Academic Staff Assembly (ASA)
Minutes
Minutes Approved 3-10-03
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, February 10, 2003
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-4:30pm)
A. Provost Peter Spear called the meeting to order at 3:37 pm.
B. AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 1/13/2003 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
C. Provost Report
With the impending budget cuts to be announced by the governor next week,
the deans have been working to audit administrative costs and staffing
levels. There are several contingencies depending on how much the campus
will have to absorb. Some of the base budget losses can be offset by increases
in tuition. Cuts in programs and positions are anticipated, but some can
be managed through attrition.
Interviews are still going on with potential candidates to staff a part-time ombuds office for faculty and academic staff. The provost reminded everyone to be aware of classified staff morale until their pay plan is negotiated. Read Peter Spear's recent Wisconsin Week article regarding campus climate at http://www.news.wisc.edu/view.html?get=8222
D. Committee Reports
ASEC, Linda Newman, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/asec.html
Linda reminded the Assembly about brown bag programs coming up on Feb. 13 and 20, and on March 7. ASEC will meet with CASI representatives on April 10. Academic staff Town Meetings will be held at noon on March 25 (Grainger Hall) and 26 (Union South).
Please return ASEC ballots to the secretary's office by March 3.
ASEC met with deans Martin Cadwallader and Michael Knetter for conversations about academic staff participation in their units.
Standing committees should have operating procedures on file with the secretary and should submit any changes to those procedures already on file.
Issues related to notices for layoff and nonrenewal are still being discussed by ASEC and the Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC). http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/pppc/index.htm
Legislative Update - Bill Steffenhagen
http://www.aspro.net
Bill accompanied the ASPRO lobbyists to meet the new member of the Joint
Committee on Finance. The four Republicans appointed by John Gard were
all interested in the discussion of UW issues and were thoughtful in their
questions. They are concerned particularly with student tuition costs
and access while still maintaining quality.
Campus Transportation Committee - Bill Steffenhagen
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/secfac/governance/FPP/Chapter_6.htm#630
The committee approved a budget for next year that will keep rates for
parking permits the same as this year. Business alternate permits will
now cost $75. Additional lots will be added to those available for flex
parking and costs will range from $.25 to $.55 per hour.
The idea of using salary as a method to set parking permit fees was studied, but considered very difficult to administer as well as not providing a cost savings to those with low incomes.
Information Technology Committee - Tim Paustian
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/secfac/governance/FPP/Chapter_6.htm#642
Tim reported that this 14 member joint governance committee is an advisory
group to the Division of Information Technology (DoIT). Discussions over
the past year have focused on modem pool usage, ResNet (Napster issues),
viruses, and network fees.
DoIT contends that charges to the campus for services are not meeting expenses. They want to adapt a model for updating network equipment on a more organized and efficient basis. A grant from Cisco Systems of $25 million over five years needs to be managed.
Internet usage is doubling annually. Thus far, the bills for this service have been covered centrally by the campus. A new three-tiered billing structure will be put into place to recover costs from the units. Charges will be set according to building fees, head count, and premium services used.
E. BUSINESS
New Business
1. The Districting and Representation Committee presented a motion to the Assembly to create District 433, a new district for Professionals/Managers in the Medical School http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/302.htm. The motion passed unanimously.
2. The Districting and Representation Committee presented a motion to the Assembly to create a District 452, a new district for Professionals/Managers at DoIT http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/303.htm. The motion passed unanimously.
3. The Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee introduced a resolution to support health care benefits for domestic partners on our campus. http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/304.htm. Daña Alder made a friendly amendment to include "and their dependent children" after "domestic partners" in the resolution statements. The resolution passed. http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/304a.htm
Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff