UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE

UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING

VOL. 41, NO. 8

February 8, 2005

Members Present:

Joey Bohl, Marcia Bollinger, Don Bredle, Jack Bushnell, Gary Don, Michael Dorsher, Dan Drumm, Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, Jeff Erger, Gloria Fennell, Leslie Foster, Mitchell Freymiller, Alan Gallaher, Andrea Gapko, Susan Harrison, Ann Hoffman, Robert Hollon, Robert Hooper, Rose Jadack, Jennifer Johs-Artisensi, Harry Jol, Thomas Kemp, Kate Lang, Gene Leisz, Bruce Lo, David Lonzarich, Barbara Lozar, Steven Majstorovic, Rebecca Matter, Sean McAleer, Susan Mc Intyre, Cheryl Muller, Bobby Pitts, Donna Raleigh, Scott Robertson, Connie Russell, Kristen Sandager, Ronald Satz, Nola Schmitt, Roger Selin, Earl Shoemaker, Alex Smith, Carter Smith, Larry Solberg, Linda Spaeth, Todd Stephens, Daniel Stevenson, Paula Stuettgen, Kent Syverson, Lois Taft, Sharon Westphal, Scott Whitfield, Michael Wick, Jean Wilcox, Steve Zantow

Members Absent:

Robin Baker, Judy Blackstone, Paul Butrymowicz, Jesse Dixon, Margaret Dwyer, Robert Erffmeyer, Larry Honl, Sallie Kernan, Jennifer Lee, Karl Markgraf, Donald Mash, Sue Moore, Tarique Niazi, Jill Prushiek, Lorraine Smith, Laurie St. Aubin-Whelihan, Troy Terhark, Karen Welch, Rebecca Wurzer

Guests:

Jacqueline Bonneville, Donald Christian, Patricia Christopherson, Bernard Duyfhuizen, Katherine Rhoades, Andrew Soll, Ed Young

The regular meeting of University Senate was called to order by Chair Harrison at 3:02 p.m. on Tuesday, February, 8, 2005 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center.

I. Without objection, minutes of December 7, 2004 meeting of University Senate approved as distributed

II. Provost’s Remarks

· Chancellor on way to Madison – invited by governor to attend budget presentation this evening

· Requested I bring to your attention February 4, 2005 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education

· Full-page ad inside front cover features our Rhodes Scholar – ad paid for by donation to Foundation

· Tremendous amount of visibility for university and kind of special place UW-Eau Claire is

· Will help in terms of recognition and recruiting of both faculty and students

· Governor’s budget address tonight - tomorrow, deans and I start talking about budget

· United Council scheduling series of press conferences across state with Student Senates to address issues raised in budget proposal tonight

· Stephanie Jamelske hired as new Academic Affairs Budget Officer

· Currently working in Continuing Education – think she will do great job for us

· Will be three items coming before Board of Regents at meeting this week

· Chancellor’s new position of Executive Senior Vice President at System

· Designation of Vicki Lord Larson as Interim Chancellor of UW-Eau Claire

· Beginning of search process for new chancellor for UW-Eau Claire

· Response to question from floor

· Chancellor will be on campus until Vicki Lord Larson arrives first week of March

· Will also be available to provide transitional assistance as necessary

III. Chair’s Report – Chair Harrison

· Introduction of new senators

· Gary Don – Music and Theatre Arts

· Thomas Kemp – Economics

· Sean McAleer – Philosophy and Religious Studies

· Note under items discussed with chair, concern expressed that decision to eliminate distribution of paper class schedule bulletins made without faculty consultation through shared governance process

· Governor to ask legislature to fund domestic partner benefits for University of Wisconsin employees

· Includes request for $500,000 in each of next two years

· Next Board of Regents meeting February 10 and 11, 2005 in Madison

IV. Academic Staff Representative’s Report – Senator Wilcox

· During January teleconference didn’t have much to talk about because although everyone talked about budget, no one knew what would be proposed

· So talked about timeline for budget – was strong feeling that pay plan would not come to conclusion until into next fiscal year, probably fall or later

V. Unfinished Business - None

VI. Reports of Committees

¨ Executive Committee – Chair Harrison

• Committee tentatively scheduled University Senate meeting for March 29, 2005 due to amount of business this spring and placement of spring break
• Continued working on constitutional language changes to reflect organizational changes at university
• Next meeting February 15, 2005

¨ Faculty Personnel Committee – Senator Wick

• Next meeting February 17, 2005 to discuss issues including

· Dismissal for Cause policies

· Review of Department Chair policies

· Absentee Voting policies

· Tenure Density language in handbook that needs to be revised

· Promotion language in handbook needing revision

· Other pending issues

¨ Academic Staff Personnel Committee – Senator Wilcox

• Next meeting February 10, 2005
• Will finish work on motion on Review of Performance of Academic Staff

¨ Academic Policies Committee – Senator Syverson

• Passed proposal clarifying role of University General Education Committee – will be coming forward
• Next meeting February 15, 2005 to consider dual degree program in geological engineering

¨ Physical Plant Planning Committee – Senator Bredle

· Next meeting February 14, 2005

· Update from Vice Chancellor Soll on governor’s biennial budget

· Proposal from Sean Hartnett for an outdoor educational classroom at end of Little Niagara Creek

¨ Budget Committee – Senator Smith

· No Report

¨ Compensation Committee – Senator Wick

· Next meeting February 10, 2005 to consider 2005-2006 Comprehensive Salary Plan

· Response to questions from floor

· Have preliminary draft for proposal in case regents’ recommended 3% base budget adjustment for market shortfall funded

· Document is merit-based market shortfall adjustment policy – not clear yet if will be supported by Compensation Committee

· Separate from pay plan since distribution policies will be different

· Will find out tonight whether even an issue

¨ Nominating Committee – Senator Whitfield

· No planned meeting

· Vacancy on University Senate Faculty Personnel Committee – please volunteer if interested in this position

¨ Technology Committee

· No Report

VII. Special Reports

UW-System Fringe Benefit Advisory Committee Report – Ed Young

· Met on January 26, 2005

· Pharmacy Benefits Manager representative present to talk about cost savings of Navitus

· Part of savings due to negotiations with pharmaceutical companies

· Also saved by changing kinds of formulary available and categorizing various pharmaceuticals to discourage use

· Asked for breakdown of how much of total savings due to each of above factors

· New income continuation insurance program discussed

· Current maximum monthly income continuation payment is $4,000

· Under new program, would be able to increase that to $7,500 depending on monthly income

· Would cost $10 per month

· Only makes difference to those with more than $64,000 in annual income

· Human Resources to send out information

· Reported on unclassified age analysis for various campuses

· For all campuses about 50% of faculty age 50 and older

· Means within five years, 50% of faculty able to legally retire

· For our campus, exactly 50% of faculty 50-plus years of age; academic staff figure is 43%

· Fringe Benefits Advisory Committee had passed resolution recommending President Reilly ask governor to include domestic partner health insurance in future university benefits package

· Expect governor’s budget to include funding for domestic partner health insurance for university employees; other state workers not covered

· Governor putting in budget because right thing to do and to make university system more competitive to attract most qualified people

· Response to questions

· Age analysis done by system linked to report on California system

· California governor pushing that state to move from defined-benefit plan to defined-contribution plan similar to 401(k) series

· As Wisconsin faces rising cost of pensions and medical care, will be pressure for benefits to be reduced – defined-contribution plan is popular proposal to save management money

· Wisconsin Retirement Fund not in crisis (as is currently being debated for Social Security)

· State plan invests current contributions and uses those investment funds to pay future benefits

· As more people move into retirement years and start drawing benefits, fund balance will fall; that is part of plan

· If state were to switch from defined-benefits to defined-contributions plan, would be many questions of ownership rights to pension system – would be lots of turmoil and many lawsuits

VIII. Miscellaneous Business

A. First Reading – Motion from Faculty Personnel Committee
Voting in Personnel Actions Report – Senator Wick

· Committee asked to clarify how voting should occur in Department Personnel Committees

· Handbook silent on matter so defaults to Robert’s Rules of Order

· Number of different models in practice on campus, some of which violate Wisconsin Statute

· To protect university and candidates, clarified how voting should occur, and how results should be recorded

Motion 41-FP-02

Moved and seconded by Faculty Personnel Committee (5-0) that the following be added to the Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook on page 5.10 immediately following the section titled “Procedures”:

Voting

All votes pertaining to a personnel action will be conducted by voice, by show of hands, by signed ballot, or by roll call. If any member of the voting body requests a roll call or signed ballot vote, then the vote must be conducted in that manner. In the case of signed ballot or roll call, the name and specific vote cast by each voting member must be recorded, preserved, and be available for public inspection.

In reporting the results of any personnel action requiring a vote, the vote count (votes for, votes against, votes abstaining) will be recorded on the appropriate official personnel form. That form will be provided to the individual under consideration in the personnel action at the same time that it is forwarded to the next appropriate administrative level (Chair, Dean, etc).

Debate

· Rationale for including abstentions is that they are asked for on form forwarded to administration

· By Robert’s Rules of Order, you do not ask for abstentions

· However, any policy in handbook supersedes Robert’s Rules

· Is no minimal number of votes needed for vote to be considered legitimate

· Since not written in handbook, would default to Robert’s Rules, which requires only majority of people voting

· If ten people present, seven abstain, two say yes, and one says no, item passes

· Giving candidates the number of votes is new feature, depending upon current practice in individual departments

· Number of votes becomes part of permanent record and, therefore, available to candidate if sought

· Committee thought it best to be up-front and just give candidate vote count (not reflective of people who voted which way)

· Made everyone on committee uncomfortable for documents given to candidate to differ, in any way, from those submitted on candidate’s behalf

· Voice votes can be reported numerically, but if any member on DPC asks for roll call vote, names of all members and how they voted need to be recorded; therefore, ultimately available to person under consideration

· Those are rules that govern us by state statute, nothing new committee invented

· Surprised at being allowed autonomy in departments to make critical mistakes about something contractually obligated to do

· Wondering if anyone ever thought about a less autonomous, but perhaps more efficient, plan with some sort of basically correct shell document for departments to plug in specifics

· Academic Affairs purchased published set of guidelines for higher education administration; Interim Associate Vice Chancellor Phillips looking into using variety of those templates

· Signed ballots would not have to be automatically shared with person being voted on, but would have to be recorded and held for public consumption; must be shown upon request

· Appropriate form that is forwarded only shows numbers

· Candidate can ask that meeting be open; in that case, anyone free to attend

· So candidate could be sitting there while roll call vote taken

· A single committee member, but not the candidate, can ask for roll call vote according to state statute

· Will have to research whether that pertains only to personnel actions, or all governing bodies

· Are forced by state statute to report roll call or ballot votes in record

· In roll call vote, secretary or chair calls off each individual name and records vote

· For ballots, votes must be signed and turned in; at that moment, no one could associate member with vote

· Either ballots or roll call record become part of permanent record, so end effect is the same

· Committee felt if there is something candidates have right to see, you should just show it to them to have open communication process and avoid confusion

· Second paragraph says vote count is reported on appropriate form, not individual vote of roll call or signed ballot

· Appropriate form is reappointment, tenure, or promotion form that goes forward

· Still would have to be requests to see actual signed ballots, or roll call vote if person not present at meeting

Without objection, vote on motion postponed until next meeting – will bring back clarification of roll call.

B. First Reading – Motion from Faculty Personnel Committee

FPC Function Report – Senator Wick

· Committee asked by Handbook Review Committee to make FPC function language parallel to that of Academic Staff Personnel Committee

· Two committees agreed to modify language to be consistent

· Language just makes clear that FPC is primary, but not only, agent to make recommendations on faculty personnel rules

Motion 41-FP-03

Moved and seconded by the Faculty Personnel Committee (5-0) that the following changes to the Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook, page 3.14, Faculty Personnel Committee functions, be made:

b. Functions: The Faculty Personnel Committee shall consider and recommend policies affecting the faculty in regard to status, salary, tenure, promotion, and working conditions. It shall also consider and recommend the practices and procedures for implementing those policies and serve as the primary agent for recommending revisions and amendments of the UW – Eau Claire Faculty Personnel Rules.

Debate

· Since motion amends University Senate Constitution, all senators vote

Without objection, vote on motion postponed until next meeting.

C. First Reading – Motion from Faculty Personnel Committee

Initial Contract Period Report – Senator Wick

· Committee asked by Handbook Review Committee to modify language under section about Recruiting and Appointment for Faculty Positions to reflect current practice

· Currently initial appointments typically for two years, not one

· Committee thought it appropriate to bring language into line with current practice

Motion 41-FP-04

Moved and seconded by Faculty Personnel Committee (5-0) that the following change to the Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook, page 5.11, be made:

RECRUITING AND APPOINTMENT FOR FACULTY POSITIONS

Appointments to the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire are made by the Chancellor of the University. Initial appointments are typically for one two years. Contracts may be offered for part- or full-time positions which are specifically restricted to one or two semesters.

To ensure compliance with University, State, and Federal rules and regulations, the University shall provide a regular schedule of training for members of Department Personnel Committees, Search Committees, Department Chairs, and Deans.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is an Equal Opportunity employer actively seeking applications from all qualified persons, whatever their sex, marital or parental status, race, color, religion, age, national origin, or handicap. Department Chairs and directors recruit for each position available according to the affirmative action guidelines provided in the UW-Eau Claire Affirmative Action Plan. The recruitment process begins with completion of the "Request to Recruit" form available from the Provost and Vice Chancellor’s office. Written records are kept of all recruiting practices.

Debate

· Since motion affects Faculty Personnel Rules, only faculty vote

MOTION by Senator Gallaher to suspend the rules so that the motion can be considered today seconded and PASSED without dissention.

Continued Debate

· Want to be sure not writing policy here that all contracts have to be for two years

· No, it just says typically

Vote on Motion 41-FP-04: Motion PASSED without dissention by faculty senators.

D. First Reading – Motion from Faculty Personnel Committee

Faculty Transfer Report – Senator Wick

· Committee asked by Handbook Review Committee to correct language under seniority section of handbook

· Primarily to remove reference to Chapter 37 institutions

· No longer relevant, so suggested striking out to avoid confusion

Motion 41-FP-05

Moved and seconded by Faculty Personnel Committee (5-0) that the following changes be made to the Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook on page 5.29:

UWEC 5.08 Seniority

[The form of seniority to be followed is] without regard to rank, with seniority established by total years of service in the institution. (FS 4/75)

1. Designation for reassignment or layoff shall follow the order of seniority according to years of service at the institution.

2. Seniority shall be determined by the date upon which the faculty member’s duties began at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and by the years of full-time service at the institution. Part-time service shall be counted for a corresponding percentage of time toward seniority. Service during the Summer Session, however, shall not count toward seniority. All leaves, TIA’s and reassignments granted prior to 1 July 1976 shall be counted in determining seniority. All leaves and reassignments granted after 1 July 1976 shall be counted toward seniority, except that no more than two consecutive years of leave shall be counted.

For a faculty member holding a joint or split appointment, total seniority shall be calculated on the basis of time of service in the institution.

3. A faculty member who transfers or prior to the adoption of these rules transferred to UW – Eau Claire from another former Chapter 37 institution shall not be allowed to count his/her years at the former institution as time toward seniority on the UW – Eau Claire campus.

4. When it is necessary to select from among persons of identical seniority:

a. Persons of lower rank shall be reassigned or laid off before persons of higher rank.

b. Among persons of identical seniority and rank, those not holding the earned doctorate or terminal degree normal for the discipline shall be reassigned or laid off first.

c. Among persons of identical seniority, rank, and educational preparation, persons with fewer years in rank shall be reassigned or laid off first.

d. Among persons of identical seniority, rank, educational preparation and time in rank, other academic credentials shall be considered: teaching effectiveness, contributions to the discipline, scholarly development, professional affiliation and activity, and contribution to department or University. (FS 3/76)

Debate

· Since motion part of Faculty Personnel Rules, only faculty senators vote

· Don’t know if any Chapter 37 faculty left in entire system; would be few remaining anywhere because of age

· But language talks about transferring here; reference to Chapter 37 institutions doesn’t really add anything, only confuses people

MOTION by Senator Syverson to suspend the rules to allow vote on this today seconded and PASSED without dissention.

Vote on Motion 41-FP-05: Motion PASSED without dissention by faculty senators.

E. First Reading – Motion from Academic Policies Committee

Name Change for Communication Disorders Majors Report – Senator Syverson

· Motion brought forth at request of Department of Communication Disorders

· Name of that department changing as of next academic year – approved by senate last spring

· Prefix change also approved at that time

· Name of majors not officially changed; motion updates names of majors to match new name of department

· Would go into effect with start of next catalogue

Motion 41-AP-02

Moved and seconded by Academic Policies Committee (9-0) that the following name changes for department majors be approved:

From: Communication Disorders To: Communication Sciences and Disorders

Code 621-251 – major

Code 621-052 – comprehensive major

MS Program

Debate – None

MOTION by Senator Lozar to suspend the rules so a vote can be taken today seconded and PASSED without dissention.

Vote on Motion 41-AP-02: Motion PASSED without dissention by University Faculty Senators.

IX. Announcements

· Next meeting February 22, 2005

Meeting adjourned at 3:56 p.m.

Wanda Schulner

Secretary to the University Senate