Minutes
FACULTY SENATE MEETING
March 10, 2015
Cedar/Maplewood Rooms, STUC
2:30 – 4:30 P.M.
CHAIR: Petre Ghenciu
VICE CHAIR: Ana Vande Linde
SECRETARY: Kevin Drzakowski
PRESENT: Amanda Barnett, Lopa Basu, Amanda Brown, Kathleen Deery, David Ding, Kevin Drzakowski, Barb
Flom, Petre (Nelu) Ghenciu, Jen Grant, Gene Gutman, Ted Harris, Glenda Jones, Anne Kerber, Jeanette Kersten, Adam
Kramschuster, Matthew Kuchta, Virginia Lea, Eun Joo Lee, Liz Levaro, Kate Maury, Colleen Murphy, Brian Oenga,
Christine Peterson, Forrest Schultz, Kevin W. Tharp, Loretta Thielman, Ana Vande Linde, Cameron Weaver, Dean
Wirtanen, and Keith Wojciechowski
ABSENT: Marlann Patterson (excused), Esuvat Mollel, Jeffrey Sweat, and Steven Terry
GUESTS: Jackie Weissenburger, Phil Lyons, Doug Mell, Libby Smith, Devin Berg, Renee Chandler, Jo Hopp, Abel
Adekola, Meridith Drzakowski, and Amy Luethmers
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Call to Order (Chair, Nelu Ghenciu) Meeting was called to order at 2:31 p.m.
Roll Call – Sign Attendance Sheet
Minutes of February 3 and February 10, 2015 (Attachment 1 & 2)
Motion to approve: February 3, 2015 Minutes (Basu/Thielman) moved to approve. Vote.
Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to approve: February 10, 2015 Minutes (Peterson/Harris) moved to approve. Vote.
One abstention. Motion passed.
Administration Reports
1. Chancellor’s Report. The Chancellor is on vacation.
2. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs’ Report.
 The proposed legal change removing tenure and shared governance from Chapter 36 does
not expressly give this authority to the Board of Regents. The Regents passed a
resolution expressing that this authority expressly be given to the Regents.
 Another resolution from the Board of Regents opposes the cut to the UW System. The
Regents are supportive of additional flexibilities but do not believe a public authority is
the only way to achieve this, and the resolution expresses this.
 The Mechanical Engineering should be on the Regents’ agenda in April; the Digital
Marketing program should be on the June agenda.
 Feedback on the budget is being reviewed in order to develop recommendations and pass
those on to the Chancellor.
 If the governor’s proposal passes as-is and the cuts are distributed proportionally across
the system, we could face a 12% cut to GPR funding.
 The Provost addressed rumors about incentives for retirement, noting that no specific
decisions have been made about retirement incentives.
 Departments are currently making decisions about scheduling for the fall semester. The
Provost said that departments should continue with their efforts but plan as best as
possible for changes based on the cuts.
 Some other institutions have announced cuts to specific departments and programs. The
Provost was asked if she has thought about specific areas that might see cuts. The
Provost answered that everything remains on the table and that she is waiting to get
recommendations from the budget review committee.
 Stout’s freshman enrollment for next year is up; this will bring increased revenue, but it
will also bring increased costs.
 Efforts are ongoing in “academic benchmarking,” exploring whether support
staff/administration is high or low in specific academic programs and departments.
Education Advisory Board is developing a national database to keep track of these factors
for benchmarking purposes. System told Stout’s administration that if we participate in
this pilot study, we will receive support to do so, with System paying for one third of the
membership. Stout’s Administration agreed to take part. This agreement was made
before the budget cuts were proposed. It is a three-year project.
 Will this pilot study look at just the academic departments or the whole institution? This
study will only focus on academic departments. Stout is doing its own study regarding
administration and support areas.
 UW System sent an email indicating that there will be no changes to the sick leave
conversion under the governor’s proposal.
 How do we explain building projects and landscaping with these budget cuts? Our
landscaping budget will be cut dramatically based on the budget cuts. Building projects
are paid for with state funding or student fees.
 There is a budget forum in Rice Lake on Monday, March 23rd. If anybody plans to
attend, ensure no classes are cancelled, and a personal day is used.
V. Announcements
 Chair Ghenciu encouraged all to attend the Chancellor’s Inauguration. There is a website
where faculty can register to march in the processional. Also, Doug Mell noted all
expenses will be paid through the University Foundation office.
 Reminder – All faculty should have their updated CVs onto department websites.
Senators should communicate this to their departments.
VII. New Business
1. EAC’s Update to UW-Stout Credit Hour Definition – Devin Berg
Motion to approve: (Kuchta/Vande Linde)
 The proposed change defines a credit hour as 750 minutes of instructor contact.
 The credit hour definition was also requested by the Higher Learning Commission.
 This includes all compressed courses and undergraduate and graduate level.
Vote. One abstention. Motion approved.
2. Response to PPC Charge of Selecting Faculty for Administrative Level Search Committees
– Tim Shiell for Marlann Patterson
Motion to approve: (Barnett/Kersten)
 The proposal aligns selections to high-level administrative search committees with our
procedures for standing committee elections.
Vote. Motion approved unanimously.
3. Response to PPC Charge of Promotion FAQ’s – Tim Shiell for Marlann Patterson
Motion to approve: (Vande Linde/Basu)
 Each year, PPC adds a few more questions to the FAQ sheet. The new questions and
answers mainly address the synchronization of promotion and tenure.
Vote. Motion approved unanimously.
4. Response to PPC Charge of Revising Due Dates for Submission of the Performance
Objectives – Tim Shiell for Marlann Patterson
Motion to approve: (Barnett/Vande Linde)
 This proposed change allows for more time for faculty to consider their performance
objectives based on student evaluations.
Vote. Motion approved unanimously.
5. 2014-15 Faculty/Academic Staff Salary Study & Report Appendices –Meridith Drzakowski
 Our study compares faculty to benchmarks both within the university (i.e. equity) and to
peer groups outside the university (i.e. market).
 Findings indicate no statistically significant difference based on gender within faculty,
but there is such a difference when all instructional staff (i.e. faculty and instructional
academic staff) are examined. No statistically significant differences exist based on race.
 Findings show evidence of salary compression among the faculty ranks.
 Faculty salaries as a percentage of market (CUPA) have decreased considerably since
1995-96. Faculty salaries are very similar to the UW System comprehensive average,
ranging from 97% to 98%.
6. Salary Equity Study-CUPA Code Comparison – Meridith Drzakowski
 There are some concerns that CUPA codes do not adequately reflect the true duties of
some non-teaching staff, because the CUPA codes are too broad. For teaching staff, it is
typically easier to identify the appropriate CUPA match. A study is proposed to identify
appropriate market comparison data for all professional academic staff and limited
appointments. It is also proposed that the study provide recommendations on appropriate
CUPA comparison groups for each employment category. It is proposed that an
organization called MRA be hired to perform this study and the cost estimate is $15,000.
7. Policy & Resolution of Advertising, Sponsorship & Promotion of Alcohol & Tobacco
Products, #14-74
Move to approve: (Vande Linde/Basu).
Vote. Motion carried unanimously.
8. Program Directors Recommendations to the Charge from the Chancellor – Libby
Smith/Renee Chandler
 A committee was charged approximately a year ago to provide updated job descriptions
for PDs and find ways to incentivize PD performance.
 The committee focused on recognizing the leadership contributions of PDs and ensuring
that PD work is considered in promotion and tenure decisions.
 The taskforce is currently soliciting input for the final proposal.
 They developed a new evaluation tool for PDs and are hoping to include the
responsibilities as part of the promotion and tenure application process.
9. Policy Resolution: Identity and Publication Standard – Amy Luethmers
Move to approve: (Thielman/Deery)
 The updated policy focuses on consistency between the policy and the guide.
 Three faculty members are added to the Brand Identity Committee.
 Anything resulting in more than twenty-five copies is considered a publication, with
some exceptions made for classroom materials.
Vote. Motion approved unanimously.
10. Planning and Review Committee – B.S. Retail Property Management, Self-Study,
Consultant Report and Dean’s Response – Loretta Thielman
Move to approve: (Basu/Brown)
Vote. Motion approved unanimously.
11. Faculty Athletic Representative Appointments - Jo Hopp
Move to approve: (Barnett/Weaver)
 Jo Hopp and Brian Finder are the Faculty Athletic Representatives appointed by
Chancellor Myer.
 Due to time constraints, Jo Hopp will attend a future Faculty Senate meeting.
Vote. Motion approved unanimously.
VIII. Information Items
1. UW System Sexual Violence & Harassment Task Force – Abel Adekola
IX.
 A task force was developed by UW System to work on recommendations to be submitted
to the System on this policy.
 Some training may be required as part of this policy, should it be adopted.
2. FS Resolution in Response to the 2015-17 Budget Proposal
3. Diversity Leadership Team – Action Items
 This is tabled until the next Faculty Senate Meeting.
4. Andrew G. Schneider Professorship
 Chair Ghenciu encouraged all faculty members to apply or urge others to apply.
 This professorship is new with an award of $11,000 over a two-year period.
5. Sabbatical Guidelines
 Depending on how the budget cuts are applied, we may have to alter how many
sabbaticals we recommend.
 Sabbaticals are not being eliminated.
6. Shared Governance & Tenure Continuation Resolution-Resolution I.6.A
7. Budget Resolution-Resolution I.6.B
8. Faculty Senate Dashboard
9. Other.
 Chair Ghenciu reported on the proceedings of the meeting of the UW System’s faculty
senate chairs. There may be task forces developed to look into promotion and shared
governance. Senators interested in serving on task forces should contact Chair Ghenciu.
 Chair Ghenciu encouraged all senators to attend the Chancellor’s Inauguration if
possible.
 Faculty have requested the salutation/title option be added within the application for
promotion/tenure. Chair Ghenciu will ask PPC to work on this.
 Committee election ballots have been sent. Many committees on campus are very
important. Consider “writing in” for committees. FS may look into the possibility of
consolidating committees.
 The Furlong Gallery is showcasing ceramics and Kate Maury’s Sabbatical Show.
Adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 4:26 p.m.