Minutes (DRAFT)
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, December 10, 2001
272 Bascom Hall (3:30 - 4:45)
A. PROVOST PETER SPEAR CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 3:30 P.M.
B. AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 11/12/2001 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved
as presented.
C. PROVOST ACTIVITY REPORT: PETER SPEAR
A networking group with leaders of various initiatives is being formed
to look at campus climate. One issue that will be considered will be respect
for one another, particularly between faculty and academic staff in light
of recent comments in the Faculty Senate.
The new Connections booklet outlines the priorities of the campus strategic plan. Efforts are underway to move some of the action plans forward. Point people in various units will be responsible for tracking the progress. Budget planning for the next biennium is beginning, so the strategic plan will factor into where the priorities are set.
The provost is involved with the Campus Planning Committee looking at the building and facilities of campus and planning for the future. He is also involved with the cluster hire program, adding 20-25 new faculty in up to ten new clusters. An area that needs closer attention within the cluster hires is interdisciplinary teaching.
The campus backbone that supports the networks has to be upgraded, and a fair amount of time has been spent in deciding how best to proceed.
D. Memorial Resolution for James E. Nichols read by Janice Cyzscon
E. GUEST: Sybil Better, Medical School Committee on Academic Staff Issues
(CASI)
The Medical School has the most academic staff in any unit with 1100,
not even including the CHS faculty. The largest percentage (about 70%)
are on soft money.
The CASI recommended to the dean that faculty meetings become faculty/academic staff meetings. This was recently approved by the faculty and Executive Committee. Another CASI recommendation was to involve more academic staff in the development of policies and procedures related to performance review and the merit exercise. The CASI is also concerned with job security for many of the staff and is recommending longer-term appointments wherever possible.
New subcommittees have been formed to work on academic staff participation on school and department committees, professional development, and competitive compensation. A brown bag given by the Academic Personnel Office on promotions and salaries was held at both the MSC and the CSC. Notes are on the web site (http://casi.med.wisc.edu/). A working group is looking at working titles for instructional and research academic staff. Dean Farrell attends the CASI meetings twice a year and is very supportive of their activities.
E. COMMITTEES AND REPORTS
1. ASEC ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES - Linda Newman, Chair
This is Jean Buehlman's last Assembly meeting, since she will be retiring
as of January 2, 2002. Lawrence Casper will fill out Jean's term as the
vice-chair of ASEC.
ASEC made these committee appointments:
Mary Weaver Klees and Bill Hebert to the Student Hearing Examiners Panel
Richard Pierce to the Campus Transportation Committee
ASEC has been considering revisions to Chapter 14. Bill Steffenhagen, representing a joint CEBC/PPPC subcommittee, reported to ASEC about concern with salary caps and program manager titles. These issues will be brought to the Assembly in the future. ASEC also met with UW Police Chief, Sue Riseling, to talk about campus lab security.
As a result of the distress caused by recent comments in the Faculty Senate about instructional academic staff, ASEC approved a motion for Linda to talk to the chancellor about the effect on the morale of academic staff. Linda will also mention that academic staff will ask to be recognized in the Faculty Senate if we hear similar comments in the future.
Donna Cole reported that that the Academic Staff Endowment Fund got over $200 from members of the Standing Committees. Baked goods today were provided by the Endowment Fund Committee to raise more money. We will have a similar opportunity to pay for treats at the February Assembly. Without a clear consensus, the committee is pondering how to describe disbursement of funds for the future and welcomes suggestions from Assembly members.
A convenient way to give is through payroll deduction and a form is enclosed in your packet. If Assembly members set an example of giving, this can be used to encourage others when we launch a major fundraising campaign.
Linda announced that there will be an Assembly meeting on January 14. [Room 165 Bascom] If there is not an official quorum, the time will be used for informal discussion.
Each of the following standing committees described the functions of the committees, introduced their members, and gave a web site for further information:
2. Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee (CEBC) - Janice Cyzscon
for Ron Carda, Chair
http://cebc.engr.wisc.edu/
3. Districting and Representation Committee (DRC) - Mary Ray, Chair
http://drc.academic-staff.wisc.edu
4. Nominating Committee (NC) - Miriam Simmons for Karen Carlson, Chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/nc.html
5. Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) - Ann Wallace,
Chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/comopp/pppc/
The job security flyer will be sent out this month to all academic staff.
6. Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) - Belinda
Velazquez, Co-chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pdrc/index.html
7. Legislative Update - Esther Olson
The legislature concluded its fall session in November and will resume
in January. Senate Bill 239 on supplemental compensation for sick leave
conversion had no action taken. Senate Bill 145 to allow collective bargaining
for academic staff and faculty is back on the table.
OTHER BUSINESS
A. OLD BUSINESS
1. Professorial Titling - Wilt Sanders
Wilt Sanders reported that the only update occurred in the Faculty Senate
where Larry Kahan's motion to require the Faculty Senate to approve the
use of any working title with the word "professor" other than
associate and no-prefix research professor was passed.
Barry Robinson moved that:
The UW-Madison Academic Staff Assembly support the efforts of the Executive
Committees of the University's academic units in creating working instructional
and research professor titles at the assistant, associate, and no-prefix
levels and in granting those titles to academic staff who meet their criteria.
Although we reiterate our preference for budgeted professorial titles,
the establishment and use of the professorial working titles will increase
the morale and productivity of the academic staff at UW-Madison to ultimately
benefit its students.
After a brief discussion, comments in favor of the motion by John Sarff and Judy Manning, and concerns about the motion from Bambi Wilson, the motion passed unanimously.
B. NEW BUSINESS
1. Academic Staff Executive Committee - initial slate
The Nominating Committee's slate for the ASEC election was in the Assembly
packet, with a corrected version handed out at the door. Other problems
with the slate were noted and will be corrected for the ballot to be mailed
in February to all academic staff.
2. Election results for the ASEC vacancy
Bruce Beck was elected to fill the unexpired term of Jean Buehlman on
ASEC until June 30, 2002.
3. ASPP Chapter 14 - draft
Karen Schwarz explained the major revisions suggested to Chapter 14 (drafts
were distributed to those attending). Voting on the changes will occur
at a future Assembly meeting after members have had a chance to review
the document.
Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff