The November 6, 2007 meeting of the University Committee was called to order in Moln D135 by Dennis Rome, Chair.  Also attending were members Chris Evans, Stu Hansen, Peggy James, Frances Kavenik and Greg Mayer.  Guests were Interim Provost Jerry Greenfield and Dean Donald Cress.   

 

1) Call to Order:

              The meeting was called to order at 3:37 P.M.

 

2) Minutes:

              The minutes of the meeting of October 16, 2007 were approved unanimously.

 

3) Announcements

              There were no announcements.

 

A motion to suspend the order of the agenda was approved 6-0-0.

 

5) New Business:

 

a) Conversation with Interim Provost Greenfield and Dean Cress:

i)  Interim Provost Greenfield presented a proposal from Gateway Technical College designed to allow Gateway students to transfer 30 or so credits from Gateway to UWP, and thus earn a 4-year degree in a  “1 + 3” format.  These 30 credits might satisfy some or all of our Gen Ed requirements, and a student would be required to sign up for the program immediately upon commencing their studies at Gateway.  Prof. Rome and Interim Provost Greenfield expressed some concern over the Technical Colleges morphing into community colleges of liberal arts and sciences, a role for which they were neither designed nor fitted. Any such program would require governance review and approval.  The proposal was sent the Gen Ed Committee, CAP, and APC, for their review.

ii) The Information Resources Committee has recommended a program review, analogous to a departmental review, of the computer services area, similar to what has been done for the advising area.  There would be a self-study, internal review, and external review.  Interim Provost Greenfield thought this a fine idea, and noted that many parts of campus depend on support from Campus Technology Services.

iii) UW System General Counsel Ed Alschuler provided legal advice concerning records requests.

iv) Interim Provost Greenfield said the ad hoc budget had not been cut.  A large number of faculty searches this year, entailing high recruiting expenses, has limited budgetary flexibility in the academic area.

v) On a matter not originally on the agenda, Interim Provost Greenfield noted that no one had applied for the position of Academic Director of First Year Programs and Director of General Education.  He proposed to continue to seek the DGE internally, but to make an external search for the ADFYP.  There was some thought that in order to assure academic credibility of the eventual incumbent, the position should be open at any rank, with senior rank perhaps being preferred.

 

The agenda was resumed.

 

4) Unfinished Business:

 

a) Only 37 administrator evaluations have been received.  Prof. Rome will send out another reminder.

             

b) Prof. Mayer will chair the ad hoc Chapter Seven revision committee.  Prof. Norton will be asked again if she can serve.: Parts need clarification.  There are amendments which were not included in the chapter (predating Prof. Feldt).  An ad-hoc committee should be established.

 

 c) Prof. Mayer, due to his unexpected continuance on UC, declined to take the open seat on APC; the 2nd runner up will be asked.  Profs. Thomson and Kolb were suggested as replacements for Prof. Martinez on the First Year Experience Committee.

d) At the Meeting of the Faculty, someone expressed unhappiness with the response by the Dean of Students to her being harassed by a student.  Prof. Kavenik urged the need to have a protocol for dealing with disruptive or potentially dangerous students.  Prof. Rome will bring this up with the Chancellor.

 

6) Miscellaneous Business:

              There was no further business.

 

7) The meeting was adjourned at 5:30  P.M.

 

Submitted by Gregory C. Mayer, member of the University Committee