Approved Minutes of ASEC/MASA Town Hall Meeting
Held 10/18/00 in Room 4151 Grainger Hall
Town Hall minutes were reviewed by the Madison Academic Staff Association board and some members of the Academic Staff Executive Committee. Special thanks for Ann Wallace and Linda Newman for their suggestions to the initial draft.
Town Hall minutes:
Jim Pavelko thanked attendees and organizations for attending the town
meeting. Organizations in attendance were:
MASA - Madison Academic Staff Association
ASEC - Academic Staff Executive Committee
ASPRO - Academic Staff Public Representation Organization
Moderator is Jane Bannerman.
Notes for the town meeting were taken by Jim Pavelko.
Suggestion by attendee:
Next year consider having town hall meeting at a west side campus location such as WARF and the second one at an east campus site such as Union South or Grainger Hall.
Wilt Sanders (ASEC)
-
Professor title update -- presented to Provost Wiley.
-
Soft money issue - proposal being considered by campus to fund soft money academic staff when original grants terminate.
-
Governance at School/College level (CASI) in place
Other issues Wilt discussed briefly:
-
Sweat shops
-
Category A pay ranges - more Category A academic staff are getting closer to the pay maximums and future merit may be impacted.
-
Domestic partner benefits (additional discussion below).
Esther Olson suggestions --
-
Next year bring Alphabet Soup handout next year of academic staff organization acronyms.
-
Bring white board for e-mail, websites, etc... for presenters to share addresses with attendees.
Esther Olson presentation (ASPRO)
-
Reminded academic staff to get out to vote and help with elections.
-
Domestic partner benefits discussed.
-
There is a proposal in the legislature to allow the conversion of sick leave benefits into long-term health care insurance (Milwaukee Legislature Senator Grobschmidt).
Open Questions
Integrated Student Information System (ISIS) - Linda Newman noted academic staff on campus are working closely with some faculty members to bring issues regarding the workings of ISIS to the attention of Dean Phil Certain, Provost Wiley and Vice Chancellor Paul Barrows. It is an exciting example of academic staff and faculty collaboration on campus wide advising and workplace issues.
Kay Simmons and Pat Fessenden are available if people have questions on ISIS.
Dan Ross noted:
-
Domestic partner benefits -- identifying which benefits are under university control vs. state control (A handout is available listing current benefits).
-
Recommending campus spouse benefits be made available to domestic partners.
-
Health insurance change appears to need statutory approval to change--many other benefits do not.
Comment made that five of the Big Ten schools have some type of domestic partner benefits.
Mentoring Program
Mentoring program is available to academic staff. Currently there are about 50 pairs of academic staff in the program. There is a web site on the program if you would like more information.
Inquiry about Orientation Program for new representatives
Are we (Academic Staff Administration) addressing problems with communications?
-
School/College level appears to have promise with the organization of Committees on Academic Staff Issues (CASIs) at the School/College level.
-
Comment made that Academic Staff Administration may not be hearing all academic staff concerns and academic staff are encouraged to communicate if there are issues for administration to be aware of.
Gail Snowden suggestion:
-
new academic staff receives informational packets including websites
Wilt Sanders commented that he met with all constituents face to face when he was an assembly representative. He said it was a good way to hear academic staff issues in his district.
Comment made that recently the Faculty Senate voted academic staff may have governance rights at department level.
Communication comments:
Question posed to ASEC - Should ASEC meet with reps more frequently?
A Research Specialist commented he was here 3 years and did not know he had an Academic Staff Assembly representative. The website to identify his representative was given to him and Colleen McCabe was introduced to him to provide assistance. Comments were made that this is still a concern in the academic staff community. One suggestion is for the academic staff community to get involved in campus governance and take some ownership in improving the system. If you do not know who your representative is please contact Colleen McCabe to find out who it is.
Office of Resource Development - Don Schutt noted:
-
There is a campus new employee orientation program for all new employees.
-
There is a new employee website.
-
His office is working with departments on how to effectively welcome new employees to the campus.
-
Don suggested academic staff administration consider giving a governance presentation to new academic staff at the new employee orientation program.
Jane Bannerman thanked everyone for attending the town meeting. Jane said it was okay to e-mail her with questions or concerns on academic staff issues.