Commission on the Status of Women
Agenda
Thursday, February 21; 2:00 – 3:00pm
Used again for the February 5 meeting
Ho-Chunk Room (320E), Davies Student Center
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.
ATTENDANCE:
PAST MINUTES
FUTURE MEETINGS:
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Tuesday, March 5; 1-2pm
Thursday, March 28; 2-3pm (Climate Summit?)
Tuesday, April 9; 1-2pm
Thursday, April 25; 2-3pm (With Chancellor?)
Tuesday, May 7; 1-2pm
Centennial (320), Davies
Ho-Chunk (320E), Davies
Ho-Chunk (320E), Davies
Ho-Chunk (320E), Davies
Ho-Chunk (320E), Davies
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
NEW BUSINESS:
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New Agenda Item for February 5, from Theresa Kemp: The members of the faculty/student collaboration
group working on researching and developing an inclusive/non-sexist language policy for the campus would like
to meet with the CSW. Can we be added to the agenda for 2/5. Visitors to this meeting from our group may
include Dr. Erica Benson (English), undergraduate students Casey Coughlin, Quinn Forss, and graduate student
Laura Becherer. We would like to summarize/report to the members what we’ve done on the project since it
was initially inspired last year, ask them some questions as major stakeholders, and confirm their okay with us
sending out the survey under the auspices of the CSW. I’m also attaching a copy of the survey we will be
Qualtrics Survey
Final Version.pdf
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sending out soon after we meet with the CSW.
New Agenda Item for January 31, from Laura Chellman: Outsourcing of Student Health Services
Robin asked if we could take up the comparable worth issue. Can we pick up where it was left off and do an
update? Per Robin’s email back in the 80’s there was a lot of activity System-wide. After 25+ years, a reportcard update might be helpful and enlightening.
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Woman of Color honoree nomination needed by UW-Systems by March 1st.
Discuss next semesters schedule, listening session, meeting with the Chancellor.
o For our listening session this year we discussed doing a “Joint Climate Summit” which would provide an
opportunity to discuss in greater detail Melissa’s analysis of the 2009/10 climate survey. The summit
will be end of February. Melissa will do a 20 minute power point presentation. Does March 28 work?
o Does April 25 work for meeting with the Chancellor?
CONTINUING BUSINESS:
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Encourage Faculty across Disciplines to Consider and Highlight the Role of Women in the Discipline:
o Look into CETL/ORSP workshops
o Start with a capstone class
o Piggyback issues of gender with collection of resources document
 Robin suggested CSW start working on doing something special for the Centennial in 2016. CSW
members were asked to bring their ideas to meetings for consideration. So far the following ideas
have been suggested:
o Sarah Harder & Sue Lemke were instrumental in bringing women’s issues to the forefront. Look
into telling their story in some type of way. Judy will check with Archives to see if they still have
the vision document, posters and interviews that were done approximately 10 years ago.
o A quilt telling a story of where we have been and where we are going
o Melissa will send CSW a time log she did when Gloria Steinem was last on campus. We
discussed adding to the timeline.
o Discuss adding a special link to the CSW website with historical-related data, documents,
pictures, stories and time logs.
o Women of (______) building. Mitra is currently working on HSS.
o Discussed the possibility of doing a capstone project. Looking for someone to head this up.
 It was recommended that CSW work with Foundation regarding donors designating contributions
directly to CSW. Robin provided the following guidance:
o If donor has a particular interest they can direct their donation to CSW
o CSW should come up with specific projects we need money for then contact Foundation for a
possible contribution
o This organization has to be proactive with its ideas to attain monetary contributions
o CSW can add a “please donate to CSW” box on its website (see Foundation for guidance)
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Work/Life Balance – Employee Satisfaction:
o Further discussion of Melissa’s analysis of UW System’s work life/climate survey that was
conducted in 2009.
- Melissa handed out another analysis (attached). Discussion included:
 There is a concern about work/life balance.
 No widespread satisfaction among positions.
 Within overall satisfaction of career progress, there aren’t any known gender
effects but there is a noticeable positional effect.
 There are disparities between men and women in the acquisition of equitable
teaching support.
 The climate survey shows that faculty is least likely than academic or classified
staff to feel like they have the equipment and supplies needed to adequately
perform their work.
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Less than 50% of classified staff feels that they are lacking support from decision
makers who support their career advancement.
o Wellness Committee Update from Vicki
- City of E.C. Chamber of Commerce Wellness Program:
 What can we do to adopt it at UWEC?
 Can there be health insurance premium benefits attached to it?
 Update from Vicki on well-being incentive program that covers the 7 dimensions
of wellness next semester along with three or four healthy living workshops.
o The question remains whether CSW wants to make a recommendation to the Chancellor
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Future meeting with the Chancellor:
o Develop a uniform family leave plan
o How can we change the culture => different chairs/directors level of family leave support
o City of E.C. Chamber of Commerce Wellness Program:
- What can we do to adopt it at UWEC?
- Can there be health insurance premium benefits attached to it?
o How can UWEC show it values its human resources:
- Free tickets to performance
- Free access to wellness-related activities & facilities
- More professional development opportunities
- Tuition benefits
- Pay equity (memo CSW sent to UPC)
- Question: What is Madison doing in this area?
o We will provide the Chancellor with a copy of Melissa’s analysis