Academic Staff Assembly (ASA) Minutes
Approved 5/14/07
MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 9 April 2007
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:45 pm)
Provost Patrick Farrell called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 3/12/2007 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) – Read Gilgen, chair
http://acstaff.wisc.edu/asec.html; https://lists.wisc.edu/read/?forum=assembly
Congratulations to ASEC’s own Jo Ann Carr for winning an Academic Staff Excellence Award. All award winners will be honored at the May Assembly.
Susan Crowley was elected as ASEC’s chair for 2007-08 beginning July 1. Robin Kurtz will continue as vice-chair.
Read and Robin met with Graduate School dean Martin Cadwallader to discuss academic staff acting as official advisors of grad students. They learned that there is no prohibition for this to happen, but it requires a vote of approval from the department, then a formal request to the Grad School. So far, there have been no such requests. When academic staff members are P.I.s on grants, they are acting as supervisors, not as advisors in the strict sense.
Academic staff System representatives are concerned about the breakdown of shared governance processes. They are asking to be involved and allowed to provide input before decisions affecting them are made at the System level. System’s Rebecca Martin will work on a document to bring to the joint faculty/academic staff meeting on May 4 that will reaffirm the importance of shared governance input.
Governance groups will receive a draft copy of the System response to the LAB report on sick leave reporting. Feedback is due to System by May 16. Send it to Karen Tusack at Karen@lss.wisc.edu.
Some of the System campuses are concerned about job security for instructional staff. Campuses are claiming “financial emergencies” to allow them to give only one-year contracts to continuing staff.
Professional Development and Recognition Committee
Daña Alder reported that 49 PD grant applications were submitted for this round. There were 55 Excellence Award packets submitted including those to System. The reception for award winners and their guests will be May 15 at Memorial Union.
Nominating Committee
Mary Ray responded to a question about retirees as committee members. Standing Committee members must be paid employees. For shared governance committees, the membership requirements are established in Faculty Policies and Procedures.
GUESTS: Vice-chancellor for Administration Darrell Bazzell and Alice Gustafson, head of the Administration Process Review project
Darrell told the Assembly that there will be review of the business and human resources functions on the campus, as well as IT support for the academic units. There has not been a review like this in recorded history, and it is time to look at ways to improve processes and efficiencies. This is not a way to reduce staff size, but rather to reorganize for better coverage of specific tasks relating to technology, travel, purchasing, payroll, etc.
Alice spoke to the structure of the review process. She will establish process teams to consider human resources, payroll, RSP, IT, and facilities. A leadership team will be comprised of key stakeholders. If you have suggestions for members of the process teams, email Alice at agustafson@vc.wisc.edu.
Alice and Darrell met with members of the WSEU to reply to their concerns about the impact on classified employees.
BUSINESS
- ASEC election results
Marcia Jezwinski, Heather Daniels, and Bill Steffenhagen were elected for three-year terms.
- Resolution on enabling legislation for collective bargaining.
After various amendments were moved and voted upon, the original resolution was approved as amended with the addition of a clause:
“Whereas, the proposed legislation mandates that faculty and academic staff be in different bargaining units, . . .
It will be sent to members of the Joint Finance Committee and legislative leadership.
- Resolution on domestic partner benefits
This resolution passed. It will be sent to members of the Joint Finance Committee, legislative leaders, Chancellor John Wiley, System President Kevin Reilly, and Regent President David Walsh.
PROVOST Patrick Farrell
Pat mentioned that the campus reaccreditation cycle was beginning. Anyone willing to participate should contact Nancy Mathew since involvement in all areas of the campus is important. The reaccreditation teams will be considering what the campus will look like in ten years.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff