education courses through the Business School are available year-round to academic staff at 50% of the normal cost. The competition for free Exec Ed courses is in the spring. The PDRC has funding for the Excellence Award plaques for the next couple years from the provost’s office, but is looking for permanent funding. Last year, winners were given an attractive plaque with a photograph of Bascom Hall on it.
This round of PD grants is due to departments by October 12 and to the Secretary’s office by November 2. The Excellence Award materials will be emailed by early November.
GUEST: Ombuds, Peg Davey, Kay Simmons, Steve Bauman, and Jane Voichick
Peg explained that each of the four ombuds has a 25% appointment, making up one FTE. Two of them are retired faculty and two are retired academic staff. The office has been operating since 2003 and reports to the Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate. The purpose of their work is to improve campus climate by providing an impartial, confidential contact for all employees. Most of the initial contacts are by phone to set up appointments at the office in Lowell Hall. While the ombuds do not advocate for their “visitors,” they can help to facilitate dialogue, offer options for actions, and mediate conflicts.
In the past year, they have had 70 cases, mostly brought to them by long-term employees, 55% of them women. Issues have revolved around conflicts with peers, problems with supervisors, lack of department support, reaction to change, and lack of career progression.
The ombuds report on systemic problems, such as lack of training for PIs. They also feel that more exit interviews would be helpful in identifying areas to improve. They advise anyone with an issue to deal with it early before it escalates into something more serious.
The ombuds office will need to replace Peg Davey, whose term is up March 1. Spread the word to any retiree that you think might be interested.
BUSINESS
Discussion of Effort Reporting
Effort reporting refers to accurate documenting of how time is spent on research grants, particularly federal grants. There will be a move to a web-based form beginning November 1, replacing the paper form used previously. Auditors from the National Science Foundation will be coming to campus this fall for an auditor of its grants. There are financial consequences of non-compliance with the regulations of the grantors including the regulation that anyone listed as 100% on a grant may not do other work, such as writing new grants or participating in governance committees. Other campuses have been fined millions of dollars for compliance irregularities.
Strict adherence to the 100% rule has an immediate impact on some academic staff. Linda Keller has had to resign from the Assembly and as a member (and formerly co-chair) of the Committee on Women in the University. About 1400 academic staff have positions at 90% or more funded by federal grants severely limiting their ability to participate in governance or other campus activities. Some staff need to be able to write new grants to keep their jobs and are not able to do so.
The campus will be looking at strategies for some relief, such as making sure academic staff have a percentage of funding from a source other than federal grants.
Kim Moreland from the Grad School said that she would be the contact about issues regarding the policy. A website www.rsp.wisc.edu/effort/index.html will have more information. Kim advised anyone contacted by the OMB regarding the audit to call her for advice on how best to be prepared to respond (kmorelan@rsp.wisc.edu).
Provost Report
[covered in previous discussions]
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff