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Present: Alecksen, Bell,
Burkhardt, Palmer, Quarberg, Rindt-Wagner, White,
Wirkus, Wrobel
Excused: Brueggeman, Vilmo
Guests: D. Campbell, C. Kratz, K. Saeger, D.
Schumacher
I. Meeting called to order at 2:35 p.m.
II. Open Forum Discussion: Planning and
Budgeting Priorities for 1998-99 - Following
introductions, the Planning and Budgeting Priorities for
1998-99 discussion began with an update from Jodie
Rindt-Wagner, Academic Staff Council rep to the budget
committee. She stated that the deans have all attended a
budget committee meeting to discuss their colleges
priorities. The floor was then opened for discussion.
The concerns included:
· Budget item 06-00-06 - Educational
Technology Consoles (additional units): Currently
there are approximately a dozen technology carts on
the campus, and several multi-media rooms. Why isn’t
there a budget to maintain these areas now? If a
piece of equipment is not working, or a
faculty/staff member needs a change or improvement
of the equipment, how would it be funded now rather
than two biennia from now?
· Salary Savings: Anticipated salary savings
due to retirements should not be relied upon so
heavily. There is too much faith being placed upon
these "possible savings" when persons will probably
be hired at the same salaries.
· Budget item 02-00-03: Schedule 25: Software
for Facility Scheduling and Analysis: Concern was
expressed about whether this initiative will be
funded from 128 accounts or GPR accounts. Using 128
accounts would charge some students twice, and since
scheduling affects all students, using GPR funds
would ensure that all students pay the same for this
service.
Support was requested for the following budget
initiatives:
The Academic Staff Council Executive Committee will
continue discussion of this issue at it’s December 2
meeting. A letter will be prepared to send to Interim
Provost Hastad stating the council’s feedback.
III. Tuition Per Credit - Chair Quarberg gave
a brief overview of the tuition per credit issue, and
during a lengthy and lively discussion, the following
concerns were brought up:
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· How would the availability and cost of UW
Extension courses for students be affected?
· Clinical Science program staff provided estimates
that showed tuition costs would rise considerably,
both for Wisconsin residents and out-of-state
residents in their program.
· There may eventually be a need to raise tuition to
cover any lost revenue, thus making students pay
more.
· Fewer students in one-credit classes could create
staffing issues, especially in the art, music, ESS
departments. Students may not take these one-credit
courses if they have to "pay" additionally for them.
· Departments that generate their own revenue could
see a loss of revenue and be forced to implement
staff cutbacks.
· As far as part-time students are concerned, why
not look at alternatives to reduce their tuition to
a more equitable rate. This could be a simpler
solution.
· Written documentation submitted expressed concern
about music classes (choir, band, orchestra) that
could be hurt drastically by students being forced
to pay what they view as added per-credit tuition
costs. Students from many majors take these
one-credit classes, and may be less apt to for an
"additional" fee. Would the university be giving up
its goal to educate students to prepare for life,
rather than just preparing them for work, by
adopting this new tuition proposal?
· General consensus is that more studies should be
done and more time taken to make such a large
decision that could negatively affect the university
and its students, with no apparent benefits. A
four-year commitment for a pilot program is a long
time. There are not enough guarantees from UW System
that would prevent the high cost of possible
failure. UW-L would be rushed into the pilot
program.
Following the discussion, a motion was made that the
Academic Staff Council cannot support the per-credit
tuition pilot program at this time because it believes
it would be detrimental for the university and its
students. The motion passed unanimously. More studies
are needed to ensure a smooth implementation and
operation of such a program.
IV. M/S/P to approve the minutes of the October 28,
1998 council meeting.
V. Academic Calendar - The academic calendar
for 2000-01 was reviewed by the Executive Committee at
the November 11 meeting. Chair Quarberg has written a
memo to Interim Provost Hastad to inform him that "since
the calendar is taken from the "Revised Seven Year Cycle
Calendar," which we reviewed last year, we foresee no
problems with the document and approve it."
Terry Wirkus requested that Chair Quarberg make
Interim Provost Hastad aware that a universal UW System
calendar would be helpful for distance education
classes.
VI. Ad Hoc Committee on Commencement
Recommendations - This committee has been formed and
charged by Chancellor Kuipers to review the Student
Association recommendation of last spring that two
students be permitted to speak at each commencement
ceremony. The committee has made recommendations to the
Chancellor. Council has not been asked to respond to
these recommendations at this time.
VII. Provost/Vice Chancellor Search and Screen
Committee - The search and screen committee has been
formed and will begin meeting on November 19. Committee
members are as follows:
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Faculty Reps:
Dr. Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted
Dr. Stephen Brokaw
Dr. Jearold Holland
Dr. Jaime Perry
Dr. Richard Sullivan
Academic Staff Reps:
Ms. Donna Alecksen
Mr. Jay Lokken
Alternate: Ms. Mailee Kue
Student Rep:
Mr. T. J. Lofgren
Classified Rep:
Ms. Gloria Wiener
Chancellor’s Appointments:
Dean Mike Nelson
Dr. Richard Swantz
VIII. Minority Disadvantaged/Design for Diversity
- Chancellor Kuipers received a review of UW-La Crosse’s
M/D Annual Report from Tess Arenas, UW System, Assistant
to the President for Multicultural Affairs. A copy of
this review is on file in the Council Office.
IX. Chancellor’s Visit - Chancellor Kuipers
met with the Executive Committee and responded to a list
of questions Chair Quarberg had forwarded to her.
Discussion included:
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· University/UW System budget: The planning and
budgeting priorities for 1998-99 have been
distributed to the Chancellor’s cabinet and the
governance groups. The Chancellor is developing base
support for the university’s DIN request.
· An update on the Southworth case: The Board of
Regents received the 7th Circuit’s denial of their
appeal for reconsideration of the Southworth
decision. They have decided to appeal the case to
the Supreme Court.
· Provost Search: The search and screen committee
has been formed and will begin meeting next week.
The Chancellor’s charge to this committee is to have
a new Provost named by May, and that the new Provost
will join the University by summer 1999.
· Student Development division reorganization: Is on
hold. An interim dean will be named this spring, and
a search for the dean will begin after the new
Provost begins his/her duties.
· Health care costs for new employees: Chancellor
does not believe the legislature will pass an
additional budget allocation to fund health care
costs at the time of employment for new employees.
· Allied Health Consortium: A new plan is being
developed regarding control/supervision of the
Student Health Center in the new health building.
There is still some fine tuning to be done.
Chancellor will keep the Council updated.
· Tuition by credit: There have been discussions on
campus regarding our campus serving as a pilot
program for UW System on tuition by credit. A
decision will have to be made by December 15, 1998.
· Staff use of the REC: Chancellor will meet with a
local businessman in the next few weeks to determine
whether or not he will take the unfair competition
issue to the Board of Regents.
Chair Quarberg updated Chancellor on the following
issues:
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· The policies that are being worked on regarding
Category B career progression, and compliance with
the instructional academic staff evaluation policy.
· The Academic Staff International Task Force that
was recently formed to investigate
international/national academic experiences for
non-instructional and instructional academic staff
members.
· The academic staff Leadership Conference that will
be held on the UW-L campus July 14-16, 1999.
X. Title Review Committee - The Title Review
Committee met in October and November to review requests
for progression from the associate to the no-prefix
level and from no-prefix to senior level in the
professional title series. The requests were supported
and forwarded to Chancellor Kuipers. She has approved
the recommendations of the Title Review Committee.
XI. Ethics Advisory Committee - Chancellor
Kuipers has appointed an Ethics Advisory Committee as
required by UWS 8.035 and outlined in UWL 8.035 to
provide unclassified staff with consultation and advice
on applying Chapter 8: Unclassified Code of Ethics to
their outside activities. Academic staff representatives
on this committee are: Steve Stach and Jan Von Ruden.
Alternates are Jim Jorstad and Karla Stanek.
XII. Committee Reports:
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International Task Force - Has received
support of the Chancellor. They will seek support
from Interim Provost Hastad and Interim Assistant
Vice-Chancellor for Academic Services, Dale
Montgomery. Goals include obtaining funding from
Professional Development funds for one proposal for
next semester, and to obtain funding from the
Chancellor for one academic staff member to
participate in the China trip in May. The task force
will start slowly and look for ways to possibly
create matching funds from System. A survey will be
created and sent to all academic staff members.
Joint Minority Affairs - First meeting was
held on November 17. The committee is working on the
first internal draft which is due to the Chancellor
December 20. The second draft is due February 15,
1999 and the final draft is due March 15, 1999. The
document is due to System on April 15. Chancellor
has charged the committee to come up with new
initiatives.
Professional Development - Professional
development grants have been awarded. Letters will
be sent to recipients and an announcement will be
placed in the Campus Connection.
Academic Staff Rep Report - A copy of
Donna Alecksen’s report is on file in the council
office.
XIII. Category B Career Progression - Chair
Quarberg presented the Academic Staff Category B Career
Progression document. Feedback from the Faculty Senate
Executive Committee and from the Salary and Personnel
Committee has been received and incorporated into the
document. Following discussion, M/S/P to move forward
with the Academic Staff Category B Career Progression
document. The motion passed unanimously. A copy of this
document is on file in the council office.
XIV. Announcements - System President
Katherine Lyall has proposed a 5.2% pay increase for
faculty and academic staff in each of the years of the
next biennia.
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The Board of Regents passed the addition of three
non-accumulating personal days for unclassified
staff.
The Academic Staff Newsletter will be in the mail
on Thursday, November 19.
Legislative Updates are on file in the council
office.
XV. Adjournment - M/S/P to adjourn at 4:10 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Sue Wrobel, Secretary
[Academic Staff Council]
[Minutes] |
