UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE

UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING

VOL. 43, NO. 3

October 24, 2006

Members Present:

Rose Battalio, Judy Blackstone, Janice Bogstad, Marcia Bollinger, Jacqueline Bonneville, Jennifer Brockpahler, Maria DaCosta, Barbara Davis, Patrick Day, Margaret Devine, Michael Dorsher, Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, Jeff Erger, Leslie Foster, Jessica Franson, Mitchell Freymiller, Warren Gallagher, Andrea Gapko, Susan Harrison, Ann Hoffman, Robert Hollon, Robert Hooper, Debra Jansen, Jennifer Johs-Artisensi, Fred Kolb, Jennifer Lee, Brian Levin-Stankevich, Bruce Lo, David Lonzarich, Karl Markgraf, Susan Mc Intyre, Sean McAleer, Sue Moore, Mike Morrison, Jill Prushiek, Donna Raleigh, Sherrie Serros, Mehdi Sheikholeslami, Earl Shoemaker, Nick Smiar, Laurie St. Aubin-Whelihan, Jan Stirm, Lois Taft, Steve Tallant, Charles Vue, Sharon Westphal, Scott Whitfield, Michael Wick, Marty Wood, Deborah Wright

Members Absent:

Robin Baker, Don Bredle, Paul Butrymowicz, Gary Don, Alan Gallaher, Larry Honl, Todd Hostager, Bill Jacobsen, Rose Jadack, Harry Jol, Heather Kretz, Tim Lippold, Barbara Lozar, Steven Majstorovic, Tarique Niazi, Scott Robertson, Lorraine Smith, Kent Syverson, Troy Terhark, Max Von Klein, Rebecca Wurzer

Guests:

Donald Christian, Stephanie Jamelske, Jim Oberly, Andrew Phillips, Andrew Soll, Marnie Wetzstein

The regular meeting of University Senate was called to order by Chair Harrison at 3:05 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center.

I. Minutes of October 10, 2006 University Senate meeting approved as distributed

II. Chancellor’s Remarks – Chancellor Levin-Stankevich

· Fresh from Gantner Hall where practiced speech for inauguration on Friday

· Chancellors meeting here Friday morning so most will be here for ceremony as will President Reilly from system

· Stephen Drucker named Dreyfus Foundation Teacher Scholar – outstanding achievement

· Fourth chemistry faculty member here to receive award – only fourth institution in country with four such scholars

· Phenomenal statement of quality of faculty and work being done at UW-Eau Claire

· Last week rankings came out on institutions that prepare students for Fulbright Programs

· UW-Eau Claire ranked seventh in country among all masters institutions; had three Fulbright scholars last year and eight since 2000

· Shows we get really good students and push them to next level

· Evidence of commitment to student success

· Success not only in classroom but by women athletes as well

· Soccer team winning WIAC conference, volleyball tied for conference, tennis coming in second

· Went to first women’s hockey game after all these years; truly exciting

· Have hired Teresa O’Halloran, local attorney with years of experience in employment law, as Assistant to Chancellor for Affirmative Action

· To start November 1, 2006

· Kate Hale to continue in that office until start of spring semester to work on ongoing projects and affirmative action reporting

· Held first meeting this morning of search committee for Assistant to Chancellor for Strategic Planning; Provost Search and Screen Committee continuing work

III. Chair’s Report – Chair Harrison

· 2006-2007 University Senate flyer distributed across campus

· Updated list of senate committees and chairs included in senate packet

· Met this morning with member of Higher Learning Commission Self-Study Group to discuss changes in shared governance at UW-Eau Claire over last ten years

· Vice chair, faculty rep, academic staff rep and chair met with chancellor and provost to share ideas and provide updates on governance issues

· Chair to represent faculty at inauguration on Friday

IV. Faculty Representative’s Report – Senator Wick

· One meeting since last senate meeting – no content to report

V. Academic Staff Representative’s Report – Senator Blackstone

· Teleconference on October 12, 2006 – written report attached to name tags

· Covered some issues of interest to all

· Al Crist talked about Legislative Audit Bureau report and also about compensation

· UW-System beginning preparation of new compensation request to go to Board of Regents and then onward

· Talked more about criminal background checks to be conducted on all new employees starting January 1, 2007

· System also touting Growth Agenda at every opportunity

· Next meeting November 16, 2006

· Responses to questions and comments from floor

· Cost per criminal background check for in-state student employee might run $11; for regular employee who has not moved around much, cost would be about $50

· Will have to run on all new employees; only need repeat for rehires if gap since last worked at university is over two years

· Initially plan was to have each unit pay for background checks out of individual budget; after considerable thought, probably will be covered at division level

VI. Announcements

· Next meeting of University Senate will be November 14, 2006

· On October 31, 2006, will be open forum to discuss baccalaureate goals

· Mickey Kolis, chair of ad hoc committee to facilitate discussion of university learning goals, will lead discussion

· To present data, listen to feedback, and hear suggestions on where to go from here

· Have chairs and deans and directors meetings coming up with baccalaureate goals being sole issue

VII. Unfinished Business

· None

VIII. Reports of Committees

¨ Executive Committee – Chair Harrison

• On October 17, 2006, committee held annual review of official October frozen files containing list of unclassified employees on specific date

· Current makeup of University Senate is 45 University Faculty and 25 University Academic Staff, or 65% and 35% respectively

· Current makeup of entire university, according to frozen files, is about 60% University Faculty and 40% University Academic Staff

· For this year, committee decided to keep same senate representation and look at issue again next year with small ad hoc committee to propose language changes

· Committee discussed trend of declining faculty shown by frozen files; passed motion that in light of declining faculty and increasing academic staff numbers, a task force will look at whether the institution is using instructional academic staff appropriately and at possibility of making use of instructor title when appropriate

· Task force to include senators Robert Hooper, Mitchell Freymiller, and Rosemary Jadack, and Janice Morse and Donald Christian

• Next meeting November 7, 2006

¨ Faculty Personnel Committee – Senator McAleer

• Met on October 19, 2006; approved response on criminal background check procedures which included two concerns

· Possibility of making job offer contingent upon background checks

· Also some departments may want to conduct checks prior to bringing candidates to campus

· Noted irony of fact that Department of Corrections does not require background checks

• Meet next November 2, 2006

¨ Academic Staff Personnel Committee – Senator Blackstone

• Met on October 13, 2006 with Jan Morse to go over local implementation rules for criminal background checks

· Few areas still puzzling, including which student positions require checking and whether people doing checking will be given training in conducting checks

• No other meeting set at this time

¨ Academic Policies Committee – Senator Hollon

· Met October 24, 2006; concluded discussion on course repeat policy

· Will not be bringing forward recommendations for revising policy

· Next meeting November 7, 2006

¨ Physical Plant Planning Committee – Senator Kolb

· Met October 17, 2006; reviewed actions of last year and implementation progress

· Feel good about nonsmoking courtyard and two smoking entrances to Davies Center; good cooperation on campus

· Also discussed parking issues

· Appears increase in meter rate has worked well

· Continues to be large amount of parking available in Water Street lot

· Issue of entrance to Putnam Park along river currently used as parking for residence halls

· Issue brought up twice last year – once for input and another time for serious discussion

· To work with further and bring issue back to senate

· Also serious issue of invasive species in Putnam Park – any input would be appreciated

· Always open to suggestions for additional issues

¨ Budget Committee – Senator Whitfield

· No meeting yet this year

· Next meeting, to be determined, to discuss planning reserve and make recommendations

¨ Compensation Committee – Vice Chair Gapko

· Met on October 24, 2006

· Talked about 2006-2007 pay plan distribution

· Average percentage increase was 4.3%, but when analyze salaries of people from July 2005 to April 2007 average increase was 4.96% because of promotions funded from outside pay plan and recruitment and retention funds distributed this year to College of Nursing and Health Sciences

· To take further look at breakdown without promotions and other funding to see just what pay plan did

· Among three groups of faculty, average increase was 5.12%; instructional academic staff increase averaged 5.3%; and administrative and professional academic staff average increase was 4.46%

· Also talked about faculty satisfaction survey; would like to find out how faculty feel now that new faculty portion of pay plan done on rating scale rather than old method

· This was first year had funding for it and therefore first year faculty, except those on alternate pay plan, have been involved in new pay plan

· Hope to do survey in next two weeks to find out how well pay plan understood by faculty and how satisfied they were with it

· Next meeting November 10, 2006

¨ Nominating Committee – Senator Lo

· No report

¨ Technology Committee – Senator Gallagher

· Met on October 16, 2006

· At first meeting in September tried to figure out mission

· One duty is to follow activity of other technology-related committees; have contacted various colleges and divisions to find out what technology committees are out there and are starting to communicate with them

· Other thing we are supposed to do is consult with Learning and Technology Services

· Craig Mey attended last meeting to give overview of things that took place over summer and last several months

· Discussed initiative for transition to voice over internet; transition to new financial services shared software; and move from Schofield Hall into Old Library

· Next meeting November 13, 2006

IX. Special Reports

A. Report on UW-System Compensation Advisory Committee – Members Gapko and Wick

· System Compensation Advisory Committee meeting held October 13, 2006; reviewed several items

· Happy to share packet of information with anyone wishing to see

· Reviewed 2006-2007 pay plan and distribution of recruitment and retention funds – distributed about $90,000 here to College of Nursing and Health Sciences

· Saw update of peer institution information and amount needed to bring faculty salaries up to peer level – did not receive any information on how far behind academic staff are

· Faculty about 10% behind peers depending on model; academic staff about 17% behind

· Estimate that $51 M pay plan package could bring faculty salaries up to peer median and academic staff salaries up to only 10% behind

· According to system data

· Assistant professors behind peers by about $3000

· Associate professors behind by about $6500

· Full professors by $8400

· Director Timberlake from Office of State Employment Relations (OSER) spoke on outlook for compensation plans

· Talking about asking for 5.0-5.5% in each of next two years and figured might get about half that

· Asked us about strategy for next biennium; OSER report going to Board of Regents in December

· Stance was that strategy followed for years about how far we are behind peer institutions not effective

· Has found reporting impact, anecdotal or otherwise, low salaries have works better

· Will compile anecdotal tales of impact of salary structure on recruitment and retention and forward to system

· Send to Faculty Rep Wick or Chancellor Levin-Stankevich

· Responses to questions and comments from floor

· Rate of loss of faculty to retirement, other positions in academia, or simply other positions slightly slower than past years, so data do not support that losing faculty in large numbers due to salary

· In College of Education and Human Sciences, hear our graduates with bachelors degrees being hired as teachers for more than what beginning faculty make here

· Some debate as to whether failure to hire is effective or not because failure to get your first choice does not mean you didn’t end up with good choice

· 1999-2001 and 2001-2003 biennia showed unclassified staff salary increases ahead of typical union settlements; since 2003-2004, have been the same

· Regents’ recommendations, based on data system gives them, submitted to governor and considered by OSER

· Most lobbying done by OSER, which then takes recommendations to Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER)

· Recommendation by JCOER typically confirmed by full legislature

· Data from peer institutions responding to UWS survey indicate this year our pay plan was as good or better than peer institutions

· At peer institutions, faculty pay increases range from 1.9 to 5%, clustered around 3%; academic staff pay plans ranged from 0 to 4.5%, clustered around 3%

· So last year fared well, but still suffering from past years

· Was discussion of faculty recruitment and retention fund; received in past and proposing in next budget

· That kind of mechanism well received, but system watching carefully to make sure money used for recruitment and retention purposes and not spread around

· Others suggested perhaps should not have recruitment and retention fund, especially if not used as expected and distribute money to all faculty and academic staff

· UW-System received $1.7 M in 2005-2006, $1.6 M in 2006-2007; asking for $10 M next time around and hope for $5 M

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

· Last week HLC steering committee met with chairs of five self-study groups aligned with five criteria, plus reactions since 1999 group and campus engagement and communication group

· Each group progressing very well, making significant progress

· Preparing questions for focus groups, surveys, and individual interviews with faculty, staff and students

· Hosting initial focus group pilot session in mid-November to test initial questions with small group of faculty, staff and students perhaps to sharpen or adjust wording, to learn whether questions were interpreted as intended, and to get feedback on other concerns or related questions that may be useful for groups to explore

· Important step to validate our approach to data collection

· Because planning campus-wide survey in April, also preparing workshop on proper survey construction to be held during Winterim session

· To provide monthly updates in University Bulletin and at University Senate – keeping work visible and all members of university community informed about upcoming events

· Should start to see some meaningful data collection this spring; in meantime, feedback or suggestions appreciated

C. Report on Provost Search and Screen Committee – Chair Oberly

· Update of position announcement included in senate packet – that version now revised and ready to go after several listening sessions with deans of three of four colleges, all chairs council, chancellor’s executive council, and student development and diversity council of directors

· Currently looking at search firms – negotiating with Academic Search Consultants, Inc. on terms of contract

· When committee gets services of that firm, will invite consultant to come to senate

· Filling out paperwork through affirmative action; when that is ready, will accept nominations and applications

· Committee to start reviewing nominations and applications to develop candidate pool on December 1, 2006

D. Report on China Trip – Provost Tallant and International Education Director Markgraf

· Just returned from China where investigated 1+2+1 Program sponsored by American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)

· Primarily comprehensive universities and those that were normal institutions at one time

· Joint program, with Chinese Education Association for International Education, working for last five years to bring Chinese students to this country

· Students study in China for one year, come to United States and study for two years, then return to China for last year and receive dual degree from both institutions

· Extraordinarily effective in two ways

· 250 students who have participated in this program have 100% return rate to China

· Chinese do not want to experience brain drain that number of other nations, particularly Central Asia and Eastern Europe, have experienced after collapse of Soviet empire

· Visa acceptance rate for students coming here is 95%

· International student enrollments in United States have declined significantly since 9/11

· Chinese Scholarship Council, which fully funds 4000 top Chinese students to study abroad and pursue degrees outside China, has closed program to students coming to United States because of difficulty obtaining visas

· AASCU plans to limit program to 50 institutions (now at 36) in effort to maintain quality and success of program

· Feel confident UW-Eau Claire can put successful proposal together; we are perfect type of institution to make this program very successful here

· Also, Eastern Washington, where chancellor from, one of early institutions in program

· Other nations around world recruiting actively with significant government support; understand importance of China in global economy

· This country and this institution cannot afford not to be in China if we want to be part of exploding economy

· Program offers some real benefits for our institution

· Strengthens our higher education ties to Chinese institutions; expanding our network

· Strengthens international student enrollments and diversity they bring to campus

· These students support us financially – their families, not government, pay way and pay more than domestic students

· Also good for our English Language Academy enrollment

· These students are eager and excited – they are going all over the world, and they want to come here

· Recommend we come up with proposals, work with academic deans and chairs, but go slowly, don’t commit too much, and make sure we have a good partner institution

· Most institutions have seen fewer than 15 Chinese students enrolled

· Number of our majors would be very attractive to Chinese students

· Now preparing briefing for chancellor – to present him with options

· Will then talk to academic departments about viable programs and take through shared governance process

· Then will approach AASCU for permission to join – no promise we will get in, but know we are a contender

· Goal would be to get approved, recruit next fall by returning to China and partnering up with one or two institutions, and having students enroll in fall 2008

X. Miscellaneous Business

Motion 43-US-02

Moved by Senator Serros and seconded that the senate go on record in support of the Board of Regents opposition to the proposed constitutional marriage amendment.

Debate

· Senate has taken position on some political conflicts in past; on other issues, senate has chosen not to take a position

· Person asked last year that senate look at issue; now that Board of Regents has taken stand, particularly from aspect of recruiting faculty and academic staff to UW institutions, seems appropriate for senate to support

· Yesterday clipsheet from UW-System indicated another university entity supported regents’ stance

MOTION by Senator Wood to allow motion to be voted on today seconded.

Debate

· If oppose this, doesn’t necessarily mean you are for or against this motion, it may just mean you are not certain the university should be taking a stand on this one way or another

· May vote against it because you don’t feel it is senate business – or may table it indefinitely

· Don’t support voting on this today; this is something we should report back to departments and get a sense of what departments think

· We will not meet as senate until after election – need to vote on today if it is to carry any weight whatsoever

Vote on Motion: Motion PASSED by two-thirds voice vote.

Continued debate on Main Motion

· Speak in favor because it does potentially affect workplace

· Speak in favor of motion; have had number of failed searches in nursing and lack of domestic partner benefits in Wisconsin has contributed to some of those failed searches

· If this amendment passes, it may make it more difficult to provide those benefits

Vote on Motion 43-US-02: Motion PASSED. Support for Board of Regents to go on record; memo to be sent to regents; and will talk with Mike Rindo about reporting senate action by press release or similar means.

Other business – none

Without objection, meeting adjourned at 4:11 p.m.

Submitted by,

Wanda Schulner

Secretary to the University Senate