49th Faculty Senate
October 2, 2014 – 3:30 PM
Robert C. Voight Faculty Senate Chambers – 325 Graff Main Hall
Vol. 49, No. 4
I.
Roll Call
a. Present: M. Allen, J. Anderson, C. Angell, K. Beyer, L. Caya, G. Cravins, M. Current, T.
Docan-Morgan, N. Eschenbaum, R. Fowler, T. Gendreau, P. Haried, K. Hunt, S. Kelly, T.
King-Heiden, J. Kirsch, W. Maas, R. McKelley, M. Rott, B. Seebach, J. Shanks, B.
Shrestha, K. Terpstra
b. Excused: D. Hart
II.
Minutes of September 18 approved
III.
Reports:
a. Chancellor (Joe Gow):
i. Budgetary discussion: Chancellor Gow noted that little is currently being said
about the next biennial budget due to the upcoming election. He provided a brief
description of the process/timeline for approving a state budget and reminded the
Senators of the importance of UW-System's $97 million budgetary request
(particularly in light of the recent tuition freeze).
ii. Capital projects: The size of the budget for capital projects is encouraging.
UW-L's goal is to make progress on a number of new projects while still working
with the State Legislature to limit borrowing. UW-L's strong enrollment and
award-winning faculty and staff are an asset to this process.
iii. Questions:
1. Increased enrollment relative to other UW-System schools: Chancellor
Gow was asked where UW-L ranks in terms of increased enrollment
compared to other System schools. He indicated that we were
somewhere in the middle of the list.
b. Provost (Heidi Macpherson):
i. Degrees in Physics: Provost Macpherson noted that UW-L is #2 nationwide for
the number of physics degrees awarded among bachelor's degree granting
programs (second to the US Naval Academy). She also reminded the FS about
Physics Nobel Laureate Adam Reiss's campus visit (10/2-10/3).
ii. UW-M and the Unizin Consortium: Provost Macpherson provided some
information about Unizin (a consortium of universities working toward
improving digital education infrastructure) and noted that UW-Madison had
joined this consortium. This may have an impact on the ways we use digital
education tools like D2L.
iii. Undergraduate Research & Discovery/Regent Scholar Grants: UW-L has
submitted a proposal to the Undergraduate Research & Discovery grant program.
If the proposal is funded, $50,000 will be awarded to support/sustain effective
undergraduate research activities. Proposals have also been submitted for Regent
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Scholar Grants. UW-L is permitted a total of three submissions, and there will be
five statewide awards made.
iv. YWCA Outstanding Women Awards: Four UW-L employees have been
recognized by the YWCA of the Coulee Region. They are Andrea Hansen
(WGSS) in the Activist category; Jennifer Kosiak (MTH) in the Trailblazer
category; Janie Morgan (Alumni Association Director) in the Volunteer category;
and Barbara Stewart (Assoc. Dean, Campus Climate) in the Social Justice
category.
v. Instructional Designers: UW-L will soon be advertising for two Instructional
Designers.
vi. Questions:
1. More information on Unizin: Provost Macpherson was asked for more
information about the Unizin consortium. She indicated that UW-L is in
the process of putting together an RFP for a course management system,
and Unizin may provide a competitive program for D2L. UW-L still has
two years left on its contract with D2L.
c. CFO (Bob Hetzel):
i. Pay Plan Update: It has been recommended that the originally planned 1% lump
sum payment (for faculty and staff whose salaries are less than 100% of CUPA)
should be turned into a 2% one-time, lump sum payment. This is due to more
money in the spend-down than originally anticipated.
d. Faculty Representative (Georges Cravins):
i. Report from the state Faculty Representatives Meeting:
1. 12-month pay option: Rep. Cravins expressed concern that this policy
has seemingly not moved forward. He will continue to follow up on it.
2. UWS 4 and UWS 7: UW-System administration is forming a committee
of regents, administrators, and faculty to review UWS 4 and UWS 7. The
committee's objective is to determine if current policy on sexual assault
is in line with recent federal requirements. Rep. Cravins will provide
updates as they become available.
3. Faculty Salaries: This continues to be a topic of discussion at Faculty
Representatives Meetings.
4. Tuition Freeze: The Representatives are hopeful that, after the election,
there may be a positive budget report.
5. Transfer Agreement: The state of the System-Wide Transfer Agreement
was discussed, both in terms of its effectiveness and whether or not the
agreement warrants further monitoring. This is a topic that FS will
continue to discuss.
ii. Questions:
1. 12-month pay option: Rep. Cravins was asked about the merits of a 12month pay option. He indicated that it is an option that has support from
a number of faculty, as determined by a campus survey. If it is enacted,
faculty should have the option of receiving pay in either 9- or 12-month
installments.
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e. Student Senate Liaison (Amy Keel):
i. Report from Student Senate: Rep. Keel informed the FS that there will be a
student referendum on the use of student fees to support the construction of a
new fieldhouse. The Student Senate wants to have an informational campaign for
this referendum, and would like faculty and staff to be receptive to
communicative efforts.
f.
Faculty Senate Chair (Bradley Seebach):
i. Anti-bullying policy: Assoc. Dean Julia Johnson will discuss this policy at the
next FS meeting (10/16/14).
ii. Timing of pay information for 9-month faculty and staff: Chair Seebach
indicated that this topic would be discussed as new business if time permitted.
IV.
Nominations to S/S Committee for the Dean of the College of Business Administration: T. J.
Brooks, James Murray, Shauna Sallmen, Shane Van Dalsem, Ken Winter; M/S/P.
V.
Nominations to S/S Committee for the Dean of the College of Liberal Studies: Joe Anderson,
Jo Arney, Susan Crutchfield, Anne Galbraith, Tim McAndrews; M/S/P, 1 abstention.
VI.
Discussion on the Student Fieldhouse Concept (Vice Chanc. Admin. & Finance Bob Hetzel):
a. Timeline of project planning: CFO Hetzel provided the FS with a timeline describing the
process that led to the current state of the proposed fieldhouse project. It began in 2010
with discussions of the Wittich Hall renovation and displacement of the UW-L
gymnastics team practice space.
b. Proposed building usage: If the fieldhouse project is approved, it will house ESS classes
in the mornings, community programs in the afternoons, and will be available for student
use in the evenings.
c. Proposed effects on student fees: This project would increase student fees by $132.
d. Questions:
i. Student Fees: Concerns were raised in terms of the amount of fees being assessed
on students. CFO Hetzel acknowledged this concern, but indicated that UW-L's
room and board rates are lower than at other UW-System schools and that dining
and parking fees are decreasing, which could mitigate some of these additional
fees. He also noted that the project still needs to go to the students for their
consideration. If the students do not pass the referendum, the project will not
continue. Subsequent discussion of this topic included the observation that not all
students would be affected equally by this increase in fees, and it could be
particularly challenging for low-income students to manage. The administration
is looking into ways to increase the recruitment of Pell-elligible students.
ii. Priority: CFO Hetzel was asked where this project was on the capital projects
priority list. He reminded the FS of the project planning timeline and noted that
90-95% of the student body participates in recreational activities.
iii. Planning Cycle: CFO Hetzel was asked about how this project would affect other
capital projects that are supported by shared governance and asked to clarify the
process for moving a project into the priority list. He noted that the fieldhouse
project had been discussed by JPB, and they had voted to support it. He also
indicated that in the summer of 2015 he would be putting the same effort into
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expanding/renovating Fine Arts facilities that he did with the fieldhouse project
this summer.
VII. Actions regarding International Education Committee function:
a. The current pay plan for J-Term and Summer compensation would result in no
compensation for a number of study abroad instructors. SEC asked the FS to allow IEC to
approve budgets for J-Term and Summer 2015 faculty/staff-led study abroad programs
that implement a $1200/credit compensation plan. (note: policy implementation is
ultimately under administrative control through Academic Affairs)
i. Approval for IEC to use the $1200/credit compensation plan as a temporary
measure (with the goal of replacing it for courses taught in J-Term 2016 and
beyond); M/S/P
b. SEC proposed charging IEC with considering useful guidelines for study abroad program
budget development (for 2016 and beyond). They should work with the Faculty Senate
office to document proposals, budgets, and follow-up reviews.
i. Send charges to IEC to consider guidelines for future study abroad program
budget development; M/S/P
c. SEC proposed charging PTS with updating the Summer Remuneration plan for
Undergraduate Courses (now expired). They will also be asked to work with the IEC to
consider alternatives to current plans.
i. Send charges to PTS to update the Summer Remuneration Plan and to work
with the IEC to find alternatives that may better serve the compensation for
J-Term and other Study Abroad faculty and staff; M/S/P
VIII. Old Business:
IX.
New Business:
a. Report on the HLC Accreditation Process (Natalie Solverson): Due to the length of the
meeting, this report was postponed until 10/16/14.
X.
Adjournment at 5:25 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Janet Kirsch
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