Faculty Senate
April 14, 2016 – 3:30 p.m.
Robert C. Voight Faculty Senate Chambers – 325 GMH
Vol. 50, No. 13
I. Roll Call.
A. Present: J. Anderson, B. Bennie, G. Cravins, T. Docan-Morgan, S. Foley, R. Fowler, A. Galbraith, T.
Gendreau, D. Hart, K. Hunt, H. Jones, S. Kelly, T. King-Heiden, J. Kirsch, K. Kortenkamp, A. Loh, J.
Longhurst, M. Moeller, J. Nunley, M. Rott, B. Seebach, T. Seddon
B. Excused: W. Maas, K. Terpstra
II. Approval of minutes.
A. Minutes from the 3-31-16 meeting were approved as distributed.
III. Reports (Note: not presented in order of discussion)
A. Chancellor (Joe Gow); Not present
B. iProvost (Betsy Morgan):
1. Changes in academic affairs: lines moved in academic advising to change 0.5 to 1.0 position for
certification advising in SOE; undeclared advising ratios remain within recommendations from
NACOD
a) General discussion of continued disparities in academic advising loads across departments/units
2. 1st year registration START program will have Stryker visits!
C. CFO (Bob Hetzel)
1. Recognized Deans and Chairs for efforts to finalize budget reductions under Dr. Morgan’s
leadership
a) Able to maintain ~85% faculty: 15% IAS
b) Hope to rebuild enrollment as move forward
2. Building updates
a) Cowley: bids for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing for 1st week in May; general contractors
2nd week in May; groundbreaking planned for August
b) Fieldhouse: architecture in May
c) Wittich: design process end of April
3. Tuition task force
a) At conceptual stage for defining appropriate charges to include within tuition
b) Milner and Cross (and BOR) pushing to ensure that “tuition remains affordable” and that “UW
System is meeting public needs”. Also wanting consistency with respect to pricing across UW
campuses
4. Impacts Budget Cuts across UW campuses
a) Recent reports in La Crosse Tribune were somewhat inaccurate. These reported cuts were not
new cuts, but rather reflect campus differences in allocating cuts across the two years.
b) UWL took cuts in first year, while other UW campuses took cuts across two years of biennium
c) Since UW Chancellors were unable to present effects of recent cuts at respective institutions,
we discussed ways we could effectively communicate struggles to the community
(1) How do we balance notifying public with need to recruit students?
(2) How can we get business leaders to advocate for us in Madison and lobby for increased
funding to UW System?
D. Faculty Representative (Georges Cravins)
1. Next meeting with Ray Cross: May 6th
2. Update UW Madison tenure/layoff policy: education committee re-wrote to align exactly with state
statutes and BOR policy with no deviations; did not allow Madison FS to address changes they
made before voted to approve.
a) Hoping to get more information from system legal as to how to add guarantees for
faculty/academic freedom.
b) Hoping all remaining 2- and 4-year campuses will submit campus policy to BOR at same time
E. Student Senate Liaison (Lauren Mason)
1. Approved segregated fee rate increase to fund student union and fieldhouse; $8 increase per student
2. With JMAC, resolution to increase the amount students can owe from $100 to $350 and still register
3. Passed resolution to recognize that UWL is on indigenous Ho Chunk land at beginning of ticketed
sporting and academic events, academic panels etc.
F. Faculty Senate Chair (Brad Seebach)
1. Next meeting will be preceded by retirement reception for Sibbie Weathers at 2:30 p.m.
2. More remembrances of Dr. Wimberley’s strong impact on UWL Faculty Senate
3. Announce new FS: Mike Abler, Eric Barnes, Bianca Hasten, Jennifer Kosiak, Bradley Nichols,
John Nunley, Casey Tobin, and Julie Weiskopf
4. Please consider volunteering for positions on SEC; hoping for better diversity in representation
5. Thanks to Natalie Solverson for leading HLC; campus participation was excellent
IV. Anti-Bullying Task Force Recommendations (Julia Johnson and Nizam Arain)
A. Overview of task force (from 2 years ago); all other governance groups have approved
1. Need: there are approximately 10 instances brought to HR per semester; reports that process not
clear, needed clarification of what constitutes bullying, and need for informal process
2. Looking to develop process that would allow lower misunderstanding to be addressed through
dialogue with appropriate representation across faculty groups
3. Last revisions: followed instructions from Provost Macpherson
B. Discussion related to faculty concerns:
1. Concern expressed that taking notes during an informal process makes process too formal
2. Some descriptions need clarification
a) Replace word “offensive” to “abusive”
b) Clarify that off-campus conduct would need to impact employment/career
c) Attempt to capture behavior that is deliberately undermining or belittling
d) Adjust wording such that it is preferable to attempt to resolve complaint informally if possible
3. Concern raised that it was not clear how this policy fits into other policies
C. Request for friendly amendments to address concerns, mediated by SEC
V. SOE Affiliated By-Law Sections for Departmental By-law Templates – 1st reading
A. Summary: This is a template, with some suggested verbiage that is up to departments to finalize; current
draft policy has been vetted through department chairs and SOE faculty; hoping to have approved and
adopted prior to next promotion cycle
B. Intent: to add to bylaws of every department with SOE faculty
C. Concerns/Discussion:
1. Is DPI playing too large role in dictating research of SOE faculty? This policy makes it clear that
SOE faculty need to put their research into context of informing work as a teach educator
2. Policy reflects needs of UWL Faculty within what DPI needs
VI. IT reports, ATC recommendations
A. Email: moving to Office 365
1. Email and calendar priority
a) Summer students; August faculty
b) System decision: so all UW System institutions same system/platform
2. Will get to keep Google docs and sites for near future
B. D2L: may move to Canvas
1. Madison moving this upcoming academic year
2. Pilot Canvas at UWL this next academic year
3. IT is working to make transition as easy as possible
VII.
Islamophobia Statement
A. Brought forward from an interfaith group, and intended to be disseminated on Chancellor’s webpage
and via email
The negative rhetoric and increasing discrimination against Muslims across the United States
compels our campus community to reaffirm one of our core values, that of recognizing and
embracing “the strength that resides in our human diversity, both culturally and
intellectually.” We are committed to the inclusion and acceptance of people of all religious
beliefs. We reject hostility and hateful rhetoric directed at Muslims, and we oppose religious
bigotry and racism in all its forms.
As a campus, our mission is to serve the community “by providing a welcoming environment
that facilitates learning opportunities, embraces diversity, and enriches the campus
experience.” As faculty, staff, and students, we are dedicated to creating a welcoming
environment for Muslims in and beyond our community. We value the contributions made
every day by Muslim faculty, staff, and students at UWL. By cultivating friendships with
Muslims and challenging Islamophobia, we renew our commitment to being a community that
respects and celebrates different beliefs in our pursuit of knowledge and peace in the 21st
century.
B. Motion to adopt M/S/P
VIII.
Old business
IX. New business
X. Adjournment at 6:00 p.mm
Submitted by T. King-Heiden