Chair’s Report for November 11, 2003

 

Senate update

1.        Senators - remember to initial the sign-in roster. Guests should sign the Guest Register.

2.        Important links to agendas, minutes, Chair's Reports and other sites of interest are available
on the Senate web site: http://www.uwec.edu/Usenate. Senate Chair’s Report will be available on this site by noon on the day of the Senate meeting.

3.        During debates, Senators may speak only twice to any motion or amendment. Each speaking term is limited to 10 minutes. The Chair will add names of those wishing to speak to a speaker's list upon recognition.

 

Senate Actions signed off by the Chancellor

1.        Acknowledged Academic Staff Representative’s Issue Statement

2.        Approved Instructional Academic Staff Full-Time Teaching Load

 

Open Forum Items from Senate Executive Committee Meeting minutes

1.        Resolution similar to one passed by Stevens Point Senate distributed with agenda

·         Might be time to make voice heard on matter of state support for university system

·         Resolution would be sent to system administration, regents, legislators, and governor

2.        Perhaps should consider either legislative liaison from University Senate or legislative liaison committee to deal with political issues that now seem to dominate

·         Most other campuses handle in this manner; at some, faculty reps also legislative liaison; others have senate committees

·         Mike Rindo,  Executive Director of University Communications, current legislative liaison from UW-Eau Claire

·         Meets in Madison with public liaison group; chancellor also meets often with legislators

·         Monitors legislative action and legislative updates

·         Makes university positions on issues known to legislators; also done by chancellor and financial people

·         Another option would be for current liaison to attend senate meetings and/or give periodic reports

·         Would be good for wider campus community to know identity and role of liaison

·         Important to open and expand communication from larger number of people on campus

·         Such things as letters to editor or op/ed pieces

·         Some strong, clear letters; others sometimes confuse issues; can’t control that; still good to get ideas out

·         Closer contact with senate would help update on what happening in Madison

·         Could also aid in coordination of letter-writing campaigns if necessary

·         Possibility of inviting legislators to attend senate meetings and/or hold panel discussions

·         Consensus to contact Mike Rindo for possible attendance at next executive meeting and provide reports and updates for senate

 

Other Items discussed with the Chair

1.        Discussed the idea of inviting legislators to Senate with Mike Rindo. Decided to take advantage of the upcoming Legislator’s Breakfast held here at UWEC by inviting a few faculty and academic staff senators to join legislators at the breakfast.

 

Faculty Reps Meeting – October 31 in Madison

1.        Discussed status of health insurance. Expectation is faculty/academic staff contribution may drop in price to match price negotiated by represented employees. Noted while many universities are self-insured, would require legislation to allow it to happen in Wisconsin. White paper from Economic Summit looks at political and value-based realities of health care differences. See http://www.wisconsin.edu/summit/papers/HealthCare.pdf . Process for insurance bids continues – summer ’04 will set insurance prices for 2005.

2.        Discussed how best to balance faculty and academic staff with the goal of achieving equity and clarity in teaching roles. Discovered  work loads for Instructional Academic Staff vary across system (as reported by Faculty Reps): Milw – varies by department; 15 credit load at RF, Oshk, Plattev, UWEC, Sup; 12 at Colleges, LaCr, Parkside, StPt, Stout (with push to 15); 15 one semester, 12 next at WW; 14 at GB.

3.        Reviewed upcoming Regents meeting (see Board of Regents section). Reps reviewed UW/WTCS Transfer Plan and made a few language suggestion changes. These changes were incorporated into the policy presented to the Regents.

 

 

Board of Regents Meeting – November 6 and 7 in Madison

                Day 1 summary: http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2003/r031106c.htm

                Day 2 summary: http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2003/r031107c.htm

1.   The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents on Friday (Nov. 7) approved four action items as part of a plan that will increase opportunities for credit transfer between the UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System.

        With the board's approval, the two systems can continue working to implement the approved measures by Fall 2004. The four points the board approved will:

  • allow UW institutions to transfer WTCS occupational/technical courses, such as accounting or computer science, on a course-by-course basis without a formal program agreement;
  • establish a list of WTCS general education core courses that will transfer to any UW campus, and allow up to 30 core credits to apply to a student's selected degree program;
  • develop a new written format for degree completion program agreements that will show what courses will transfer, how they apply to a degree and what a student still needs to graduate; and
  • provide printed reports to students through the UW's Transfer Information System (http://www.uwsa.edu/tis/) that will serve as credit transfer contracts.

The board voted to defer until its December meeting two additional items initially included in the resolution for further study. Those items would:

  • if approved by UW faculty, allow completed WTCS liberal arts degrees (up to 72 credits) to satisfy UW general education requirements;
  • create a broad-based committee to explore additional options and develop a plan to increase the number of Wisconsin citizens with bachelor's degrees.

2.     The full board gave its approval Friday to a three-year pilot "Return to Wisconsin" program, which will offer a 25 percent discount on tuition for nonresident students who are children or grandchildren of UW alumni at participating campuses.

Under the pilot program, participating nonresident students will still pay more than the actual cost it takes to educate them, even with the tuition discount. Campuses can then use the additional tuition revenue to benefit more Wisconsin students.

Campuses that will participate include UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater. The program will admit the nonresident students to these campuses above enrollment targets already in place so that no Wisconsin students will be displaced. Applicants will be held to the same academic standards as all students.

 

Legislative Update

1. AB-609 was passed by the Assembly. It restores the National Guard tuition grant formula that was changed in the budget bill. The changes in the budget bill penalized students attending UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, which have higher tuition rates.

2. SB-214, the proposal to allow persons to carry concealed weapons (with an exemption for higher educational buildings, but not all property) passed the Assembly. In passing the bill, seven Assembly Democrats joined 57 Republicans. The Assembly added additional exemptions that are expected to be quickly approved by the Senate. The Governor has said he will veto the bill. The Legislature will almost certainly attempt a veto override.

3. AB-183 was passed by the Assembly on a 97-0 vote. The bill would limit the number of college credits that a high school student can take under the Youth Options Program to 18.

4. The Assembly will be in session on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 12 and 13, and is expected to vote on AB-342. (Rep. Kreibich) The bill makes students convicted of possessing (with intent to manufacture, distribute, or deliver) or of manufacturing, distributing or delivering, a controlled substance ineligible for state financial aid.

5. SB-297 has been introduced by Sen. Kanavas. This bill makes many changes relating to management of state government, land information and state printed publications. Several of these affect the UW System, including purchasing and human resources management systems, and printing restrictions. This bill is similar to provisions vetoed in Act 33, the 2003-05 budget bill. The bill was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, Veterans and Military Affairs and Government Reform.