Academic Staff Assembly (ASA)
Minutes
MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 13 October 2003
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:50pm)
A. Provost Peter Spear called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
B. AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 9/8/2003 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
C. Agenda review
Bruce Beck will introduce the draft of a concealed weapons resolution
during the ASEC chair's report.
D. State of the University address by Chancellor John D. Wiley
http://www.chancellor.wisc.edu/
Chancellor Wiley started his address by stating the University is in "terrific
shape." While state budget problems continue, the UW should be spared
more cuts in the near future. Once again, we have the "best-ever"
freshman class. Many students who could succeed at UW-Madison are turned
away due to space constraints. Four years is still the median time to
degree completion in four-year programs. Graduation rates are at 80%.
Madison has received over $600 million in research funding and will remain in the top five for research dollars. We are the top producer of doctoral students.
The Regents are required to study market data each year and request competitive compensation for faculty and academic staff. This year they requested 4% in each year of the biennium. However, knowing that there is not that amount in the compensation reserves, the legislature has been asked to do the best they can.
Wiley said that the campus has managed the budget cuts, with minimum impact on students, by preserving course access, advising services, and library functionality. Unfortunately, the legislature looks at tuition increases as an ongoing source of revenue. While tuition at UW schools may look like a good value compared to other public institutions, lower income families are feeling squeezed, and students end up with heavy debt loads after graduation. This is a public policy problem that is being overlooked by the legislature. The chancellor also stated that privatizing the campus is not realistic. It would take an $8 billion endowment for a true break from the state. What would be best is for the legislature to understand the value of the System to the overall economy and fund it beyond the current 25% GPR.
Wiley has gotten the most email this fall on the student "jump around" at the football games and on hang tags for parking. While some (many?) are annoyed at the hang tag permits, the new policy, begun to prevent abuses, has made 1600 new parking spaces available on campus.
In responding to a question about lack of domestic partner insurance benefits, Wiley said that the campus will keep pushing this issue until it gets passed, but it's not going to happen with this current group of legislators.
E. Committee Reports
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) - Bruce Beck, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/asec.html
Bruce briefly outlined the issues discussed by ASEC members over the past
month, which included review of procedures for emergency salary support
for principal investigators, use of research professor titles by emeritus
professor, date of April 13 set for the spring Academic Staff Institute
with University of Illinois chancellor Nancy Cantor, ASPP language on
layoffs and nonrenewals, and a presentation on collective bargaining enabling
legislation by the Wisconsin Federation of Teachers (WFT). (See minutes
of meetings on the web for details.)
Bruce explained that the draft resolution on concealed weapons legislation was approved by ASEC and will be brought to the full Assembly in November for a vote. In the meantime, Assembly reps should solicit input from their district members.
Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee (CEBC) - Bill Steffenhagen
reporting
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/cebc/index2.htm
The committee continues to review salary equity issues. They are considering
a process that would ensure academic staff members who hold an associate-prefix
title more than three year or a no-prefix title more than seven years
are reviewed for promotion.
The CEBC is examining the collective bargaining legislation proposed by the United Faculty and Academic Staff (UFAS) and WFT. They will be putting together a fact sheet for discussion at a future Assembly meeting.
Districting and Representation Committee (DRC) - Anne Gunther, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/drc.html
Nominating Committee - Laurie Mayberry, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/nc.html
Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) - Read Gilgen,
co-chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pdrc/index.html
Read reminded everyone that the first round of Professional Development
Grants is due to departments by this Friday, October 17. He warned applicants
to be sure the department has agreed to matching funds should the grant
be awarded. The granting period will cover January - June 2004.
Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) - Ann Wallace, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pppc/index.htm
GUEST: Eliot Finkelstein, Librarians' Assembly
The Librarians' Assembly (equivalent to a Committee on Academic Staff
Issues) formulates policy for the librarians in the General Library System
(GLS) and affords two-way communication between the administration and
librarians. Within the Assembly are a steering committee and standing
committees devoted to travel, retirement, promotions, and professional
concerns. Last year, the group applied for and received a grant to bring
to campus a nationally known speaker. They have also instituted a new-colleague
mentoring program that has served as a model for others.
GUESTS: Ombuds Roger Howard and Ted Finman
Peter Spear traced the origins of the ombuds idea back to a Committee
on Women in the University recommendation in 1998 [though an academic
staff group had actually made that same recommendation in 1989 report].
In 2001, the implementation began. Two emeritus faculty and two emeritus
academic staff were selected to staff the office, located on the fifth
floor in the Lowell Center, Langdon Street.
The provost said the establishment of this office is an effort to improve campus climate and defuse situations before they become dangerous. He stressed that the ombuds have many years of experience and vast knowledge, but as retirees have no stake in the outcomes. He then introduced Roger and Ted to explain more about the office (Ann Burgess and Doris Slesinger were not present today).
Roger said the ombuds office will serve as a sounding board in workplace disputes, helping to sort out the issues and provide guidance as to next steps. They will work closely with other offices, such as Employee Assistance, if appropriate. They will keep all contacts confidential and will not keep written files related to persons or units without express permission of those involved. What they will do is provide the provost's office with annual statistics on the types of issues they are seeing, so that any systemic problems can be dealt with at that level.
Access to the ombuds will be by phone calls at 265-9992. The four ombuds will rotate responsibilities based on their schedules as retirees, but they guarantee to return calls within 24 hours. All university employees may take advantage of this service. (For students, the Dean of Students office provides this function.) The ombuds web site is www.ombuds.wisc.edu/
New Business
Approval of the ASPRO Slate
Motion to approve passed unanimously.
Old Business
Discussion of priorities for academic staff governance
Items mentioned:
" better communication (new listserv should help within the Assembly)
" join ASPRO and help educate legislators
" continued efforts to ensure domestic partner benefits
" promotions - how to get them in tight money times
" job titles and job security
" differences in Category A and B staff; hard money vs. soft money
" staff development
" dealing with layoffs; rights to other jobs and priority referrals
Meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff