UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – EAU CLAIRE

UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING

VOL. 44, NO. 3

October 23, 2007

Members Present:

Rose Battalio, Ned Beach, Judy Blackstone, Janice Bogstad, Jacqueline Bonneville, January Boten, Jennifer Brockpahler, Michael Carney, Patrick Day, Margaret Devine, Gary Don, Michael Dorsher, Jeff Erger, Leslie Foster, Mitchell Freymiller, Andrea Gapko, Susan Harrison, Ann Hoffman, Robert Hollon, Robert Hooper, Rosemary Jadack, Jeff Janot, Debra Jansen, Dale Johnson, Lia Johnson, Harry Jol, Fred Kolb, Heather Kretz, Amanda Krier, Lisa La Salle, Kate Lang, Brian Levin-Stankevich, Bruce Lo, Barbara Lozar, Brian Mahoney, Sean McAleer, Sue Moore, Mike Morrison, Jill Pastrana, Geoffrey Peterson, Jill Prushiek, Rick Richmond, Scott Robertson, Sherrie Serros, Earl Shoemaker, Jeanne Skoug, Linda Spaeth, Jan Stirm, Steve Tallant, Charles Tomkovick, Charles Vue, Sharon Westphal, Scott Whitfield, Marty Wood, Deborah Wright

Members Absent:

Robin Baker, Barbara Davis, Larry Honl, David Lonzarich, Karl Markgraf, Tarique Niazi, Donna Raleigh, Mehdi Sheikholeslami, Nick Smiar, Laurie St. Aubin-Whelihan, Troy Terhark, Rebecca Wurzer

Guests:

Mary Jane Brukardt, Donald Christian, Bernard Duyfhuizen, Chip Eckardt, Stephanie Jamelske, Andrew Phillips, Gail Scukanec, Kathy Sahlhoff, Andrew Soll

The regular meeting of University Senate was called to order by Chair Wood at 3:02 p.m. on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center.

I. Minutes of October 9, 2007 University Senate meeting approved as distributed

II. Chancellor’s Remarks – Chancellor Levin-Stankevich

· Wish had definitive statement on budget; Assembly still caucusing, vote should come by end of week

· If passed as is, would be relief

· Highlights

· Funds all GPR buildings in line for this year; means planning money for our academic building now with actual building in next biennium

· Davies Center approved; students will begin charging themselves for new student union

· Won’t know what that will consist of until hire architect to determine

· Financial aid money will now go to students on deferral – about 200 students on our campus

· Provides for most of veterans tuition remission

· Continue as system to pick up veterans’ remissions from first year; significant permanent lapse in budget

· State picks up most new expenditures which will grow as more Americans cycle through military

· Funds start-up for Office of Wisconsin Covenant – program for more students in middle and high school to attend college

· Separate office from UW System

· No provision for funding tuition for students; will have to fund through financial aid

· Takes away 4% cap on tuition

· Funds Growth Initiatives

· NanoSTEM with UW-Stout; funds number of faculty positions for UW-Eau Claire

· Nursing education, which will benefit our nursing program

· Teacher education program; system-wide initiative we hope to take advantage of

· Limits to state contributions to nonrepresented employee retirement accounts proposed in Assembly budget eliminated so state will continue to make those contributions

· Earlier version would have increased health insurance contribution; taken out of this budget

· Removes domestic partner health insurance benefits

· Will have to continue to work for those through other mechanisms

· Removes governor’s recommendation for right of faculty and academic staff to collectively bargain

· Includes $200 million lapse, or transfer of funds from state agencies

· Specifically exempts UW-System and technical colleges from lapse

· Instead imposes a $25 million lapse per biennium on UW-System; $12.5 million per year

· Is $600,000 per year for UW-Eau Claire if system cannot absorb any of lapse

· Don’t know what final number will be, but certainly will not affect instruction in spring semester

· Can draw from all funds, GPR funds and auxiliary funds from other areas

· Lapse is reminder that while appreciate legislators support of higher education, there are sacrifices

· In addition, issue will resurface in two years; probably won’t be more money to divvy up then

· Reminds us to be careful about what invest in and to be strategic in how spend money – accountable for all dollars given

· Trend over last 15 years of about $65 million flipping from state universities to state corrections, so don’t feel bad about being exempted from overall lapse

· Seems higher education is better investment in future of state than corrections

· Still face possibility that may be some way to block this in Assembly – would mean no budget at all which would be most difficult of all situations

· Response to comments and questions from floor

· What didn’t get funded: cost to continue was about $160 million; instead of funding full amount, gave us $135 million

· Not targeting any positions or programs

· Given some flexibility to make own cuts – no restrictions on where lapse to come from

· Recruitment and retention fund (star fund) still in budget at $10 million; one-third first year, two-thirds second year

· Made slight reduction in compensation reserve; funded at level Joint Finance Committee recommended

· Based upon conference call yesterday, probably will be pay plan

· Regents proposed 5.3% increase each year

· No one thinking we will get that, but thinking will be pay plan

· Office of State Employee Relations cannot submit recommendation until after governor has signed budget

· Board of Regents increased tuition 5.5% this year; already implemented

· Will be no tuition surcharge in second semester

· Significant opposition within BOR to significant tuition increases despite lifting of 4% tuition cap

· Work groups looking at revenue sources for system since state now providing less than 30% of budget

· When compared to surrounding states, Wisconsin tuition still low

· If go to high-cost, high-aid model, still have to provide financial aid

· No real reason for collective bargaining issue to be tied to budget negotiations; number of things could be taken up as separate legislation

· Thank you for participating in dialogue sessions in last couple weeks on strategic planning ; trying to get to core issues involved in proposals and how they affect future of university

· Will continue informal opportunities to talk about things

· Diversity listening session on October 25, 2007

· Want to create opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and others to come forward and talk about diversity experiences as they live them on campus and in community

· In Eau Claire Community Visioning process, diversity comes up immediately

· Diversity Advisory Commission will take information as well as Work Group 6 proposals and come up with immediate things we can do as well as long-term things to improve inclusiveness on campus and in broader community

· October 26, 2007 will have official celebration of comprehensive capital campaign which will involve number of donors

· Now at $52.2 million producing about $3 million annual output for university; much of that in form of scholarships

· Working with Foundation as continue to evolve own strategic direction; Foundation to have own strategic planning group to support our direction in future

· Next campaign needs to support bricks, mortar, and facilities on one hand, and faculty resources, such as endowed chairs and programmatic funds, on other

· Finishing first campaign; will start on second right away

· Will also be interim projects such as Hobbs Arena and funds for bands, particularly marching bands

III. Unfinished Business

· None

IV. New Business

A. First Reading – Motions from Faculty Personnel and Academic Staff Personnel Committees

Report on Response to UW-System on Leave Reporting and Colleague Coverage – Senator McAleer

· Committees met separately; only substantive difference between motions is order of item #3

· Faculty Personnel Committee believes

· Colleague coverage should not be continued

· Sick leave accrual should be continued during sabbatical

· Would like to see consideration of flex scheduling

· Vice Chair Gapko chaired meeting of Academic Staff Personnel Committee

· Concurred with faculty on colleague coverage

· Sabbaticals do not apply to academic staff

· Changed order of alternative work schedules

· Added academic staff wording to document

· Acceptable to both committees to use #1 and #2 from Faculty Personnel Committee motion and #3 from Academic Staff Personnel Committee motion

· Without objection, presented as one motion to be acted upon by full senate

Motion 44-PC-01

MOVED and seconded by Faculty Personnel Committee (6 for, 0 against) and Academic Staff Personnel Committee (5 for, 0 against) that the following be the response to the UW-System President’s Fringe Benefits Advisory Committee recommendations:

The UW System President’s Fringe Benefits Advisory Committee requested that shared governance groups:

1. Evaluate the continued need for Colleague Coverage as a benefit to students when staff are absent from teaching responsibilities.

2. Re-evaluate the policy that allows sick leave accrual during sabbatical leave.

3. Evaluate alternative models for defined work schedules as they relate to sick leave and the statutory requirements for reporting sick leave.

We shall take each in turn.

1. Evaluate the continued need for Colleague Coverage as a benefit to students when staff are absent from teaching responsibilities. On April 5, 2007, the Special Regent Committee Regarding Fringe Benefit Advisory Committee recommendations unanimously opposed allowing substitution of colleague coverage for sick leave and has suggested deleting all reference to colleague coverage in UPG #10 and amending UPG #10 to include the following language:

Teaching responsibilities not met because of an absence specified in UWS 19.01, Wis. Adm. Code, must be reported as sick leave, regardless of whether a qualified instructor covers the aforementioned responsibilities. Teaching responsibilities include class time preparation, actual classroom instruction, and scheduled office hours available to students for educational guidance.

We are in broad agreement with this recommendation. Though faculty are to be commended for seeing that their courses are taught when medical reasons prevent their doing so themselves, allowing faculty who are unable to work for medical reasons to not use sick time because someone else is covering their classes strains common sense. Given that unused sick time is, subject to various limitations, convertible into health insurance upon retirement, the colleague coverage benefit seems to allow an objectionable “double-dipping.” We imagine that very few Wisconsin citizens enjoy a comparable employment benefit; we hope that eliminating it will be seen as a gesture of good faith and may help improve the regard in which the UW System and its faculty seem to be held. We note that the colleague coverage benefit is “designed solely for the benefit of students” (UPG 10.05), and are disappointed that so little attention is paid to this in the documents UWS staff prepared to assist governance groups in our discussions. Faculty who seek and provide colleague coverage do so from a commitment to students; we hope that changes to sick leave reporting will not affect this.

2. Re-evaluate the policy that allows sick leave accrual during sabbatical leave.

We oppose discontinuing sick leave accrual during sabbatical leave. Discontinuing sick leave accrual during sabbaticals seems to suggest that sabbaticals are akin to vacations. We note that faculty accrue sick leave while on sick leave (UPG 10.03); to discontinue accrual during sabbatical leave but to allow it during sick leave seems contradictory: in both situations, the faculty member remains in pay status, but in the former (but not the latter) the faculty member is actually working. It seems that administrative considerations (e.g., the difficulty of accounting for sick leave during sabbatical, given the unstructured nature of the faculty member’s time while on sabbatical) are the main motivation for discontinuing sick leave accrual during sabbatical. Perhaps an alternative to discontinuing accrual is adopting “flex-time” scheduling during sabbatical leave (see below).

3. Evaluate alternative models for defined work schedules as it relates to sick leave and the statutory requirements for reporting sick leave.

We find it puzzling that System Administrative Personnel Guideline 93-4 encourages “flex-time” for UW System Administration personnel, but not for other UWS faculty and academic staff. According to SAPG 93-4, “Flex-time permits individual employees to alter the standard hours on a daily basis.” After specifying certain hours as core hours, “[t]he employee then can vary his or her work schedule daily, if he or she works the required number of hours per week.”

The only “alternative models for defined work schedules” mentioned in the September 20, 2007, draft memo from Al Crist (UWS Associate Vice President) are variable hours and non-standard workweek. His suggestions ignore (a) the broad move toward flexible scheduling in business (according to Hewitt Associates, three-fourths of large organizations offer flexible work benefits (CNNMoney.com, 6/25/07)) and (b) the designation of flex-scheduling as a Wisconsin “best practice” (<http://workingtogether.state.wi.us/>). Flex-scheduling provides a natural fit for faculty and academic staff workloads. It merits serious consideration for all UWS faculty and academic staff.

We believe that the position expressed by Al Crist in his draft memo of September 20, 2007—i.e., that “a 40 hour workweek must be established for each individual against which he or she will record the use of sick leave”—is inevitable. Providing the alternative of flex-scheduling with defined core hours (and the understanding of a 40-hour work week minimum for full-time faculty and academic staff) affords an equitable method to account for the use of sick leave by faculty and academic staff. Staff would be expected to report sick leave usage when absent from duties not met due to an absence as specified in UWS 19.01, Wis. Adm. Code.

Debate

· Nothing in this proposal changes any absences not connected to illness or personal leave; being away on business should not count as either sick leave or colleague coverage

· Speak against section that would continue sick leave accrual during sabbatical

· Issue at Fringe Benefit Advisory Committee was whether there is mechanism for people to claim sick leave during sabbatical

· Committee felt that given value of benefit overall, this was something that invited criticism and added very little in terms of whole package

· Not setting policy here, just responding to request; odd to accrue sick leave while out sick and not while on sabbatical

· Makes sabbaticals look like vacations

· To stop a benefit because it is difficult to account for seems backward

· Sabbatical is crucial benefit to faculty and institution; key is while on sabbatical are in pay status and sick leave does accrue while in pay status

Amendment 44-PC-01-a1

MOVED by Senator Jol and seconded that last line of second paragraph under #3 be replaced with: Therefore, if accounting for a 40-hour work week is required, we think flex-time scheduling should be the official policy of UW-System for all faculty and academic staff.

Debate on Amendment

· Based on idea that many of us work more than 40 hours per week and flex-time scheduling is already how we work

· If could have complete flex time, then wouldn’t need any sick leave because could always get job done, except for classes

· To extent that have flex time, sick leave less important

· Idea of sick leave is not to give benefit when retire, idea is if ill and can’t complete duties, pay not reduced

· If can do duties when want, then less gets missed, so smaller need for sick leave

· That’s why post target; either hit, or if miss, have to take sick leave

· Flex may be better

· Issue is having flex time and keeping what already have is probably better than they are going to let us have

· Sick leave conversion is low cost (less than 2%) benefit to system; also highly valued by faculty so leads to retention

· Problem is no one else has this benefit

· Would not be created today, trying to hang on to it

· One hesitation Academic Staff Personnel Committee had was not knowing what system planning to do with own personnel guideline 93-4 which encourages flex time for system administration personnel

· Will sick time accrue like everyone else, or getting rid of that policy?

· Working regular schedule other than 9 to 5 referred to as non-standard workweek

· Flex time permits individual employees to alter standard hours daily

· Departments can establish core hours and then individuals vary work schedule daily and work 40 hours per week

· Not necessarily announced ahead of time

· Sick leave accrual plan did not come up in budget conversations so may have dodged bullet this time; don’t know what will happen in future

· Is UW-System’s opinion that will lose this benefit if we don’t compromise on way of accounting for sick leave

· If eliminate colleague coverage and if account better for sick leave, benefit should remain in place

Vote on Amendment 44-PC-01-a1: Amendment PASSED without dissention.

Continued Debate on Main Motion

· Only one memo going to system

MOTION by Vice Chair Gapko that we suspend the rules to vote on this today seconded and PASSED by two-thirds vote.

Continued Debate on Main Motion

· None

Vote on Motion 44-PC-01: Motion PASSED.

B. First Reading – Motion from Academic Policies Committee

Report on Creation of NRSG Prefix, Elimination of ADTN, FMHN, NSYS Prefixes, and Changing Prefixes of all Undergraduate and Graduate ADTN, FMHN, NSYS, and double-numbered nursing courses and records of Registrar’s Office to NRSG – Senator Hollon

· Does away with old set of nursing course prefixes and establishes NRSG prefix and adjusts records of previous work to reflect new prefix

· Language specific because of specific things that need to happen in different offices to carry out action

· This follows reorganization of College of Nursing and Health Sciences last year

Motion 44-AP-01

MOVED and seconded by Academic Policies Committee (9 for, 0 against) that the NRSG prefix be created, that the ADTN, FMHN, and NSYS prefixes be eliminated, and that the prefixes and records in the Registrar’s Office of all undergraduate, graduate, and double-numbered ADTN, FMHN, and NSYS courses be changed to NRSG.

Debate

· Favor motion; following nursing departments reorganization into one department, makes sense to have one prefix

· Will have to work in nursing courses to keep taxonomy of disciplinary knowledge

· Do face catalogue copy deadline in early November

MOTION by Senator Stirm that we suspend the rules to vote on this today seconded and PASSED by two-thirds vote.

Continued Debate on Motion

· Will be impact on Registrar’s Office

Vote on Motion 44-AP-01: Motion PASSED by University Faculty senators.

V. University Senate Chair’s/Faculty Representative’s Report – Chair Wood

· Faculty representatives have not met since last report

· Twice delayed introduction of senators

· Continuing Senators

· Robin Baker, Athletics

· Rosemary Battalio, Special Education

· Judy Blackstone, Counseling Services

· Janice Bogstad, Library

· Jacqueline Bonneville, Advising and New Student Initiatives

· Jennifer Brockpahler, University Centers and Programs

· Michael Carney, Chemistry

· Barbara Davis, Nursing

· Patrick Day, Foreign Languages

· Meg Devine, Accounting and Finance

· Gary Don, Music and Theatre Arts

· Michael Dorsher, Communication and Journalism

· Jeff Erger, Sociology

· Leslie Foster, Library

· Mitchell Freymiller, Biology

· Andrea Gapko, Educational Support Services

· Sue Harrison, Mathematics

· Ann Hoffman, University Advancement

· Bob Hollon, Curriculum and Instruction

· Larry Honl, Business Communication

· Bob Hooper, Geology

· Debra Jansen, Nursing

· Harry Jol, Geography and Anthropology

· Fred Kolb, Economics

· Heather Kretz, Admissions

· Bruce Lo, Information Systems

· David Lonzarich, Biology

· Barbara Lozar, Psychology

· Karl Markgraf, International Education

· Sean McAleer, Philosophy and Religious Studies

· Sue Moore, Records and Registration

· Mike Morrison, Computer Science

· Tarique Niazi, Sociology

· Jill Prushiek, Foundations of Education

· Donna Raleigh, Learning and Technology Services

· Rick Richmond, Learning and Technology Services

· Scott Robertson, Art & Design

· Sherrie Serros, Mathematics

· Mehdi Sheikholeslami, Accounting and Finance

· Earl Shoemaker, Educational Support Services

· Laurie St. Aubin-Whelihan, Continuing Education

· Jan Stirm, English

· Troy Terhark, University Recreation and Sports Facilities

· Charles Vue, Multicultural Affairs

· Sharon Westphal, Psychology

· Scott Whitfield, Physics and Astronomy

· Deborah Wright, Health Services

· Becky Wurzer, Children’s Center

· Chancellor Levin-Stankevich

· Provost and Vice Chancellor Tallant

· New Senators

· Ned Beach, Philosophy and Religious Studies

· January Boten, Housing and Residence Life

· Rosemary Jadack, Nursing

· Jeffrey Janot, Kinesiology

· Dale Johnson, Financial Aid

· Lia Johnson, Art and Design

· Amanda Krier, Housing and Residence Life

· Lisa La Salle, Communication Sciences and Disorders

· Kate Lang, History

· Brian Mahoney, Geology

· Jill Pastrana, Foundations of Education

· Geoff Peterson, Political Science

· Jeanne Skoug, Career Services

· Nick Smiar, Social Work

· Linda Spaeth, Educational Support Services

· Chuck Tomkovick, Management and Marketing

VI. Academic Staff Representative’s Report – Senator Brockpahler

· No report besides minutes previously sent; if any questions, email me at your convenience

VII. Reportable Items from Committees

¨ None

VIII. Special Reports

· None

IX. Miscellaneous Business

· None

X. Announcements

· Next week is fifth Tuesday of October; reserved for open forums and special topics for senate and university community

· Will host another discussion on strategic planning and role governance will play as strategic plan implemented

Without objection, meeting adjourned at 4:05 p.m.

Submitted by,

Wanda Schulner

Secretary to the University Senate