Category: UW

PROFS Statement on Selection of UCLA Law School Dean Jennifer Mnookin as UW-Madison Chancellor

Jennifer Mnookin

Yesterday, the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents announced they had unanimously selected UCLA Law School Dean Jennifer Mnookin as the next UW-Madison chancellor. Mnookin will begin in August and Provost John Karl Scholz will serve as interim chancellor after Chancellor Rebecca Blank steps down at the end of the month.

PROFS’ statement on the selection is below.

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PROFS/ASPRO Legislative Forum Video

PROFS and ASPRO co-hosted an in-person panel discussion on the recently-completed 2021-22 Legislative Session. The April 28 panel discussed implications of the session for the university and looked forward to what may happen after the 2022 elections, including what UW-Madison needs from the state to remain a top public research university.

The panel:

Jessie Opoien, Cap Times Capitol Bureau Chief moderated.

Reminder — PROFS/ASPRO Legislative Forum Thursday

Reminder: PROFS and ASPRO will co-host a legislative forum tomorrow, Thursday, April 28 at noon in the De Luca Forum in the Discovery Building, 330 N. Orchard Street. Please note the room has changed. WisconsinEye will stream the event live and a recording will be posted by PROFS within a few days of the event.

Our panel will review the recently-completed 2021-22 Legislative Session and discuss implications of the session for the university and look forward to what may happen after the 2022 elections, including what UW-Madison needs from the state to remain a top public research university.

Our panel:

Jessie Opoien, Cap Times Capitol Bureau Chief will moderate.

This event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served.

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State Legislative Forum Hosted by PROFS and ASPRO

PROFS will co-host an in-person panel discussion reviewing the recently-completed 2021-22 Legislative Session. Panelists will discuss implications of the session for the university and look forward to what may happen after the 2022 elections, including what UW-Madison needs from the state to remain a top public research university.

The forum will be held at noon, Thursday, April 28 in the Discovery Center’s Orchard View Room (330 N. Orchard Street).

Our panel:

Jessie Opoien, Cap Times Capitol Bureau Chief will moderate.

This event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served.

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April Legislative Update

This legislative update was shared with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty Senate. The senate meets the first Monday of every month at 3:30 pm during the academic year, October through May, except in January. Guests are welcome to attend meetings, which are held in Room 272 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive.

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UW-Madison Chancellor Blank’s Address to the Board of Regents

University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank delivered her final address to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents last Thursday, February 10. Her remarks were part of the board’s two-day February meeting which was hosted by UW-Madison at Union South. Chancellor Blank is leaving UW-Madison at the end of the spring semester to become president of Northwestern University.

 

February Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison on Thursday and Friday, February 10 and 11. UW-Madison is hosting the meeting, which will be held in Union South’s Varsity Hall, 1308 West Dayton Street. Registration for the Webex videoconference of the meeting is here.

Regents are invited to a site visit and reception at the College of Engineering Wednesday evening. Regent business will not be conducted during this informational visit. A new building on the Engineering campus is top priority of UW-Madison, and Governor Tony Evers recently signed bipartisan legislation providing $1 million to plan and design the building.

Regents begin the two-day meeting with committee work on Thursday morning:

The Audit Committee will discuss several reports and consider a new policy relating to youth programs on UW System campuses.

The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will hear a presentation by UW-Madison on future facilities planning and consider granting authority for UW-Madison to sell two parcels of land to University Research Park and design and renovate two lab spaces.

The Research, Economic Development and Innovation Committee will hear a report from UW-Madison on recent biotechnology research and discuss corporate research and clinical trial contracting processes.

The Business and Finance Committee will hear a report from UW-Madison on strategic investments and consider approval of several agreements at UW-Madison and UW System. They will also hear updates on the budget and gifts, grants, and contracts.

The Education Committee will consider approval of a realignment of academic units at UW-Milwaukee, a transfer agreement between UW-Stevens Point and North Central Technical College, and ten new degree programs, including three at UW-Madison. Committee members will also discuss a change to the class audit policy and application fees waivers and reductions. UW-Madison will also host a presentation on student academic success.

The full board meeting Thursday afternoon includes updates from Regent President Edmund Manydeeds and a presentation from UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank. The Regents will move into closed session to discuss compensation agreements for three UW-Madison football coaches, an employee who earns more than 75% of the UW System President’s salary, and UW System chancellors and president. The Regents will also discuss crime prevention and detection strategies.

On Friday, the Regents will hear an update from outgoing UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson. Thompson has served as interim president since June 2020 and will step down March 18. Last month, Regents named Milwaukee attorney Jay Rothman as UW System President. Rothman begins his duties June 1 and former Regent President Michael Falbo will serve as interim president from March 18 until Rothman takes office.

The Regents have cancelled their one-day meeting on March 10.

 

 

 

Legislative Update

The Wisconsin Legislature continues to propose legislation and hold public meetings, and PROFS is lobbying on and monitoring several pieces of legislation: 

  • Assembly Bill 195/Senate Bill 323  PROFS registered against these bills that prohibit transgender women from participating in UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System intercollegiate, intramural, and club sports. AB 195 passed the Assembly but failed passage 2-3 in a Senate committee. However, it could still be scheduled for vote in the Senate floor this session. Our statement on this legislation is on the PROFS website.
  • Assembly Bill 370/Senate Bill 260  PROFS registered against these bills that prohibit UW System and UW Hospital and Clinics from, while in the scope of their employment, performing or assisting the performance of an abortion. This legislation could jeopardize the accreditation of the obstetrics and gynecology residency program. AB 370 failed passage 2-3 in committee but could still be scheduled for a floor vote this session.
  • Assembly Bill 413/Senate Bill 409  PROFS is registered against these bills that essentially bans instruction on systemic racism at UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System. A public hearing was held on AB 413 in October and our testimony in opposition to the bill is on the PROFS website. We are also registered against legislation that targets K-12 public schools (AB 411/SB 411) and training for state and local government employees (AB 414/SB 410).
  • Assembly Bill 568/Senate Bill 557  PROFS is registered in favor of these bills that expand the type of revenue the university currently is allowed to invest to generate additional returns.
  • Assembly Bill 639/Senate Bill 602  PROFS is registered in favor of this legislation. The bill will provide funding $180,000 in funding in each of the next two years for UW-Madison’s Missing-in-Action Recovery Project.
  • Senate Bill 728  PROFS is registered in favor of this bipartisan legislation that would provide $1 million to plan and design a new engineering building at UW-Madison.

UW System Presidential Search and UW-Madison Chancellor Search

The UW System Presidential Search Committee met in closed session last week to discuss and interview semi-finalist candidates. Regents have said they hope to announce a new president in early 2022.

Last month, the Board of Regents voted to approve changes to Regent Policy Document 6.4, which outlines President and Chancellor searches. PROFS worked with UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson and the Regents, and successfully advocated for the changes which will allow for greater representation of shared governance groups on search committees. The UW-Madison Chancellor Search Committee was announced last Thursday. A list of committee members is on the PROFS website.