Minutes of the University Committee
for April 06, 2007
1) CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 11:10 A.M. by Dennis Rome, Chair. Also attending were members Chris Evans, Fran Kavenik, Mary Lenard, Greg Mayer, and Anne Statham. Evelyn Zepp was present as Secretary of the Faculty. Guests were Bryan Lewis, Carmel Ruffolo, and Susan Takata.
2) MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting of March 23, 2007 were approved as distributed.
In order to accommodate the guests, the agenda was suspended in order to move to NEW BUSINESS: The Applied Health Science agenda item of the proposed Senate agenda.
Susan Takata, Chair of CAP reported that CAP had approved the proposed Applied Health Science major at its meeting of March 26th, with the exception of 5 areas, which the revised proposal has addressed:
a) Explanation of the Center structure
b) Support and feedback of departments
c) Survey of current students
d) Graduate professional schools list
e) Source of incoming students
CAP is meeting on the latest proposal Monday April 9th. If there is another version after this meeting, it will be communicated to the Secretary of the Faculty in time for the April 10th distribution of the Senate Agenda.
The U.C. determined that a separate Resolution for the creation of the Center of Health Science would be needed. The description of the Center and the resolution also need to be conveyed to the Secretary of the Faculty by April 10th.
The U.C. approved the inclusion of these two items on the Senate Agenda, pending the receipt of the revised versions.
The guests left the meeting at 11:35 A.M.
The committee resumed the agenda.
3) ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dennis Rome reported on the Faculty Representatives meeting. There was considerable contention over the Criminal Background Checks document. The representatives would not budge on the issue of hiring offices and agencies. Thus, there have been several drafts between last Friday and today. The matter will not be on the Senate agenda and it will not make the May 1st deadline. Linda Busha and Kristie Zahn will be invited to the next meeting.
He distributed five documents which the members were requested to read before the next meeting:
a) January 12, 2007 memorandum from Alan Crist.
b) Letter of Notice to Finalists
c) Job Applicant Supplement for Finalists
d) Draft of Employee Criminal Background Check Policy
e) Final Draft of Criminal Background check Policy for UW-P
Members noted that item c) constitutes a waiver of a person’s rights (a candidate’s criminal background cannot be used against him/her unless the offense is significantly related to the position). There is also concern over who has the ultimate right to decide whether or not the offense is significant enough not to hire. There is also a section of the letter from Al Crist which lists parts which cannot be changed. This is an issue of shared governance.
He then distributed a document on “Shared Governance Guidelines,” which the members were also requested to read before the next meeting in order to carry out a discussion on shared governance.
Greg Mayer suggested a resolution which might go to the Senate after the discussion with Ms. Busha and Ms. Zahn:
Given that the Regents have mandated Criminal Background Checks, the Senate resolves that these be carried out consistent with the Wisconsin law which states that a criminal background cannot be used against a candidate for employment unless the offense is significantly related to the position and further resolves that the decision on whether a substantial relationship exists between the position and the background be made by the Chancellor (and the faculty, in the case of faculty hires).
4) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a) Next "First Friday"—April 27, 2007. Interim Provost Greenfield has kindly agreed to again provide a cheese platter. Four more bottles of wine should suffice with what is left over. The Faculty-Staff lounge is being reserved by Tara Schmidt.
b) Faculty Meeting--Tuesday, April 3rd : action plan. The draft minutes of the meeting were distributed and Anne Statham distributed a memo summarizing the elements of an action plan suggested during the meeting and a summary of issues raised in the discussion. There was some disagreement on some of the items. It was agreed to continue the discussion on these at the next meeting.
c) Group to "brainstorm" on Honors Program—news?
There was an e-mail from Gary Wood:
Regarding a couple of items in the agenda, I heard from a couple of people interested in discussing the Honors Program and am working on setting up a meeting. I will also invite the current members of the Honors Program Steering Committee.
d) Ratify e-mail approval of all-faculty election ballot.
This was approved unanimously.
e) Next meetings: Friday April 20, 2007 and April 27, 2007
It was agreed that with the number of items on the agenda, the U.C. would also meet NEXT FRIDAY, APRIL 13.
f) Steve McLaughlin committee on student code of conduct—news?
No news has been received.
g) Administrator evaluations—ready to distribute (thank you letters to ad-hoc group have been sent)
These should go out ASAP.
h) Role of faculty in the approval of WTCS transfer agreements—tabled from March 23rd
The issue is not that an associate degree in Liberal Arts should or should not be accepted, since we already accept such a degree from the three technical schools that currently offer a L.A. track (MATC—Milwaukee, Nicolet, MATC—Madison). The issue is the question of people with no such degree who want to transfer the credit hours. Since this policy is being developed without faculty input, the Faculty Representatives have been concerned. It was decided to FORWARD THIS QUESTION TO APC.
i) Fringe Benefits Advisory Committee—tabled from March 23rd
There is no action to be taken now. Ron Singer reported that a change in the way of reporting sick leave is being developed. This may meet the Regents’ concerns.
j) Domestic Partner Benefits—tabled from March 23rd
This was also a contentious issue at the Faculty Representatives meeting. Does separating out the various components weaken the total benefit package, or is there a better change of approval is the components are separated?
This is related to the next agenda item—
k) Tenured part-time faculty and family leave issues
The question of sick leave vs. a genuine pregnancy leave is important to younger faculty and staff. We do not have what we need as far as policy. Dennis Rome reported that the Faculty Representatives did not have time to get to this issue; he will try to find out what System/other campuses do. This can also be raised with Ms. Busha and Ms. Zahn when they come.
l) Conflicts between UWP Administrative Policy # 54 and UWPF Chapter 7 and UWS.
Gary Wood’s e-mail also noted:
Also, as long as the committee is looking at administrative policy 54 they should also review policies 36 and 51. Those policies also deal with grievances and complaints and are inconsistent with UWPF Chapter 7.
This is a major issue. More and more anecdotes of problems in this area have been accumulating. These narratives should perhaps be collected. Fran Kavenik noted that the Affirmative Action Council in meeting Monday April 23rd at 11:00 A.M. in the Galbraith Room. Chris Evans will bring these concerns to the members of that Council.
5) NEW BUSINESS
a) Newest version of Criminal Background checks—review, send to Senate?
As discussed above, this will not go to the Senate.
b) Search committee suggestions to Acting Provost for search for Director of Gen Ed and Co-Director of First-Year Experience (position description previously attached)—if Interim Provost has run this by the General Education and First-Year Experience Committee.
The Interim Provost will meet with the General Education Committee on Monday and with the First-Year Experience Committee. Item TABLED.
c) Approval of Senate Agenda for April 17, 2007
Criminal Background Checks removed.
Add CAP: Creation of Center of Health Sciences.
Electronic Voting: will do demonstration in order to elicit feedback.
Approval of May-August 2007 graduates should be moved up to first item of New Business.
Add item: Changes to UWPF: Senate meet on the 3rd, 8th, and 13th weeks of each semester.
Prof. Mayer moved approval of the amended agenda. The motion PASSED unanimously.
It was also noted that some Departments have had no Senate representative present.
d) Appointments to Committees
TABLED until the 20th and 27th.
6) MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
a) The U.C. will meet at 3:30 P.M. on Tuesdays in the Fall. Peggy James and Stu Hansen will be notified.
b) Greg Mayer will continue on the U.C. as long as Doug DeVinny is serving as Interim Associate Vice-Chancellor.
c) Peggy James and Stu Hansen will be invited to the April 27th meeting (last U.C. meeting of the semester). At that time, there will be an election for U.C. Chair and Vice-Chair.
d) The Secretary of the Faculty will proceed with a request to Departments for their personnel documents, for the purpose of reviewing uniformity (or not) of procedures across the campus.
7) ADJOURNMENT
Mary Lenard made a motion to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 P.M.
Submitted by Evelyn Zepp, Secretary of the Faculty
