April 18, 2010 SAB Meeting Minutes
Meeting start time 4:06pm
Special Guest Today: Interim President Phyllis Wise
Dr. Wise Speaks:
Spent half her time this year working to let the legislature know how important higher
education is.
State money is relevant to what the university can do for faculty, staff, and students.
Setting up a listening tour to find out what is important to future donors to the University.
Working with students to find out what the university can be doing differently.
April 24th, 2011 legislature is supposed to be done with the budget. The legislative break
is going to make it difficult for the university and students to plan for the impending
budget adjustments of the state.
13% proposed cuts from the house, 16% proposed cuts from the senate.(not going to
have funds to give back for students needing aid)
No salary increases this year. Makes way for money to be used for student positions.
If the UW gets tuition setting authority the UW will be able to set the tuition rates. We
UW are at 40% less than other universities in our categories (Global Challenge
Institutions).
Tuition will very likely increase this year, and the next.
The state has a 6 billion dollar deficit. This is the problem and why we are experiencing
the cuts.
Final budget is not final. The Evans School and the I-School consolidation talks are still
going on.
The UW is not trying to be at the top of the Global Challenge Institution tuition pricing.
Diversity is a core value of the UW. In light of the budget cuts it is important to reach out
to students who are not from diverse communities. Minority leaders have to talk about it
(diversity) all the time. You can’t let up, you can’t stay steady otherwise you slide
backward.
The challenge is that we have to decide if our “protective space” is to remain isolated
from the general UW campus. Others feel the same about their protected space, that
this is our space and that others may not be welcomed there.
Lines of distinctions are being drawn within the UW community. The key to overcoming
this is to not take it personally but to continue to communicate with other groups.
Student speaks:
ASUW does not represent the value of diversity at the UW. There is a sense of us vs
them. There is frustration about the ASUW budget cuts. There is physical separation,
and the use of diversity as a token word. The Daily is another example of the lack of
diversity on the UW campus. What can be done to address the divide?
April 18, 2010 SAB Meeting Minutes
Meeting start time 4:06pm
Once the information about the diversity requirement is ready for final presentment the
president may decide to endorse the requirement. There is more power at the table
than in not being there.
Administration can advocate for the requirement, but the faculty has the ultimate say
over curriculum issues.
A core value means that we are going to work toward that value. SAB members would
like to work on establishing a presidential committee for minority students. There may
be meetings in the future on how to establish a committee with the presidents backing
to pull in students of color to the ASUW and other seats (positions of leadership) for
representing themselves and their communities. SAB members are looking to work with
Dr. Wise to make this take form.
How can we preserve the diversity at the UW with cuts impending that will impact the
students who bring diversity to our campus?
Admissions is blind to ethnicity, economics and this is our safeguard to keeping our UW
community diverse.
When experiencing a communication divide due to culture, race ethnicity… students are
advised:
Talk to the boss of the of the advisor. They should be able to direct you to the channels
to go through to report the issues. Ombudsman can help.
Stay optimistic about diversity, and continue to teach.
prez@uw.edu.
Interim President Wise cannot commit beyond her tenure.
Community Concerns
ECC Naming- There is a resolution from going around to sign.
Concern about freshman involvement:
What can we do to get the Freshman involved? Mentoring, more outreach, welcome
days booth, develop a program that captures students with a scholarship that develops
leadership skills so they are ready for positions later on, for freshman, confidence may
be an issue (can I do this?) may need reassurance, ASUW 101 needs to be advertised
positively.
What can we do to support President Wise?
Perhaps we can write letters etc...But she needs to know that we support her so in turn
she can support us as diverse students.
Running for ASUW positions, SAB should send a letter to ASUW to address diversity
and the lack of importance.
SAO evaluation form needs SAB input. Can we set up a meeting to discuss this? How
can we make systemic changes? Fall of 2011 is the proposed time for implementing the
evaluation forms.
Vote in the ASUW to make a real difference.
We need students of color in strategic positions. SAF etc..
Meeting adjourned 5:32pm