CALL TO ORDER:

The meeting was called to order at 3:35 PM by Prof Doug DeVinny, Chair. Present in addition were Profs Funkenstein, Barber, Wright, Allen, Castor, McCann, Elechi, Kavenik, Walasek, Li, Gellott, McNair, White, Zaibert, Lyter, Schmidt, Monardi, Sasso, Eigenberger, and Warren, Senators representing the departments; C. Zanowski, Senator and Chair of the Academic Staff Committee; University Committee Members and Senators, Profs Beyer, DeVinny, Evans, Kummings, and Wood; Ex- Officio Senators (non-voting) Chancellor Keating, Provost Martin, Prof Feldt, Secretary of the Faculty; and guests Prof Susan Haller, Al Crist, Dean Don Cress.

Minutes of the Meeting of October 14, 2003
The minutes of the meeting of October 14, 2003 were approved by automatic consent, without objection (PSF 2/03-04).

BUSINESS:

Report of the University Committee Chair
Prof Gary Wood, Chair of the University Committee, reported as follows ...

The Teacher Preparation Steering Committee was being formed and this should be completed within a few weeks (see PSF6/03-04).

The Senate resolution concerning health care will be sent to the Chancellor for transmission to the UW-System (see PSF4/03-04).

Prof Laura Gellott has been appointed a member of a System committee to address the transferrability of Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) credits to the UW System. The committee is scheduled to meet on December 17.

Recently introduced legislative bills include AB 540 which would require that all outside income be reported amd AB543 which would require remove the exemption from the Open Meetings Law for departmental level meetings.

Report of the Chancellor
Chancellor Jack Keating reported on the following ...

Certain issues regarding patents or copyrights were being discussed at System.

The Legislative Audit Committee, a neutral group, may recommend an exemption from some state regulations for the UW System. Further information should be available in January.

The way the increase in salary ranges for senior UWS positions was handled has been a problem for System and has harmed relations with the legislature.

There are six new Regents appointed by Gov Doyle. As a result, there is a need to bring them "up to speed" before new initiatives can be undertaken.

There are huge increases for health insurance across the nation and the UW System is no exception. There will be a major restructuring of medical coverage for 2004, and out-of-pocket costs will increase.

A raise for unclassified staff, originally recommended at 4% in both years of the biennium, was reduced to 0% and 1%, with an increase in medical payments.

On 128 funds (non GPR), campuses were forced to turn over significant reserve funds to the State. This will likely be a real concern down the road.

UW-Parkside was selected as one of twelve schools included in the Foundations of Excellence project.

Both the Chancellor and Prof Wood are members of a research and public service committee which is part of The Regents study on Charting a New Course for the UW System, "A new course for the UW System is motivated in 2003 by three key drivers: a changing state fiscal environment; changing and growing market demand; and a rapidly evolving technological environment affecting higher education throughout the country and around the world." See http://www.uwsa.edu/srvpadm/study/index.cfm for more detail.

The Chancellor reported that the work of the group has been slowed by the fact that there are many newly-appointed board members. A final report is due in June 2004.

NEW BUSINESS:

Criteria for Promotion to the Rank of Professor - University Committee and Personnel Review Committee

The proposal to adopt the criteria currently used by the Full Professor Subcommittee of the Personnel Review Committee for promotion to the rank of professor was APPROVED, viva voce, without audible dissent. PSF 10/03-04

Department Executive Committee Membership - University Committee

The proposal to adopt the resolution concerning membership on departmental executive committees which would include, with the permission of the committee, tenured assistant professors, was APPROVED, viva voce, without audible dissent. PSF 11/03-04

Resolution on Office Hours - University Committee

As previously announced, the resolution on Office Hours was removed from the Agenda pending further consultations.

ADJOURNMENT:

The meeting adjouned at 4:10 PM.

Respectfully Submitted
Walter T Feldt
SECRETARY OF THE FACULTY & Professor of Engineering