Academic Staff Assembly (ASA)
Minutes
DRAFT - MINUTES
ACADEMIC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Monday, 12 May 2003
272 Bascom Hall (3:30-5:15pm)
A. Provost Peter Spear called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
B. AUTOMATIC CONSENT BUSINESS
The minutes of the 4/14/2003 Academic Staff Assembly meeting were approved.
C. Provost Report
Peter Spear mentioned the listening sessions held over the past week that
were open to the whole campus. There were about 200 participants including
faculty, staff, and students. The appreciative inquiry model was used
to have small groups discuss their positive experiences on campus. Peter
was a participant at one of the sessions. The list of things to work on
to make the university a better work environment that came out of the
listening sessions will be on the provost's web site: http://www.wisc.edu/provost/staff.html.
Additional sessions will be held in the future.
The federal Patriot Act now requires tracking (current address and academic status) of all students on temporary visas. Failure to comply could result in immediate deportation of a student without the necessary credentials. The hardware/software and staff to do the data entry and advising will cost the campus about $300,000 the first year with similar ongoing costs. A recent decision by the administration to put the burden of this cost on international students was rescinded until there could be a study of alternatives. Part of the initial cost will be funded by gifts with an expectation of more donations from individuals.
D. Recognition of the 2003 Academic Staff Excellence Award Winner - by Read Gilgen, Professional Development and Recognition Committee (PDRC) chair
CHANCELLORS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Melinda Certain, Faculty Associate, Math
CHANCELLORS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
Norman L Webb, Sr. Research Scientist, Wis. Center for Education Research
Michael Neider, Assoc. Director, Photography, Med School
ROBERT HEIDEMAN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE
Tim Gattenby, Asst. Faculty Associate, Kinesiology
WISCONSIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP
Jeffrey Grossman, Sr. Assoc. Dean, Medicine
Mohammad Mehdi Fayyaz, Director, Botany
CHANCELLOR'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY
Barry Robinson, Sr. Admin. Program Specialist, Theatre and Drama
ANN WALLACE CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Dennis Hill, Sr. Academic Librarian, General Library System
SYSTEM AWARD: Academic Staff Regents Award for Excellence
John Gugerty, Center on Education and Work
E. Committee Reports
ASEC, Linda Newman, chair
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/asec.html
Linda thanked the representatives and alternates for their participation in the Assembly this past year. Colleen will be recruiting new reps in odd-numbered districts for those not willing to continue.
The Academic Staff Institute was very successful. The breakout sessions were excellent as were the major addresses by Meg Gaines and David Ward. The committee to plan next year's event has met once already.
Colleen will coordinate an effort to have academic staff governance "adopt" a campus natural area for general maintenance and clean up. This will be open to any academic staff member who is interested in participating.
Linda read a list of the recent appointments to shared governance committees as proposed by the Nominating Committee and approved by ASEC. The new ASEC chair for next year will be Bruce Beck, with Linda Newman as vice-chair.
Bruce publicly thanked Linda for new fine job as ASEC chair for the past two years.
Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee (CEBC) - Liz Gall for Ronnie Carda, chair
Liz reported that guests Ann Lamboley and Margaret Harrigan came to the last CEBC meeting to discuss the feasibility of a pay equity study for academic staff. The complexities of the vast number of academic staff titles, as well as the expense of a full-scale study, make it prohibitive at this time. But, there may be a way to get at some of the information needed in a more informal manner. A subcommittee will consider some interim methods.
The committee also discussed Resolution #316 (to be considered later by the full Assembly). They worked on wording of a substitute amendment that will be presented by Bill Steffenhagen, since they could not support the language in the proposed resolution.
F. GUEST: Carla Raatz, Director of Human Resources
Carla explained the nature of the new Appointment, Payroll, and Benefits
System (APBS) by Lawson Software that will be used throughout the entire
UW System eventually. A pilot program is going on now at the Madison,
Oshkosh, and Stout campuses. Modifying the program and testing will go
on until 2004, when the new and old systems will run parallel while employees
are being trained. An APBS steering committee is working on plans for
the changeover, which will incorporate both classified and unclassified
personnel information and payroll capabilities. In January 2005, the new
program should be in place and fully functional, at least in Madison.
G. BUSINESS
New Business
1. Changes to Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (ASPP) - Ann Wallace
Ann introduced the changes shown in document #317 of the Assembly materials
(http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/317.htm). In one modification
to what was provided, the last two sentences of chapter 5.02, which appear
as strikeouts to be deleted, will be retained. The committee originally
felt the wording might contradict UW System Rules, but the legal offices
of both Madison and System did not find them objectionable.
The motion to accept the changes was passed unanimously.
2. Resolution in support of the current benefits structure - Becky Kirkland
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/316.htm
Becky made a motion to approve the resolution that the Assembly support the current benefit structure and oppose the imposition of co-payments for health care beyond the current ones. Seconded.
Bill Steffenhagen made a motion to amend the motion on the floor with a substitute http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/316a.htm. This one supports a premium structure at a "reasonable cost" based on the recommendation of the Group Insurance Board. Seconded.
After some discussion of the original motion, Mary Ray proposed an amendment that would add "without the involvement of faculty, academic staff, and non-represented classified staff, throughout the decision-making process" at the end of the last sentence. Seconded and passed.
Daña Alder added a friendly amendment to the second paragraph after the word "employees" that reads "(except for the failure to provide domestic partner benefits)." Seconded and passed.
She moved the same wording for the first paragraph of the amendment to substitute, where it also was seconded and passed.
Mary Ray moved to amend the substitute motion with similar wording at the end. This motion failed.
The vote was taken on the amendment to substitute the wording of document #316 with new wording provided in document #316a. The motion carried, thus replacing the original motion.
3. Resolution in support of alternate ways to fund tracking of foreign
students -
F. Simon Anderson
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/acstaff/doc/318.htm
As a result of the administration's change in policy requiring this fee to be borne solely by those international students affected until further study, this resolution was withdrawn.
4. Results of the Standing Committee elections
CEBC: Bill Steffenhagen, Marcia Jezwinski, Greg Iaccarino
DRC: Bambi Wilson, Mark Werner, Bonnie Shucha
NC: Abby Loomis, Roger Maclean, Tim O'Connor, Ann Groves Lloyd
PDRC: Kevin Niemi, Robert Stone Newsom, Lisa Jansen
PPPC: John Mather, Carla Love, Robert Rettammel
Old Business
None
Meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
Submitted by Colleen McCabe
Secretary of the Academic Staff