Academic Staff Assembly (ASA)
Minutes
Minutes approved 1-13-03
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, December 9, 2002
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:45pm)
A. PROVOST PETER SPEAR CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 3:35 P.M.
B. AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 11/12/2002 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved
as amended.
C. Guests: Don Woolston and Peg Davey, Athletic Board report
Don Woolston first explained the composition of the 22 member Athletic
Board, consisting of faculty, academic staff, students, alumni, and athletic
team members. The full board meets once a month with Bernice Durand, who
is the current chair. Most of the work is done in committees. There are
eight committees, and each board member participates on 3 or 4 of them.
Terms on the Athletic Board are four years instead of the typical three
year terms, since there is a rather steep learning curve to understanding
this complicated enterprise.
Peg Davey described the board as being very involved in Athletic Dept. decisions. They monitor student academic affairs and eligibility, decide on coaches' salaries and contract renewals, deal with new facilities planning, media relations, finances, and oversight of University Ridge golf course.
D. Provost Report - Peter Spear
Provost Spear reported that the proposal to establish an ombuds office
for academic staff and faculty is moving forward. Associate vice chancellor
Linda Greene is talking to some of the recently retired emeritus faculty
and staff who have been suggested as possible candidates for the ombuds
job.
Four top administrative searches are in progress: Vice Chancellor for Administration, Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Climate, Dean of the School of Pharmacy, and Director of the Institute on Environmental Studies.
An email reporting on the progress of strategic planning went out to everyone recently. A web site http://www.chancellor.wisc.edu/strategicplan/progress.html shows accomplishments thus far.
E. Committee Reports
ASEC, Linda Newman, chair
Linda explained that the 3x5 cards handed out to Assembly reps were for
the purpose of indicating topics of interest for discussion at the January
Assembly and for providing a suggestion for the FAQ section of the academic
staff web site.
John Torphy will chair the January Assembly meeting in place of the provost. Charlie Hoslet, assistant to the chancellor for state relations, will be the guest speaker.
Those academic staff members who attended a workshop on "Academic Staff Issues" given by the Academic Personnel Office (APO) found it very worthwhile and hope it will be repeated.
Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) liaison meeting, Bill Steffenhagen,
chairing
Bill reported that there was a lot of positive energy at the CASI/ASEC
meeting on November 21 at Union South. A major concern voiced by several
of the CASI liaisons was the issue of criteria for professorial titles.
Bill encouraged CASIs to work with their deans to move candidates forward
for approval. Other topics included college-level excellence awards and
professional development grants, retirement issues, and meeting new deans.
Compensation and Economic Benefits (CEBC), Bill Steffenhagen for Ron
Carda, chair
Bill and Steve Lund (APO) met with Chuck McConnell of the UW System Personnel
Office to discuss problems with category A salary maxima and the program
manager titles. In regard to the maxima issue for category A academic
staff, Chuck said that these requests must go to the Department of Employee
Relations (DER) for approval. With the current state budget crisis, he
advised that the timing is not good to press forward with this now. However,
there is a possibility that a change in the state statutes may allow such
requests to go directly to the legislative Joint Committee on Employment
Relations, thus expediting the process in the future.
Bill had good news to report on the Program Manager titles. Because this title did not have a series progression, it had been difficult to promote employees who held the title. While a survey of other campuses showed that they did not favor making it a series, Chuck said that points could be given for seniority within a title that would allow for some movement upward.
Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC), Ann Wallace, chair
Ann announced that some changes to Academic Staff Policies and Procedures
(ASPP) would be forthcoming.
Also, the Appeals Committee has submitted a draft of a "What to Expect" document to help those who are considering a grievance through the appeals process.
Nominating Committee, Karen Carlson, chair
Karen voiced the concern of the committee about the lack of researchers
and instructors willing to be involved in governance. Since these groups
make up the largest segment of academic staff employees, their ideas and
input is valuable, so they should be encouraged to participate in committees.
Karen also stressed that any academic staff member interested in running for a standing committee or other governance group should first consider becoming an Assembly representative or participating on a Committee on Academic Staff Issues. These are the best ways to gain an understanding of governance and campus-wide issues.
Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC), Read Gilgen,
chair
Read reported that the latest round of professional development grants
had been completed. There will be another round this spring with a March
7 deadline.
The call for nominations for both campus and System academic staff excellence awards has been sent. The deadline is January 24. You are encouraged to submit nomination packets for worthy staff.
Academic Staff Endowment Fund, Donna Cole
Donna thanked those who baked and those who bought at the sale today to
benefit the fund. The committee wishes to stress the value of contributing
by payroll deduction. They have decided on three projects you can specify
your donations to support:
1. Professional Development Grants (non-matching)
2. Child care scholarships (to a campus day care facility)
3. Natural Campus Areas (a water garden across from Bascom or a pathway
marker for the class of 1913 marsh)
A more formal all-campus fund drive will begin next fall led by the UW Foundation. Stay tuned.
Special Presentation: Linda Newman presented Ann Wallace with a floral bouquet in honor of her generous funding of an excellence award for career achievement.
F. BUSINESS
Old Business
Layoff notice changes/next steps - Ann Lamboley, APO
Ann said that after consultation with university legal counsel the changes
to lengthen the notice periods for layoffs and nonrenewals had enough
significance to warrant approval by the Board of Regents before becoming
official policy. If the provost signs off on the changes this week, Ann
will submit the document draft to Katharine Lyall's office. The Board
of Regents has 90 days to reject the measure after which time their lack
of action becomes tacit approval. The effective date is then the one when
the provost has signed it.
New Business
1. Presentation of the ASEC slate - Karen Carlson
Karen referred to the copy of the proposed slate provided with the Assembly
materials. She explained that additions to the slate could be made within
10 days to the secretary's office with at least ten signatures of Assembly
representatives or 50 signatures from academic staff at large.
The committee motion to approve the slate passed unanimously.
2. Job security data - Ann Wallace
Job security data collected and assembled by the Personnel Policies and
Procedures Committee was included in the packet of Assembly materials.
It shows the data regarding numbers of staff in the various units with
rolling horizon and indefinite appointments in 2001. The numbers are not
significantly different from those for the previous year. (The information
is also on the web at http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pppc/JS-stats.htm)
The latest job security flyer is in the mail. It announces that the next round of data collection will start soon. It also explains the new legislation whereby academic staff with five years of continuous employment will be reviewed automatically for purposes of increased job security.
Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff