Members Present:
Kathleen Olsen, Mike Stifter, Larry Testa, Sarah Egerstrom, Sue Walton, Steve Luebke, Gretchen Link, Tony Bredahl and Mark Kinders

Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 3:02 PM

Chair’s Report:

• The UW System is still waiting to see how the gubernatorial change will affect any of the Board of Regents appointments.  Although not necessarily all will be replaced, the System could possibly have 6 new Regents.

• Specific numbers are to be determined, but more budgets cuts are expected:
• System Administration is participating in an exercise that plans for a 5 percent reduction in funding
• A 5 percent reduction in funding would result in approximately a $1 million cut for UWRF.  This type of reduction would be devastating to our campus – could result in elimination of 27 positions and several hundred students.
• There is some discussion about an 8 percent increase in tuition to offset the cuts
• Doyle’s budget should be submitted by mid January/February
• There is definitely a sense of urgency among campuses to resolve these issues.  The UW System has a strategic plan in place for dealing with the legislature.
  
  
• More information about legislative and budget concerns may be discussed at the Chancellor’s Council meeting on November 14th from 2:00-5:00 PM.

• Participated in the Compensation Advisory Committee Meeting and had the following to report:
There is a discrepancy in pay scales between the UW System and our peer institutions outside the system.  As a System, salaries are significantly below the averages seen at our competitors.  For example, full professors at UW-RF are paid approximately $10,000 less than their peers at institutions outside the UW System.  Also, our academic staff (category A) have salaries that are approximately 17% below market in comparison to salaries across the system (Madison and Milwaukee included in this figure). It may be realistic for academic staff members to expect a 3 percent increase in salary next year.
 
• Tony will have more to report at the next meeting – he travels to Madison tomorrow

• With whom does a classified staff member file a grievance against an academic staff member?
John Spielman (Human Resources) should be notified of the complaint.  However, there is a lot of “gray area” regarding this matter and the Academic Staff Council may at times be the appropriate channel to use when filing a grievance.

• Next week, Tony and Sue are attending a governance meeting sponsored by the Leadership Center to explain why Academic Staff exist and what roles they play on our campus.

Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 3:44 PM