ACADEMIC STAFF COUNCIL MINUTES

NOVEMBER 18, 1998

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:

· Budget item 01-00-01: First Year Student Seminar courses.
· Budget item 04-00-02b: UW-La Crosse Western Wisconsin Pre-College Center.
· Budget item 04-00-04: Academic Success Institute.

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:

· 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:

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:

· 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:

· 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:

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.

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