UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE

UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING

VOL. 43, NO. 1

September 12, 2006

Members Present:

Rosemary Battalio, Judy Blackstone, Janice Bogstad, Marcia Bollinger, Jacqueline Bonneville, Don Bredle, Jennifer Brockpahler, Barbara Davis, Patrick Day, Margaret Devine, Gary Don, Michael Dorsher, Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, Jeff Erger, Leslie Foster, Jessica Franson, Mitchell Freymiller, Warren Gallagher, Alan Gallaher, Andrea Gapko, Susan Harrison, Ann Hoffman, Robert Hollon, Larry Honl, Robert Hooper, Rosemary Jadack, Debra Jansen, Jennifer Johs-Artisensi, Harry Jol, Fred Kolb, Heather Kretz, Jennifer Lee, Brian Levin-Stankevich, Tim Lippold, Bruce Lo, Barbara Lozar, Steven Majstorovic, Susan Mc Intyre, Sean McAleer, Sue Moore, Mike Morrison, Donna Raleigh, Scott Robertson, Sherrie Serros, Mehdi Sheikholeslami, Earl Shoemaker, Nick Smiar, Lorraine Smith, Laurie St. Aubin-Whelihan, Jan Stirm, Kent Syverson, Lois Taft, Steven Tallant, Max Von Klein, Charles Vue, Sharon Westphal, Scott Whitfield, Michael Wick, Marty Wood, Deborah Wright

Members Absent:

Robin Baker, Paul Butrymowicz, Todd Hostager, Bill Jacobsen, David Lonzarich, Karl Markgraf, Tarique Niazi, Jill Prushiek, Troy Terhark, Rebecca Wurzer

Guests:

Kris Anderson, Donald Christian, Stephanie Jamelske, Andrew Phillips, Katherine Rhoades, Kathy Sahlhoff

The regular meeting of University Senate was called to order by Chair Harrison at 3:02 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center.

I. Without objection, 43^rd Session of University Senate to use Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 2000, 10^th print edition, adhering to debate procedures as noted on agenda using following Order of Business: Approval of Minutes; Chancellor’s Remarks; Chair’s/Vice Chair’s Report; Faculty Representative’s Report; Academic Staff Representative’s Report; Announcements; Unfinished Business and General Orders; Reports of Committees; Special Reports; Special Orders; Miscellaneous Business of the Body; Program; and Adjournment

· To get all business accomplished in less than two hours, without objection for this meeting, reports and committee elections will be interspersed throughout agenda

· Approximately 10% of faculty and academic staff eligible to vote in governance represented in University Senate

· Introduction of new and returning senators, provost and vice chancellor, and chancellor

II. Chancellor’s Remarks

· Congratulate you on great start to academic year on everything from course availability to orientation; accolades continue:

· Announcements of new grants coming in

· Rankings in national publications as tribute to accomplishments over the years

· Thank Chair Harrison and senate for working quickly on elections for provost search committee

· Those are underway

· Looking forward to meeting with committee and getting search started as quickly as possible

· In middle of Affirmative Action position search

· Third candidate on campus today; fourth will be here tomorrow

· Then will wrap up that search

· Chancellor Inauguration scheduled for October 27, 2006

· Chancellors meeting on campus that day so will be captive for event

· Particularly pleased my son, as student government president at Buffalo State College, will be able to march in parade with academic regalia

· Board of Regents passed budget recommendations for next biennium

· Recommended tuition increase of under 3% in keeping with Governor Doyle’s request

· Going to be very tight budget

· Won’t really know what will happen until November elections after which real budgets will begin to surface

· Includes Growth Agenda put forward by President Reilly and board and includes two Decision Item Narratives (DIN) of significance to Eau Claire

· Nanotechnology initiative in Chippewa Valley, which will support some faculty positions in sciences as well as some support for Stout

· Other is statewide DIN with targeted funding for Eau Claire at Marshfield site and other costs related to expanding nursing program

· Other concern is academic building plan for campus

· Critical to protect investment state has made and successful institution we have grown in Eau Claire; can’t do that without continuing investment in maintenance and improvement of physical plant

· New academic building is important first step

· Just met with candidate for state senate

· Want to have plan to Board of Regents by December

· Department of State Facilities very encouraging

· Degree campus landlocked, and even leasing parking space, makes maintaining capacity of university out to 2015-2016 difficult; starting to get attention for physical plant needs

· Will also continue to work with our staff, student government and student committee looking at Davies Center renovation

· LaCrosse proposal of letting tuition float to fundamentally what market will bear in order to provide quality programs and faculty and fulfill admissions getting lot of play in press

· Not dissimilar to proposals at Miami of Ohio and other institutions in other states

· Reporter for Milwaukee paper spun proposal as diversity issue instead of quality issue, so has created backlash

· Neither gubernatorial candidate claims to support initiative, even though Board of Regents came out in favor

· Mentioned two things to Executive Committee at last meeting

· Creating position of Assistant to the Chancellor for Strategic Planning

· Critical to engage in open, participatory, transparent process of strategic planning

· Do currently have strategic plan as institution; hard pressed to find anything that is not in that plan

· By virtue of being so inclusive, doesn’t give us direction we need to make decisions we are going to have to make about resources in future, whether they continue being slim or possibly new resources

· Working on position description; should have search underway in couple of weeks

· Bringing in trusted colleague, William Ponder, who served as vice president for student affairs at many institutions

· To talk with faculty, staff, and committees working around diversity issues

· To focus foremost on recruitment and retention of students of color

· To look at resources now devoted to those tasks and report back to me

· Lot of work already going into diversity, but hearing from Board of Regents that we need to do better in terms of outcomes, particularly lower quintiles of socioeconomic scale

· Should reaffirm our commitment to academic freedom and free speech on campus before demonstrations and activities occur on campus

· Last three or four years have been particularly bad for higher education in this regard

· Need to be proactive and get out front of such issues

· College of Arts and Sciences to hold forum around issue of academic freedom and free speech; Dean Christian to open forum up to campus for dialogue

· Could also discuss here in senate

· Having wonderful time meeting many people; appreciate both formal and information communication

· Opportunity to attend department social events and be up at Hilltop with students gives me information needed to be effective spokesperson for university, telling stories to donors, legislators, and people who can make a big difference in our future

· Happy to take you up on any of those invitations if I am available

III. Minutes of May 9, 2006 meeting of University Senate approved as distributed

· Introduction of Senate Officers and System Representatives

· Senate website has links to various resources

· Motions for upcoming meetings posted by Wednesday prior to senate meetings

· Senators reminded to initial rosters upon entering room and pick up name plate; guests reminded to sign guest registry to side of podium

IV. Unfinished Business and General Orders

A. University-wide Elections

1. At-Large University Faculty Senator

· Nominees: Maria DaCosta, Economics; Geoff Gorham, Philosophy and Religious Studies

· Additional nomination from floor: Evan Weiher, Biology

Elected as At-Large University Faculty Senator – Maria DaCosta

2. Faculty Complaint and Grievance Committee

· Nominees: Patrick Day, Foreign Languages; Geoff Peterson, Political Science

· No additional nominations from floor

MOTION by Senator Gallaher to suspend the rules and elect these two nominees to the Faculty Complaint and Grievance Committee seconded and PASSED without dissention.

Elected to the Faculty Complaint and Grievance Committee – Patrick Day and Geoff Peterson

3. At-Large Member for University Senate Faculty Personnel Committee

· Nominees: Cheryl Brandt, Adult Health Nursing; Lee-Ellen Kirkhorn, Family Health Nursing

· No additional nominations from floor

Elected to the University Senate Faculty Personnel Committee – Cheryl Brandt

B. University Senate Elections

1. Executive Committee Election

· Nominees: Robert Hollon, Curriculum and Instruction; Michael Dorsher, Communication and Journalism; Steven Majstorovic, Political Science; Scott Robertson, Art & Design; Robert Hooper, Geology; Karl Markgraf, International Education; Sue Moore, Records and Registration; Donna Raleigh, Learning and Technology Services

· No additional nominations from floor

MOTION to elect Robert Hollon as the representative from the College of Education and Human Sciences seconded and PASSED without dissention.

Elected to the Executive Committee – Robert Hollon, Steven Majstorovic, Robert Hooper, and Donna Raleigh

2. Faculty Personnel Committee Election

· Nominees: Rosemary Battalio, Special Education; Jeff Erger, Sociology; Bruce Lo, Information Systems

· No additional nominations from floor

Elected to the Faculty Personnel Committee – Rosemary Battalio and Bruce Lo

3. Academic Staff Personnel Committee Election

· Nominees: Earl Shoemaker, Educational Support Services; Jacqueline Bonneville, Advising and New Student Initiatives

· No additional nominations from floor

Elected to the Academic Staff Personnel Committee – Jacqueline Bonneville

4. Academic Policies Committee Election

· Nominees: Lois Taft, Nursing Systems; Rosemary Battalio, Special Education; Meg Devine, Accounting and Finance; Robert Hooper, Geology; Sean McAleer, Philosophy and Religious Studies; Jan Stirm, English; Kent Syverson, Geology

· Sean McAleer withdrew name from consideration

· No additional nominations from floor

MOTION to suspend the rules to allow Lois Taft to stand as Nursing and Health Sciences representative seconded and PASSED without dissention.

Elected to the Academic Policies Committee – Lois Taft, Rosemary Battalio, Robert Hooper, and Jan Stirm

5. Physical Plant Planning Committee Election

· Nominees: Leslie Foster, Library; Alan Gallaher, Communication Sciences and Disorders; Debra Jansen, Adult Health Nursing; Earl Shoemaker, Educational Support Services; Lorraine Smith, Nursing and Health Sciences; Max Von Klein, Financial Aid

· No additional nominations from floor

Elected to the Physical Plant Planning Committee – Leslie Foster, Alan Gallaher, and Lorraine Smith

6. Budget Committee Election

· Nominees: Don Bredle, Kinesiology; Tim Lippold, Communication Sciences and Disorders; Patrick Day, Foreign Languages; Michael Dorsher, Communication and Journalism; Max Von Klein, Financial Aid

· No additional nominations from floor

Elected to the Budget Committee – Don Bredle, Tim Lippold, and Patrick Day

7. Compensation Committee Election

· Nominees: Earl Shoemaker, Educational Support Services; Jacqueline Bonneville, Advising and New Student Initiatives

· No additional nominations from floor

Elected to the Compensation Committee – Jacqueline Bonneville

8. Nominating Committee Election

· Nominees: Gary Don, Music and Theatre Arts; Debra Jansen, Adult Health Nursing; Mike Morrison, Computer Science; Sherrie Serros, Mathematics; Charles Vue, Multicultural Affairs; Deborah Wright, Student Health Services

· No additional nominations from floor

Elected to the Nominating Committee – Gary Don, Debra Jansen, Sherrie Serros, and Charles Vue

9. Technology Committee Election

· Nominees: Michael Dorsher, Communication and Journalism; Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, History; Jeff Erger, Sociology; Alan Gallaher, Communication Sciences and Disorders; Debra Jansen, Adult Health Nursing; Leslie Foster, Library; Scott Whitfield, Physics and Astronomy; Jessica Franson, Learning and Technology Services; Sue Moore, Records and Registration; Max Von Klein, Financial Aid

· Debra Jansen withdrew nomination

· Nomination from floor: Barbara Davis, Family Health Nursing

Elected to the Technology Committee – Leslie Foster, Scott Whitfield, and Jessica Franson

10. Faculty Representative to UW-System Election

· Nominee: Marty Wood, English

MOTION by Senator Gallaher to suspend the rules and accept Marty Wood as new Faculty Representative to UW-System seconded and PASSED without dissention by faculty senators.

Elected as the Faculty Representative to UW-System – Marty Wood

11. Academic Staff Representative to UW-System Election

· Nominee: Jennifer Brockpahler, University Centers

MOTION to suspend the rules and accept Jennifer Brockpahler as new Academic Staff Representative to UW-System seconded and PASSED without dissention by academic staff senators.

Elected as the Academic Staff Representative to UW-System – Jennifer Brockpahler

V. Chair’s/Vice Chair’s Report – Chair Harrison

· Very active summer – met with new chancellor, provost and others to discuss many governance-related issues

· One item of discussion was UW-System Chapter 7 and 11 policy on serious criminal misconduct

· Due to short turn-around time, later today motion will be presented to request that Faculty Personnel and Academic Staff Personnel Committees be given authority by senate to respond on its behalf

· Committees to meet at 3:00 p.m. on September 19, 2006 to review and comment on draft proposal

· Due to expected length of senate meeting today, organizational meetings of various senate committees to be held on September 19 and 26, 2006

· Because of pressing business, Academic Policies Committee will meet on September 19, 2006, which is a change from schedule distributed to senators

· During October, full senate will discuss draft proposals for criminal background checks

· On last Tuesday of October, senate will sponsor an open discussion on goals of the baccalaureate degree

VI. Faculty Representative’s Report – Senator Wick

· Written report distributed – four updates over summer

· Board of Regents approved 2007-2009 biennial operating budget request that includes mild tuition increases

· Goal was that if system went by what governor said to do, he will kick up state support to cover our operating expenses

· Did include an initiative that came strictly to Eau Claire

· 2007-2009 budget request also included $1.1 M to further UW-Superior’s mission as Wisconsin’s public liberal arts college; in addition at May Board of Regents meeting, board authorized implementation of a B.A. in Liberal Arts for Teachers degree at UW-Parkside

· These developments worth noting since our identity is that of a liberal arts based institution

· Board of Regents at June meeting asked campuses to quickly respond to latest draft of UWS 7 on our agenda later today

· UW-System intends to have system-wide policy on criminal background checks for all new hires; local implementation of those policies due back to system relatively soon

VII. Academic Staff Representative’s Report – Senator Blackstone

· Information about last academic staff representatives meeting in May sent out with senate packets

· Next meeting is September 14, 2006; will report back at next senate meeting

· Held wildly successful academic staff conference at UW-Eau Claire this summer

· Academic staff from all over UW-System talked and learned about governance

· Took opportunity to speak to Regent Brent Smith, one of conference keynotes

· State Representatives Rob Kreibich and Joan Ballweg, chair and vice chair of assembly committee on colleges and universities, met with us to hear our perspective about legislature and university – was good exchange

VIII. Special Reports

A. Report on Holistic Admissions – Executive Director of Admissions and Enrollment Services Anderson

· Topic will be coming to University Senate in next few weeks

· In 2003, U.S. Supreme Court cases involving University of Michigan helped define legal landscape around issues of access, quality, and diversity in higher education

· Reaffirmed constitutionality of using race-conscious admission policies if part of individualized, non-mechanical review of applicants – a holistic review

· In 2005, UW-System established an Admissions Advisory Group charged with examining campus policies in light of Michigan ruling

· Kimberly Barrett and Steve Tallant served on that group

· Concurrently, provost established a working group to examine our own policies and practices

· Group developed changes to freshman and transfer admission requirements that put us in compliance with Michigan ruling

· Will present proposal to APC at next meeting and ask for senate consideration soon after

· UW-System asking each campus to consider changes early enough so that high school juniors have time to plan accordingly

· Response to questions from floor

· Proposal primarily formalizing things we have been doing already; moving to clarify language

· Holistic admissions in and of itself will not increase diversity unless done with more aggressive recruitment and reevaluation of support services for students

· System working hard to make policies consistent so not thirteen versions out there

· Has been advisory group, President Reilly clear about direction he would like to see campuses moving, and is basically issue of legal compliance

· Goal is to wrap this up as soon as possible to give juniors lead time to prepare – end of October would be ideal to get it into our recruitment literature and catalogue

B. Report on Higher Learning Commission Self Study – Associate Vice Chancellor Phillips

· Last campus accreditation visit was in 1999; next visit for ten-year institutional accreditation tentatively scheduled for September 2009

· Couple of differences between what we did in 1999 and what we are doing now to prepare

· North Central Association now has two commissions – one of those is Higher Learning Commission

· More substantive change is in criteria – focus now on forward-looking process, based heavily on assessment and planning with regard to mission

· Began self-study part of process this summer

· Approximately a week ago, mailing came out containing a bookmark of five criteria with all sub-pieces; a memo from Chancellor Levin-Stankevich laying out goals for process, and another piece about Higher Learning Commission and reason for process

· Point today is to alert you that we are beginning process

· Have nine study groups – five aligned with five criteria, three to support study groups, and one group to look back at what we said we would do in 1999 and assess whether we did that or not

· Study groups beginning to do work so campus community may not hear much in next few months

· Next year will hear more as groups engage whole campus in self-study process

· Today laying foundation for what we will do approximately monthly over next three years – giving senate status update as to where we are in that process

· First three months will be light on content and more on where we are in process

· As process begins in earnest at end of spring and beginning of fall, study group chairs will use this time to update you on their plans, when they will host campus conversations, how you might participate and provide feedback

· Opportunity to create a dialogue on on-going basis for next three years

IX. Miscellaneous Business

· To enable senate committees to effectively and efficiently conduct business, parliamentary procedure and University Senate Constitution and Bylaws followed

· Few senate committees empowered by full senate to make final decisions; such decisions reported by committee for the record to full senate

· Allows us to document official decisions made by committee and provides opportunity for senators to ask questions and question decisions if necessary

· Senators may speak only twice to any motion or amendment; each speaking term limited to ten minutes

· Everyone wishing to speak to an issue will be allowed to speak once before second round of speaking terms begin

· Debate on second readings of a given issue limited to 30 minutes with each speaking term limited to five minutes

· If after 30 minutes body not ready to conclude debate, chair will entertain motion to postpone further debate to another meeting so we can continue with new business of that meeting

· Commonly used motions listed on back of name tags

· Point of Information – if you need some piece of information

· Point of Order – if you suspect a rule or procedure was not correctly followed

· Point of Personal Preference – if you can’t hear or something is happening that interferes with your comfort

· If you feel that more work needs to be done on a motion before you vote on it, you have options

· Can refer motion back to committee for additional discussion

· Can move to postpone motion to a given time

· Can also kill a motion by moving that it be postponed indefinitely

· Notice only reason to move to lay question on the table is to interrupt discussion temporarily to permit taking care of a matter of immediate urgency

· If you call a question, you are just requesting that debate cease and a vote be taken

· If you move the previous question, debate stops and senate votes on moving the question; if that passes by two-thirds, body immediately votes on motion under consideration

· Under parliamentary procedures, chair may move items along by saying without objection – unless one objects at that point, item mentioned takes effect as if it had been moved, voted on and passed

First Reading – Motion from Senators McAleer and Blackstone

Report on Personnel Committee Authority for UWS Chapters 7 and 11 – Senator McAleer

· Last spring we responded to proposed draft of UWS 7 procedures

· Many of those suggestions were taken

· Now asked to respond to final draft of Chapters 7 and 11

· To get this done in timely manner, since deadline for response is September 29, 2006, request being made to empower Faculty and Academic Staff Personnel Committees to respond on behalf of senate

· Motion is result of discussion with Chair Harrison

Motion 43-US-01

MOVED and seconded by Senators McAleer and Blackstone that the University Senate grant the Faculty Personnel Committee and the Academic Staff Personnel Committee the authority to review and discuss the recent draft proposal concerning UWS 7 and UWS 11 and to prepare and submit a response to UW System on behalf of the University Senate by September 29, 2006.

Debate

· Link to complete details on senate web site printed on yellow report form – how committee appointed, draft proposal, previous senate motions, letter from board, current proposed revisions, and comparison of present draft to senate action last spring

· Personnel committee meetings purposely scheduled at this time next week so you can attend either Faculty Personnel Committee or Academic Staff Personnel Committee and give your input; that is where open forum will occur

· Regents took piece developed for faculty and plunked those changes into UWS Academic Staff Personnel Rules in Chapter 11

· This is same document reviewed before, but with some positive changes

· Helped that all senates across system spoke up last spring

· Main issue remaining is that mandatory payment of any withheld back pay not included in final draft

· Seems worth reiterating our strong opinion on that point

· Other major suggestions were all taken

· Both committees looking for input; email comments if unable to attend open forums

MOTION by Senator Freymiller that we suspend the rules to allow us to vote on this today seconded and PASSED without dissention.

Continued Debate – None

Vote on Motion 43-US-01: Motion PASSED without dissention.

Meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m. without objection.

Minutes written from recording of meeting by,

Wanda Schulner

Secretary to the University Senate