Academic Staff Assembly (ASA) Minutes
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, September 10, 2001
272 Bascom Hall (3:30 - 5:00)
A. INTERIM PROVOST GARY SANDEFUR CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 3:35 P.M.
B. AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 5/14/2001 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved as presented.
C. PROVOST ACTIVITY REPORT – GARY SANDEFUR
The chancellor continues to be interested in campus climate issues. He began the semester with a breakfast meeting with representatives from campus factions to discuss climate. Gary reported that the University has been treated well by the state budget, with some details still to be worked out. The pay plan has yet to be determined for faculty and academic staff.
Peter Spear will take over as Provost on September 24 and will preside at the next Assembly meeting.
D. INTRODUCTION OF NEW ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES AND ALTERNATES
The provost read a list of new Assembly reps and alternates appointed since July 1, 2001.
E. COMMITTEES AND REPORTS
1. ASEC ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES – Linda Newman, Chair
On behalf of the Academic Staff Assembly and ASEC, Linda Newman thanked Gary Sandefur for serving as interim provost and welcomed the representatives to the year’s first Assembly.
Linda reported on appointments made by ASEC to various committees during the summer. ASEC held its annual planning meeting in June with standing committee chairs also attending. At this meeting, priorities were set for the year and committee liaison assignments made. ASEC established its own operating procedures at its first fall meeting.
Search and screen committees met throughout the summer. The Wisconsin Union director and International Studies Dean committees completed their work. The search for the dean of the School of Business is continuing.
Brown bag sessions will be held each Friday immediately preceding the Assembly meeting. Also, Assembly meetings will begin informally at 3:00 if you wish to gather early to talk to ASEC members or other district reps.
An ad hoc committee of Wilt Sanders and Bill Steffenhagen has been appointed to monitor how the campus is responding to the use of “working titles” and will report back to the Assembly when there is new information.
The Graduate School and Administrative Services Committees on Academic Staff Issues are just getting started this year. We now have CASIs in almost all campus units. If you have not heard from the CASI in your unit, please let ASEC know. Next month, Cathy Middlecamp will give a report from the L&S CASI, and we plan to make it a regular feature of the Assembly meeting to hear from various CASI groups.
ASEC members describe events this summer in which they participated:
CIC meeting – Lawrence Casper
The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) is comprised of the Big Ten schools plus the University of Chicago. There are now about 13 different groups from these campuses that meet to discuss common issues. This past year, a group of academic staff governance representatives met at the Chicago headquarters to talk about how best to represent their collective 50,000 academic staff members. (An article about this historic first meeting appeared in the August 29 issue of Wisconsin Week.) At the meeting, UW representatives learned that UW-Madison is well ahead of most other institutions in realizing shared governance. The group plans to meet at least once a year.
Labor Licensing Policies Committee – Gail Snowden
Gail described the origins of the committee having to do primarily with athletic gear and apparel with the UW logo that is manufactured in third world countries. The first year, the main issues had to do with whether to join the international organizations of the Workers Rights Consortium or the Fair Labor Practices. Last year, there was not much activity. This fall, the committee will organize a forum with speakers from both labor organizations and faculty experts.
Web site and MASA reception – Greg Iaccarino
The new academic staff web site is in the testing process now and should be live sometime this month.
The MASA/LASA/SPA all-academic staff reception is being held September 19 at the Pyle Center from 4:00-6:00 pm. Excellence Award winners will be introduced. Encourage any new academic staff to attend this annual social event.
Academic Staff Leadership Conference – Karen Schwarz
Karen along with other academic staff members from Madison attended the two-day leadership conference at UW- Stevens Point in July sponsored by the UW System. Topic of the sessions included communication styles, wellness issues, writing for your profession, and value systems. It was a good way to share experiences and meet other governance representatives from around the state.
Campus Strategic Plan – Jean Buehlman
ASEC has been working on integrating academic staff goals and priorities with the current strategic plan. A subcommittee met with members of the Office of Quality Improvement to ask that the plan expressly state ‘academic staff’ rather than just referring to us as ‘staff’ in many instances throughout. We are also working on an academic staff page to attach to the plan where there can be specific action items that involve academic staff. Please have a look at the web site www.wisc.edu/improve/planning with the document and let Jean or Colleen know if you have any suggestions.
Academic Staff Endowment Fund – Colleen McCabe and Donna Cole
The fund was begun in 1991 to try to raise $100,000, so that the interest from the ensuing UW Foundation account could be used to subsidize professional development opportunities for academic staff. Despite capital campaigns in 1991, 1995, and 1998, a relatively small number of contributors have brought this fund to just over $10,000. A committee met twice this summer to think about trying to raise more money, but is looking for more ideas than professional development that would bring in more academic staff contributions. You can use the 3x5 white cards in your packet to provide ideas for issues you would deem important enough to contribute to, such as wellness courses, social events, tuition or release to attend a UW course of your choice.
Professorial Titles for Academic Staff - Wilt Sanders (former ASEC chair)
The issue of professorial titles was dealt with by the Regents at their June meeting. Wilt stated that the decision they made was not to change anything in current policy and to continue to allow each institution to determine what could be used for “working titles,” while not condoning zero-budget professorial titles for instructional and research academic staff. Madison’s campus administration has decided to leave the responsibility for determining working titles at the departmental level. (A recent article in Wisconsin Week reported on the issue.) Based on this decision, academic staff should consider making this a concern for their particular Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI).
2. Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee (CEBC) - Ron Carda, Chair
No report.
3. Districting and Representation Committee (DRC) – Mary Ray, Chair
The annual report is in the packet with the yearly and long-term activities. Mary referred to the District Profiles in the new handbook and explained the logic of those determinations. Colleen explained the system of “adopted” districts whereby unrepresented districts get emails sent by the representative of another district, who has volunteered to receive a second email list.
4. Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) - Ann Wallace, Chair
The committee has begun analyzing the job security reports that have come in from the divisions. The responses will be reported back to the Assembly and the Committees on Academic Staff Issues. The PPPC web site is now up and running, with all sorts of useful information.
5. Nominating Committee – Miriam Simmons for Karen Carlson, Chair
As shown on the handout, the Nominating Committee is now soliciting nominations for members of the Academic Staff Executive Committee. Also, if you have an interest in any campus committee, you can let Karen Carlson or Colleen McCabe know. Other than ASEC, most committee appointments are made in the spring, but you can indicate your interest at any time.
6. Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) – Belinda Velazquez, Co-chair
The annual report of the PDRC is in your packet. The next call for Professional Development Grants will be in the spring. A brown bag series will be held this fall titled “Navigating the UW-Madison Maze: An Academic Staff Survival Guide.” All three sessions will be held in October. A fourth session on grant writing is scheduled for November 27.
7. Legislative Update - Esther Olson
The most important issue outstanding is related to the academic staff/faculty pay plan. A recent call went out to ask academic staff to contact the governor’s office to encourage the continuation of a unified pay plan. Esther explained how the pay plan is determined by a combination of state GPR and System funding. Esther also met with a delegation from the University of Minnesota on issues of academic staff governance relations with the administration, System, and the Legislature.
OTHER BUSINESS
A. OLD BUSINESS
B. NEW BUSINESS
Election of the ASPRO Board for 2001-2001
Esther Olson moved approval of the ASPRO slate as presented. Seconded and approved.
Meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff