Greetings! I can’t believe this is the end of another year!! As we wrap up senate business and conduct elections to see who will represent our senate, let me just thank everyone who made this another special year. The issues we have dealt with are important and it is great to work at a campus that values the opinions of academic staff.
As for meetings to report on, I have already reported on my comments to the Stout Foundation and the Alumni Association (see below). I did want to give readers some details on two of the other meetings I participated in:
April 7, Chancellor’s Advisory Council. The first topic was Inclusive Excellence. The Provost reported that UW System has proposed the Inclusive Excellence…Strategies for Diversity after Plan 2008 process. This is a process developed by the Association of American Colleges & Universities.
This is a broader look at diversity and includes four primary elements: (1) a focus on student intellectual and social development; (2) a purposeful development and utilization of organizational resources to enhance organizational and student learning; (3) attention to cultural differences (race and ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, first language, physical and learning ability, and learning style); and (4) a welcoming community that engages all of its diversity to achieve equity in treatment, educational outcomes, and organizational learning.
Julie commented that we have a campus group reviewing the current Plan 2008, categorizing initiatives based on assignments. We have also signed on to do the Equity Scorecard that will start in the fall. We are looking at a new position to serve as director of diversity for the campus. It was suggested that the Board of Regents should look at the definition used for ethnic studies so that it matches up with this broader definition. Members of the campus committee will be meeting with numerous groups to obtain feedback on the inclusive excellence process and submit that information to System.
Next, Meridith Wentz demonstrated a new data sharing website for polytechnic institutions that is being developed. Dan Krueger (LIT) and Wendy Knutson (BPA) have also worked on this. This site would be used by people in the institutional research area. There will be a security and privacy statement included. They are targeting the end of summer to get the members list completed.
We did pause at 11:10 a.m. for a moment of silence observed during the ringing of the Bowman Bells in memory of the three students who died in the house fire on Saturday.
The final topic was Educational Support Unit Review Committee (ESURC) recommendations. Meridith commented that the ESURC studied the current review process during 2007-2008 and she described the recommendations and timeline they are proposing, based on their study.
May 2, Academic Staff Reps Council. As you know I meet monthly with the other Academic Staff Reps from the System. This time we met jointly with the Faculty Reps and spoke directly with UW System President Kevin Reilly. Major agenda discussion points included: Compensation, Job Security for Academic Staff, Shared Governance Protocol, Governance Groups speaking at a Board meeting, Membership and role of System-wide committees and task forces, Joint Legislative Concerns. It was a wonderful opportunity and good meetings! There is a lot of support for Academic Staff from both the System President and from our faculty colleagues.
Other meetings I participated in representing the Senate of Academic Staff included:
- 4/10: Discussion on updating Faculty and AS Handbook
- 4/11-12: Alumni Association Meetings
- 4/13: Retention Steering Committee
- 4/17: State Academic Staff Reps Council in Madison
- 4/18: ASPRO Board in Madison
- 4/19: Stout Foundation Board
- 4/21: Meeting with Chancellor
- 4/22: Senate Exec Committee
- 4/25: Retention Steering Committee Retreat
- 4/30: Meeting with Vice Chancellor Moen
As most of you know I will be taking a few vacation days celebrating my second wedding anniversary so our Vice Chair Jerry Addie will represent us on CAC Monday where the first STEM Dean candidate will be present and will lead Tuesday’s Senate meeting.
Upcoming meetings and events I will be participating include:
- 5/8: Meeting with Provost Furst-Bowe
- 5/8: CAC/STEM Dean candidate
- 5/9: Final meeting of the 3 campus governance leaders
- 5/10: Graduation ceremonies
- 5/12: Administrative Leadership Team
- 5/15: Final senate office hours of year
- 5/16: ASPRO Board teleconference
- 5/20: CAC/STEM Dean candidate
- 5/21: Meeting with Chancellor
- 7/16: Stout Stakeholder Visioning Session
- 7/17-18: Academic Staff Leadership Conference in Platteville
- 7/23: Summer picnic senate meeting for 2008-09 senators (guests are welcome!)
Dennis Shaw, 2007-2008 Chair
Senate of Academic Staff
