Commission on the Status of Women
MINUTES
Friday, May 4 9:00 - 10:30am
Room: Wisconsin Room, Davies
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is charged with making recommendations to the Chancellor
regarding issues, policies, and initiatives affecting women, as well as seeking input from and providing
information to those individuals, departments, units, and organizations interested in the status of women.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Abbey Vercauteren, Chris Jorgenson, Judy Gatlin, Teresa O’Halloran, Pat Karlen
APPROVAL OF PAST MINUTES:
April 20, 2012 (deferred due to low attendance)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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MEMBERSHIP: All current members are asked to forward their 2012-13 membership recommendations to
Teresa as soon as possible. We especially need help with student membership.
MEETING TIMES: It was decided to go back to meeting more often and only for one hour. We hope it translates
into being able to find meeting days/times that work for more members. It was recommended that we invite
the Interim Chancellor to our 2nd meeting in the fall.
CHANCELLORS SEARCH & SCREEN COMMITTEE: For the 1st time, classified staff will be allowed to be one the
search and screen committee. Nominations are due May 7!
NEW BUSINESS:
 Do we have funds to give Becky Drout a gift card as a thank you for facilitating our Listening Session?
Teresa asked Pat to work with Caitlin on this. A thank you card with a gift card will be given to Becky.
 Re-organizing the College of Arts and Sciences: CSW’s concern about wage differentials by discipline
groups. Teresa reported that an advisory committee will be put together to look into it and that that
the Academic Policies Handbook defines the process. CSW would like to continue this discussion next
year
 It was recommended that next year CSW work with Foundation on how donors can designate
contributions directly to CSW.
CONTINUING BUSINESS:
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Re-cap of Listening Session:
o Becky Drout did a great job facilitating
o Too many people were up front. Change the seating arrangement to tables with chairs
throughout the room. This will mix the “panelists” amongst the attendees and will provide
table space for writing concerns on index cards as well space for drink/food.
o Offering food was a plus
o Work on getting more students to the listening session:
 Find faculty who might be willing to make attendance a class assignment
 Meet with student senators
 Having more student representation on CSW should help as well
o Hand index cards out prior to food/drink table asking attendees to list any concerns/issues
they would like to be part of the discussion
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Re-cap of meeting with the Chancellor: discussion took place on the following issues
o Re-cap of CSW’s LTE recommendation—a success story
o An update on the LGBTQ Resource Center
o Process for requesting an exception to carry concealed
o New Personnel System
o CSWs concerns with additional pay disparity that could result from the proposed reorganization of the College of Arts & Sciences
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Women’s and LGBTQ Resource Center: The new proposal is fully approved, a contract will be issued
soon.
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Encourage Faculty Across Disciplines to Consider and Highlight the Role of Women in the Discipline:
CSW would like to continue this discussion next year
o Make it obvious who our women’s studies affiliates are—link to CSW website
o Look into CETL/ORSP workshops
o Start with a capstone class
o Have a student go through all UWEC websites—looking for gender neutrality
o Add to CSW a link where people can report non-gender neutrality website issues
o Piggyback issues of gender with collection of resources document
o Teresa suggested we invite Aaronette on March 29 to give a presentation on this issues. She is
a speaker from UC Santa Cruz
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Work/Life Balance – Employee Satisfaction: CSW would like to continue this discussion next year.
Teresa will forward an employee environment document asking for comments.
o Wellness Committee
o Tuition benefits—Syracuse and Vermont
o Children’s Center Committee--update from Traci Thomas-Card
o The question remains whether CSW wants to make a recommendation to the Chancellor
o Work/Life Research—update from Teresa, Kristina, Melissa, Vicki
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EDI: CSW would like to continue this discussion next year. Teresa reported that the committee will
continue to meet this summer to discuss how to tie the Inclusive Excellence plan with the Stragetic
Plan and will develop the action plan/priorities.
o Teresa shared that the Chancellor’s Diversity Advisory Committee has drafted an Inclusive
Excellence plan for the campus. It will be reviewed by the Dismantling Racism group Friday
March 9 and shared w/the Faculty Senate Tuesday, March 13. CSW will be able to review it in
the near future.
o History/Background: UW System use to require a 10 year diversity plan from every campus;
although these 10 year plans no longer required, System did request an ongoing plan. For
UWEC, this includes the Equity Scorecard system, which provides guidance for the plan’s
measures; an introduction and 4 pages outlining 4 goals and examples for how to reach each
goal. This plan mimics the framework of the University’s Strategic Plan. In addition there will be
annual action steps to be accomplished.