Minutes of the Meeting
of the
Faculty Senate
February 15, 2005
PSF 9/04-05

CALL TO ORDER :

The Faculty Senate of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside met on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 in Molinaro Hall D132. The meeting was called to order at 3:35 PM by Prof Doug DeVinny, Chair. See the attendance roster for those present.

Minutes – Meeting of September 28, 2004 - Deferred

Report of the University Committee Chair

Prof Gary Wood, Chair of the University Committee, reported that UWS President Riley said that the administrative merger of the UW Colleges and UW Extension had been approved by the Board. A suggestion by Rep Kreibach, that the Colleges be merged with appropriate 4 year campuses was not included.

He also said that phase 2 of Plan 2008, closing the achievement gap, was underway. See http://www.uwsa.edu/oadd/plan/.

He said that the University Committee had started to recruit for the Secretary of the Faculty position.

Report of the Chancellor

Associate Provost Gerald Greenfield reported the search for a Dean for Community Engagement was underway with a review of applicants to begin on March 1.

He continued by commenting upon the Foundations of Excellence effort. Prof Greenfield campus-based research was completed. Among recommendations from the campus task force was that a structure be established. There will be a Council, he said, along with a smaller seven-member steering committee and two directors, Prof Carmel Ruffolo and Ms Amber Engel.

Prof Ruffolo said that one main aim is to build a conduit. Many surveys and other information has been gathered and there is a lot of material to analyze.

She said that there would be an academic convocation on Tuesday, September 6. It is currently being organized. Classes will begin on Wednesday, September 7, in accordance with the calendar revision approved at the last Senate meeting.

On the budget, Prof Greenfield said that, overall, the budget for UW-Parkside would be less adversely affected than in the last biennium, under Governor Doyle’s recommendation. On the positive side, there would be a few additional faculty positions, but several “administrative” positions would be lost, using the Legislative Audit Bureau’s definition of such positions. This definition includes everyone not providing direct instruction, including, for example, program assistants. Furthermore, it is hard to predict, he said, what the legislature would do with the governor’s budget. He also mentioned that tuition was likely to go up 5-7%.

Concerning the unclassified pay plan, he said that the Board’s recommendation of 5% in each of the two years of the biennium was unlikely to be funded and it was unclear how much of any increase would have to be funded by a tuition increase.

Prof Greenfield yielded some time to Randy McCready, Director of Financial Aid. Mr McCready gave an update on the FN “grade”, administratively established in the fall semester. This grade, a variant of the F grade, is given by faculty who acknowledge that the failure is based on non-attendance. In Fall 2004, 232 FN grades were given involving 195 students. 126 financial aid recipients received FN grades in at least one course with only one such student receiving all FN grades. He said that this gives UWP a good audit trail when attempting to comply with federal regulations.

Mr McCready said that with more publicity to faculty members, the FN system should work even better in Spring 2005.

Questions - Written/Oral

No written or oral questions were raised.

Informational Reports – Faculty Committees

None

NEW BUSINESS

Resolution in Support of Domestic Partner Benefits – University Committee

In brief remarks, Prof Wood tied the resolution to the UWS System Inclusivity Initiative. See http://www.uwsa.edu/acadaff/inclusivity/. The resolution was approved, viva voce, without audible dissent.

PSF 10/04-5

Resolution in Opposition to the Proposed Constitutional Amendment Regarding the Definition of Marriage – University Committee

Prof Wood said that the majority University Committee position was set forth in the Agenda along with a suggested substitute from Prof James Kinchen, UC member.

Prof Kinchen moved, seconded, that the substitute document take the place of the UC document. He said that his resolution skirts the sensitive issue of the definition of marriage and emphasizes inclusivity.

In response to a question from Prof Hansen, Prof Wood said that the UC position was a composite of those approved by other UWS faculties.

Prof McNair said that the UC position added “fuel to the fire” whereas the substitute took a more reasoned approach.

On a vote of 12-6, the Kinchen motion was substituted for the UC position.

The substitute motion was subsequently APPROVED on a vote of 14-3.

PSF 11/04-5

ADJOURNMENT:

The meeting adjourned at 4:40 PM .

Respectfully Submitted,
Walter T Feldt
Secretary of the Faculty

PSF 10/04-5

Resolution in Support of Domestic Partner Benefits*

The following resolution, we believe, emphasizes a commitment to fairness and equity for all university employees. We wish to make the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus position on full and equitable domestic partner benefits fully known. Extending health care coverage to domestic partners of any gender combination is arguably the most important issue in regards to domestic partner benefits to be resolved.   Faculty and staff support on this issue will strengthen our position to press for changes that we believe are important to this university.

Whereas more than 150 colleges and universities now offer health insurance coverage to domestic partners, including the University of Iowa, Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Minnesota, University of Chicago, and Northwestern University,

And whereas six states now offer domestic partner health coverage to all state employees, as do over 100 cities and counties nationwide, including Dane County, the City of Madison and the City of Milwaukee,

And whereas thousands of private employers now offer domestic partner health coverage, including employers doing business in Wisconsin, such as Alliant Energy, CUNA Mutual Insurance Group, Oscar Mayer, Ameritech, Northern States Power, American Express, General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler,

And whereas The University of Wisconsin does not currently offer equitable health insurance options for all of its employees,

And whereas The University of Wisconsin's ability to recruit and retain high-quality employees is demonstrated to be compromised by its lack of competitive health coverage,

Be it therefore resolved that the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Faculty Senate supports the extension of state health insurance coverage to domestic partners and any dependent children of the partners for all qualified University of Wisconsin System employees.

*Approved by the UW-Parkside Faculty Senate, February 15, 2005

PSF 11/04-5

 Resolution in Opposition to the
Proposed Constitutional Amendment
Regarding the Definition of Marriage*

Whereas the Wisconsin Legislature has approved a resolution to amend the state constitution as follows:

“Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state.”

And whereas we believe the proposed state constitutional amendment to be inappropriate,

And whereas the proposed amendment would mandate discrimination against persons in same-sex and heterosexual domestic partnerships by denying them access to a legal status providing equitable compensation,

And whereas the proposed amendment may make it impossible for the university to recognize and provide benefits for the domestic partners of faculty, staff, and students, thus severely affecting our ability to recruit and retain high-quality faculty, staff, and students to our campus and sister system campuses,

And whereas we wholly support and heartily endorse, both in spirit and substance, the UW-System’s Inclusivity Initiative, and firmly believe its tenets to be essential to the continued viability and competitiveness of our university and the UW System,

Resolved , we oppose this proposed constitutional amendment,

Further resolved , we similarly oppose all legislative efforts that would prevent domestic partners of UW employees from receiving full and equitable benefits from the UW System, and

Finally resolved , we most strongly affirm our deep and abiding commitment to a fully inclusive society that recognizes the equality and human dignity of all individuals regardless of race, color, sex, creed, age, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status.

*Approved by the UW-Parkside Faculty Senate, February 15, 2005