Meeting Minutes

January 22, 2007

Members present: Alicia Acken Cosgrove, Kevin Bertelsen, Sarah Egerstrom, Brad Gee, Mark Kinders, Gretchen Link, Jason Neuhaus, Travis Tubré

Members absent: Carmen Croonquist, Kimberly Gould-Speckman, Cara Rubis (on leave)

Substitute: McKenna Schumacher for Carmen Croonquist

Call to order: 2:05 p.m.

Approval of 12/18/06 Minutes: Motion made by K. Bertelsen. Seconded by G. Link. Unanimously approved.

Chair's Report (S. Egerstrom):

Committee was reminded about the schedule of events for the grand opening of the University Center.

Committee members should encourage departments to participate in Spirit Days on Fridays.

Gorden Hedahl asked that the Academic Staff Council review the draft of the North Central Association Report and comment on gaps needing to be filled and items needing additional discussion.

Governor Doyle responded positively by letter to the letter of support for his growth agenda sent by the Academic Staff Council.

The Faculty Senate approved a 50-minute class schedule effective next fall semester.

The Diversity Committee, created by the Faculty Senate, is looking for an academic staff representative.

Represesentative's Report: The January meeting of Academic Staff Representatives was cancelled.

Legislative Update (Kinders):

The governor is in the middle of the budget setting process. Chris Patton, a UWRF alumnus, is serving on the governor's staff as a policy analyst for higher education.

Local legislators visited campus recently and were very receptive to issues regarding funding for a new Health and Human Performance building on campus.

The debate over tuition reciprocity between Minnesota and Wisconsin has been pushed up to the governors' offices for negotiation.

New Business: None

Continuing Business:

Handbook Updates
Discussion of Sections 1 & 2 will be moved to the February meeting.

Sections 11 & 12 (Kinders):

Several minor cosmetic changes and changes in the numbering of individual subsections within sections 11 & 12 were proposed. The following more substantive changes in wording were discussed:

Section 11.3.6 (11.3.G in current document) - Motion was made by Acken Cosgrove to add the following wording to the end of the last sentence: "as needed to achieve a quorum of the council." Seconded by Bertelsen. Unanimously approved.

Section 11.3.9 (11.3.I in current document) - Motion was made by Kinders to replace the current wording with the following: "The concerned academic staff member may be present at the discretion of the Council at those times when information is being presented to the Council. The majority of the Council must vote to exclude the complainant." Seconded by Link. Unanimously approved.

Final motion to adopt Section 11 as modified was made by Kinders. Seconded by Link. Unanimously approved.

Final motion to adopt Section 12 as modified was made by Bertelsen. Seconded by Link. Unanimously approved.

Adjournment: 3:35 p.m. Motion made by B. Gee. Seconded by G. Link. Unanimously approved.