Academic Staff Council Minutes
9/20/04
Members Present: Alicia Acken, Carmen Croonquist, Sarah Egerstrom, Mark Kinders, Gretchen Link, Steve Luebke, Amber Tubré,
Members Absent: Kimberly Gould Speckman, Sue Walton
Call to order at 2:05 p.m.
Approval of 5/26/04 minutes. Motion made by M. Kinders. Seconded by G. Link. Unanimously approved.
Chair’s Report (A. Tubré for S.
Walton)
UW-RF is hosting the Academic Staff Leadership Conference in Summer 2005. Leslie Bleskachek has volunteered to chair the planning committee and is gathering presenter information and ideas. A formal meeting should be scheduled soon.
S. Walton met with Kathy Schultz, the new Human Resources director, to review the performance evaluation section of the Academic Staff handbook. Kathy is very interested in reviewing and updating this document. Kathy and Sue will meet again in October.
Representative’s Report (A. Tubré
for K. Gould Speckman)
K. Gould Speckman has not yet attended a meeting of the Academic Staff Representatives.
Legislative Update (M. Kinders)
The UW Board of Regents has submitted the new biennium budget but has not yet received any reaction. Focus is on avoiding raids of auxiliary funds, position restoration, and a 3% catch-up increase for faculty and staff salaries (in addition to the pay plan).
The Legislative Audit Bureau recently conducted an audit of
administrative staffing of the UW System and determined that approximately 25%
of the filled positions in the UW System were “administrative” and
“administrative expenditures” represented 15% of the UW System’s operating
expenditures. A response to this
evaluation from Kevin Reilly expresses concern that the “LAB method for calculating
administrative costs differs significantly from the accepted practice of
calculating these costs by universities around the country.” LAB’s definition of
administrative positions included “staff in admissions, student affairs,
athletics, career planning, counseling, financial aid, intramural sports, and
university housing – all core student services activities in an institution of
higher education that most students and citizens would not generally consider
‘administrative’ functions.”
Facilitation workshops were a great success and were very well attended. Lisa Hinz will be sending evaluation and assessment information soon. We need to begin planning our ˝ day follow-up sessions tentatively scheduled for January.
Due to a recent retirement of one of our members, there is one position open on Academic Staff Council. A call for nominations was sent on 9/20. A paper ballot of those nominated and interested in serving will be sent out for a final vote the week of 10/4.
M. Kinders is working on the New Voter Project to distribute information about the importance of student voters and voter registration information. Ron Kind and Mark Green will be speaking on campus, and Russ Feingold, Dale Schultz, President George W. Bush, and Sen. John Kerry have been invited. "Voter Palooza" will be held October 4-12, and will include bands, speakers, entertainment and voter registration activities.
G. Link is working with other campus and community partners to host a simulated house party to be held on campus to encourage safety in these activities.
S. Egerstrom reported that there are 1215 new freshman students and 400 transfer students at UW-RF this fall, which is a record number.
Tubré noted the resignation of Outreach and Graduate Studies Dean, Lee Zaborowski. Katrina Larsen will be acting as the Interim Director of Outreach and Doug Johnson will be the Interim Director of Graduate Studies.
M. Kinders reported that the Chancellor search is in progress. It is expected that 15 semi-finalists will be interviewed in mid-December. From that group, 5 finalists will be brought to UW-RF for 2-day on-campus interviews.
S. Luebke reported that his son, Eric, was born in June. Congratulations!
Adjourned at 2:32 p.m. Motion made by S. Egerstrom. Seconded by G. Link.