Chair’s Report for May 10,
2005
Senate update
► Changes
due to length of agenda and end of semester:
-
During
debate, Senators may speak only twice to any motion or amendment. Each speaking
term is limited to five (5) minutes. The Chair will add names of
those wishing to speak to a speaker's list upon recognition.
-
Everyone
wishing to speak to an issue will be allowed to speak once before second-round
speaking terms begin.
-
Debate
on a given issue will be limited to 30
minutes. If at the end of 30 minutes the body is not ready to conclude debate,
the Chair will entertain a motion to either postpone further debate to the end
of the current meeting or refer the item to a committee.
► Senate
Chair rulings (any senator may challenge these rulings):
-
The
term "main motion" used on the name tags in reference to "Moving
the Previous Question", stopping debate, and if passed, immediately voting
on the "main motion" refers to the motion under discussion at
the time someone moves the Question. Therefore, if one "moves the previous
question" during the debate on an amendment and the motion to move the
question passes, debate on the amendment stops and an immediate vote is taken
on the amendment under discussion.
-
With
respect to the previously distributed details of making a "motion to
Reconsider": (a) in the absence of a recorded vote, as long as another
senator can verify that a person voted on the prevailing side, that person may
"move to reconsider"; (b) only those who originally have the right to
vote on a motion (and who voted on the prevailing side), have the right to
bring that motion back up for "reconsideration"; (c) a
reconsideration can occur either on the same day or the next day on which
business occurs in the session – that means the next Senate meeting.
1.
Senate
Membership
2.
Senate
and University Committees; College Faculties
3.
Selection
and Evaluation of Administrators
4.
Roll
Call Vote Bylaws
5.
Academic
Staff Review of Performance
6.
University
General Education Committee
7.
Comprehensive
Salary Plan 2005-2006
8.
Dual
Degree – Geological Engineering
9.
Clarification
on Voting in Personnel Actions
10. Post-Tenure Review
Salary Adjustments
11. Chair Administrative
Review
12. Authorization to
Implement Women’s Studies Major
13. Procedures for
Recruitment of Unit Directors
Names of those appointed
to Chancellor Search & Screen Committee reported in University Bulletin this week.
Faculty Reps Meeting via
teleconference, Friday, April 29
1. Faculty Senate at LaCrosse
established academic review committee to establish academic effects of proposed
budget cuts.
2. In discussion on Professorial Productivity
Raises, wondered if any way to package the idea for legislative support rather
than use pay plan for funding.
3. Budget Process update. Joint
Finance going into executive session. UW System budget coming up early
to mid May in discussions. Number 1 issue from System is pay plan. System
suggested as of now and Timberlake to ask, with Governor’s approval, for 2%
increase as of July 05, 2% increase July 06, followed by 1% in April 07 for
unclassified staff. President of system says we need at least that and also
asked for additional money to be added towards end of biennium for market
adjustment money, something around 5% at the end of the biennial period – this
is more iffy. Money for market adjustment would be applied to making sure we
retain people and recruit the best people.
= Principles the WI
Senate is using for operating – one is NO tax increase, one is NO fee hike – a
problem if tuition is considered a fee hike. Also limit the rate of revenue
growth, no new bonding for annual operations, cap transfers to general fund at
1% of general fund, structural deficit to be greatly reduced, and include
property tax freeze. Finance process screeched to halt as principles set were
immediately violated.
= Credit transfer with
technical colleges coming up as proposal where credit transfer is mandated. Concern
as this relates to Chapter 36 and the role of faculty in academic program
decisions. Also proposed changes in retirement plan – adjusting retirement age
to 59.5 and changing annuity plans. System has been told domestic partner
benefits will ‘not see the light of day’ in the budget.
4. Open Meeting laws with Chris Ashley from UW
System Legal Counsel – faculty member has the right to request an open meeting
when it involves tenure; same right is not available for any other types of
decisions. Position taken – is up to committee chair and committee to invite
who they want to the closed part of any meeting. Next - discussed the use of
signed ballots in closed session and the need to record the results.
5. Routing complaints against faculty – briefly
discussed how the process works on various campuses.
Board of Regents Meeting
at Stout, May 5th & 6th
1. See Day One Summary: www.wisconsin.edu/news/2005/r050505.htm
and Day Two Summary: www.wisconsin.edu/news/2005/r050506b.htm
for details.
Legislative Update – Portions from the
Legislative Update prepared by UW System staff
1.
The Colleges and University Committee will
meet to consider AB 239 a bill by Representative Kreibich
to cap tuition at 3% on Tuesday, May 3, at 9:00 a.m. in room 225-Northwest. An
additional GPR appropriation of $23.8 million in year one and an increase over
that amount of an additional $21.8 million in year two of the biennium would be
required to replace lost tuition revenue if the bill were passed. Without an
appropriation, the bill would mean a cut in revenue to campuses of more than
$20 million per year. The bill can be found at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-239.pdf
2.
The Assembly
Budget Review Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17, in 328-Northwest
to discuss AB-186, which requires all contractual services purchased by state
executive branch agencies to be performed within the
3.
The Senate will
take up the bill proposing to add another student member to the Board of
Regents.
SB-121
will be taken up Tuesday, May 3.
4.
SB 187
(Leibham) was introduced to prohibit a student who
has been convicted of certain drug crimes to be eligible for the WHEG grant.
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Higher Education and Tourism.
SB 187 can be found at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/SB-187.pdf
5.
Rep. Steve Wieckert has introduced AR-14, a
resolution that asks the Wisconsin Technical College System and the UW System
to collaborate to reduce the nursing shortage and reduce the shortage of other
health care occupation professionals. AR-14 was referred to the Assembly
Committee on Colleges and Universities. The resolution may be found at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AR-14.pdf
6.
AB 387
(Hundertmark) has introduced a bill to expand the
nursing student loan program to include nurse educators. The bill can be found
at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-387.pdf
7.
Federal
Government Update: Agreement was reached by Republican congressional leaders on
a budget resolution for FY2006. Passage is expected. The resolution includes a
$100 increase, to $4,150, in the maximum Pell Grant, forgives the $4.3 billion
shortfall in the program, and maintains the Perkins Loan program. The
resolution also directs Congress to cut $7 billion from student loan programs
or find similar savings through Higher Education Act reauthorization. Savings
would be directed toward deficit reduction. The budget is not binding and sets
broad parameters for how much money the federal government may spend in a given
year. Appropriations bills must be passed by Congress to finance the FY 2006
operations, which begin on October 1.