Academic Staff Assembly (ASA) Minutes
Approved 9-10-2007
MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 14 May 2007
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:15 pm)
ASEC vice-chair Robin Kurtz called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 4/9/2007 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
INTRODUCTION OF THE 2007 ACADEMIC STAFF EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
by Sandy Bertics and Lisa Jansen of the Professional Development and Recognition Committee
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) – Robin Kurtz, Vice-chair
Robin thanked members of the Assembly for their participation this year. Representatives in odd-numbered districts have the option to continue. She also thanked Frank Kooistra and Bruce Beck who are attending their last Assembly meeting as members of ASEC and parliamentarian Elaine Staley for her voluntary service.
The Academic Staff Institute was well-attended. Darrell Bazzell gave Read Gilgen a special award of recognition at the noon luncheon.
ASEC members met with Bruce Hellmich, their representative on the Criminal Background Checks committee. Background checks on entering employees will be mandated as of July 1. Each unit will have a background check coordinator, most likely one of the current HR staff. HireRight will be used to do national searches.
ASEC supports the sustainability survey designed by the University Committee. This survey is only being sent through Assembly representatives, so it is very important that you forward it to your members.
System Reps meeting
Ron Singer led the joint academic staff/faculty meeting as System’s governance relations person. He talked about the domestic partner initiative, which needs a majority vote in the Joint Finance Committee to survive. UW-Madison’s chancellor Wiley has sent a letter to Senator Mark Miller and Rep. Mark Pocan in support of domestic partner benefits for university employees.
ASEC worked on its response to the LAB report regarding sick leave reporting. The response was sent with a cover letter to System President Kevin Reilly today to meet the May 16 deadline. ASEC and the CEBC appreciated all the comments and suggestions from academic staff members.
Professional Development and Recognition Committee, Lisa Jansen, co-chair
The latest round of Professional Development Grants were awarded. Out of the 50 applications, 20 grants requests were funded for a total of $16,675. The committee also awarded five Executive Education grants.
OTHER REPORTS
Committee on Women in the University’s Annual Report
presented by co-chairs Linda Keller and Julia Koza
The co-chairs of the committee mentioned highlights from the 2006-07 report. This past year, the committee recommended continued institutional support for Chicken Soup, a licensed drop-in day care facility for mildly sick children run by two nurses and their staff. They also applaud the provost’s office for continuing support of the WISELI program now that the grant has ended. The committee is working on extending family leave to graduate students who are parents or those with extensive family care responsibilities. The committee will keep reviewing the statistics on recruitment and retention of women and minorities, another area of concern.
BUSINESS
- Standing Committee election results
Nominating Committee: Consuelo Lopez-Springfield, Kim Manner, Mara McDonald, Luanne vonSchneidemesser
Professional Development and Recognition Committee: Rick Burnson, Donna Cole, Ulrike Dieterle, Miranda McClenaghan
Districting and Representation Committee: Brian Deith and Tom Wright
Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee: Scott Converse, Bill Grogan, Linda Pittz, and Jim Wollack
Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee: Mo Bischof, Nan Krattiger-Ziltener, and Deborah Moritz
- Distinguished Prefix criteria
Bill Steffenhagen, as a member of the PPPC/CEBC joint subcommittee, presented the changes to the requirement for the Distinguished Prefix title. The primary change was to the definition of “work unit.” Previously, the work unit had been described as the campus. It would now be the “school, college, or division.” Therefore, an academic staff member would need to have superlative accomplishment recognized by peers beyond the work unit, which is no longer outside the campus. This difference may pave the way for more academic staff to become eligible. The motion to approve the document as presented was passed by the Assembly.
- Communications Committee addition to ASPP
JoAnn Carr presented the language needed to add this new Standing Committee to Academic Staff Policies and Procedures, Chapter 14 “Committees of the University.” Following the procedures written for other standing committees regarding committee size, membership eligibility, responsibilities, and election processes, the motion to accept the language was passed by the Assembly.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff