Minutes of ASEC/MASA Town Hall Meeting
Held 4/25/01 at UW Hospital’s School of Nursing Conference Room H6/215
Town Hall minutes:
Moderator Jane Bannerman 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
Notes for the town meeting were taken by Jim Pavelko.
Barry Robinson presentation (ASEC)
Committees on Academic Staff Issues (CASIs) update:
If you haven’t heard about the CASI for your work unit, please contact your dean, director or Colleen McCabe, Secretary of the Academic Staff at 3-2985. Barry noted the CASIs are in place at most schools, colleges and administrative units.
Professoral Title Series Update: Barry commented the Provost reviewed the Assembly legislation and the Faculty Senate passed it’s own legislation on the title series. At this time the assembly is recommending “budgeted titles” and the Senate is proposing “working titles”. The Senate also is proposing research titles only and the Assembly is proposing both research titles and professorial titles.
The Academic Staff Assembly and the Faculty Senate passed proposals for professoral title series for academic staff. The UW System passed a proposal for titles similar to the ones passed by the Assembly. System has forwarded its’ proposal to the campuses and asked for a response by mid May.
Campus climate: The Chancellor recently spoke to the Assembly about campus climate. ASEC is also discussing campus climate issues between faculty and academic staff and academic staff and classified staff.
Bridge Funding- There is a pilot project to provide bridge fund to academic staff who have contributed significantly to the University. You can get information about this program through the Academic Personnel Office. Under the project some research personnel may be eligible for funding up to 18 months if needed.
Esther Olson presentation (ASPRO)
Budget- Esther recently testified before the Joint Finance Committee and ASPRO is working with PROFS, WAA, Charlie Hoslet and Paul Barrows on UW-Madison legislative issues.
UW Day- Main focus was to speak to legislators in a unified voice. It was a great success. The UW system will continue making this united presentation during the budget period and beyond.
There is a proposal in the legislature to allow the conversion of sick leave benefits into long-term health care insurance (Milwaukee Legislator Senator Grobschmidt).
Esther reminded everyone to join ASPRO if you are not already a member.
Linda Newman presentation (ASEC)
Academic Staff Website- A small committee is working on making the academic staff website a clearinghouse for information. A handout of the front page of the website was distributed. A test site is expected to be up this summer. There will be a way to provide feedback and ask questions on the site. The idea for redesigning the website came from a town meeting.
Open Questions and Comments
A comment was made that the Faculty Senate defeated the proposal to allow academic staff to co-chair joint governance committees. A few faculty made negative comments about academic staff participation. Barry Robinson commented the University Committee is receptive to academic staff concerns and thinks the comments were from a small group of faculty and should not be viewed that all faculty feel the same way.
Barry Robinson suggested academic staff should email the Chancellor directly with ideas to help improve climate on campus.
Question raised: Does the current academic staff website provide definitions of the many campus acronyms? Linda Newman described academic staff governance.
Barry Robinson commented that chapter 6 of the Faculty Policies and Procedures manual has all the campus committees listed. Barry explained that many of the committees were formed before academic staff were given governance rights.
Barry also commented that legislation governing schools’ and colleges’ Academic Planning Councils now permits academic staff membership.
Esther noted that academic staff governance is young. However, there is no current mandate for academic staff to be on many campus committees.
Question: Explain the role between CASIs and ASEC. Ann Wallace explained that CASIs are a voice for local issues in schools and colleges. A representative from the Medical School noted their CASI is discussing their role in the school’s governance structure. Linda Newman noted that “hopefully CASIs will provide a voice for problem solving” for school and campus academic staff issues.
Colleen McCabe noted that ASEC sets the Assembly’s agenda.
Comment – why are some of the e-mail addresses incorrect in the campus e-mail system? Academic Personnel noted that it is the units’ responsibility to make sure e-mail addresses are correct.
Question on academic staff salaries: Esther Olson noted it is difficult for campus to obtain competitive data on academic staff salaries. The Compensation and Economic Benefits Committee, as well as Steve Lund, from Academic Personnel, are looking into this issue.
Don Schutt from Human Resources Development commented that there is an academic staff intern program on campus and they are looking for volunteers. Don also said his office is currently looking for ideas for Professional Development Workshops. Suggestions should be made to Don in the Human Resources Development office.