Category: UW System

Mark Cook Bill Signed Into Law

Governor Tony Evers signed Assembly Bill 38 into law last Thursday, November 21. The legislation, named after the late UW-Madison Animal Science professor Mark Cook, streamlines the process by which University of Wisconsin faculty members can enter into research contracts involving the university and an organization with which the same faculty members are connected.

This bipartisan legislation was a top priority for PROFS and was the result of the work of the PROFS Entrepreneurial Work Group, which was led by Cook before his untimely passing.

UW System President Ray Cross said “This law will help accelerate the critical research UW System does to benefit Wisconsin and the world. We’re grateful to the Legislature and Gov. Evers for their bipartisan support of this new law.”

Thanks to Governor Evers for signing the bill and to Representatives Dave Murphy (R-Greenville) and Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) and Senators Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) and Fred Risser (D-Madison) for authoring the bill.

Governor Tony Evers with Ellen, Crague and Lynn Cook
Mark Cook Bill signing with Governor Tony Evers

PROFS Letter on Presidential Search Committee

PROFS sent the following letter to University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents President Andrew Petersen. PROFS is deeply concerned that the recently-named search committee does not include any faculty or staff members and urges Petersen to consider adding faculty and staff to the committee.

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November Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet Thursday, November 7 in the Gordon Dining and Event Center 770 West Dayton Street. Livestream coverage of the full board portion of the meeting is here.

The Business and Finance Committee meets at 8:30 am. The committee will discuss several contractual agreements including three at UW-Madison involving American Family Insurance, Allergan, and Change Healthcare Technologies.

The full board meets in open session at 9 am. The board will hear updates on the UW-Green Bay and UW-Stout chancellor searches and the formal announcement of UW System President Ray Cross. Representatives from UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Oshkosh will also discuss research endeavors and the UW Missing in Action Recovery and Identification Project

The board will conclude its work with an afternoon closed session to discuss disciplinary decisions, personnel matters and potential litigation.

At 3 pm, UW System will recognize recipients of the Outstanding Women of Color in Education Awards and the Dr. P.B. Poorman Awards for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People at a public awards ceremony and reception. UW-Madison honorees are Mariela Victoria Quesada Centenoa graduate student in the School of Human Ecology and Jay Botsford, a program coordinator at the School of Medicine and Public Health.

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November Legislative Update

This legislative update was distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty Senate meeting yesterday. The senate meets the first Monday of every month at 3:30 pm in Room 272 Bascom Hall during the academic year, October through May, except in January.

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UW System President Ray Cross to Retire

University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross announced Friday he would retire after his successor is named by the UW System Board of Regents. Cross has served as president since 2014. He came to Wisconsin in 2011 when he was named chancellor University of Wisconsin Colleges and University of Wisconsin–Extension.

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Additional media coverage here:

WISN’s UpFront on Campus Speech Legislation

State Representatives Dave Murphy (R-Greenville) and Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) recently appeared on WISN’s UpFront to discuss UW System campus speech rules and proposed legislation.

Murphy, chair of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, told WISN’s Adrienne Pedersen that “conservative students are telling me that they feel that their ideas and their thoughts are being oppressed. They feel like they are really a minority on campus, and they feel like they need some protections like other minorities might have.”

Neubauer pointed out that “chancellors right now have the ability to determine appropriate action if they feel someone’s free speech has been violated. We do not need to mandate that, and we do not need the Legislature pushing that idea. We should allow chancellors to maintain their discretion.”

October Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at UW-Superior Thursday and Friday, October 10 and 11. Livestream coverage of the full board portions of the meeting is available here.

Regents meet in committee Thursday morning after a tour of the Lake Superior Research Institute ballast water treatment system testing facility.

  • The Business and Finance Committee will hear a report from UW-Superior, discuss several reports relating to investments and financials, and consider eight contractual agreements at UW-Madison.
  • The Education Committee will consider three new degree programs, including a bachelor of arts and bachelor of science in data science at UW-Madison. The committee will also discuss changes to four Regent Policy Documents, including one relating to laboratory animals.
  • The Audit Committee will discuss the internal audit, compliance, and risk management.
  • The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will hear a report from UW-Superior and consider granting authority to several campuses for construction projects, including the Camp Randall renovation and Field House repair project.

The full board will meet Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. UW System President Ray Cross and UW-Superior Chancellor Renée Wachter will address the board Thursday afternoon before moving into closed session to discuss honorary degrees, two salary adjustments at UW-Madison, chancellor evaluations, and legal issues.

On Friday, the board will hear updates from Cross and UW System Board of Regents President Drew Petersen. The regents will also vote to approve an amendment to student disciplinary rules. The amendment would outline punishment for students who disrupt free speech on campus. Regents adopted a policy in 2017 but it does not take effect until UW System administrative rules are amended.

Administrative rules must be approved by Governor Evers before they are sent to the legislature. A spokeswoman for Evers recently said the governor voted against this policy when he was a member of the Board of Regents and he continues to oppose the policy.

Last month, two bills (Assembly Bill 444 and Senate Bill 403) relating to campus speech were introduced. This legislation directs the Board of Regents to create a campus speech policy that would supersede and nullify any prior Board of Regents or institution policies or rules restricting free expression. PROFS is registered against these bills. If either bill passes the legislature, it must still be signed into law by the governor before becoming law.

Regent Public Hearing Update

Nine members of the university community testified at a University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents public hearing Tuesday on a proposal that would outline punishment for students that disrupt speaking events on UW System campuses.

Three members of the PROFS Steering Committee offered their testimony on the proposal to the UW System staff members present: Law professor Steph Tai, Pathobiological Sciences professor Eric Sandgren and English professor Tim Yu. Yu’s statement is below. Sandgren spoke on behalf of AAUP and his statement is on their website.

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Board of Regents Public Hearing on Speech Rules

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will hold a public hearing at 3 pm this afternoon on rules related to a policy that calls for suspending and expelling students who disrupt campus speaking events.

Members of the university community and general public are welcome to offer testimony from 3 to 5 pm today at UW-Madison’s Gordon Dining and Event Center, 770 West Dayton Street or online until August 20.

In October 2017, Regents adopted a policy that mandates suspension when a student disrupts others’ free speech twice and expulsion after the third offense. Regents voted last month to hold today’s hearing on the scope statement for permanent rules (below).

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July Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at UW-Madison’s Gordon Dining and Event Center Thursday and Friday, July 11 and 12. Livestream coverage of the full board portions of the meeting is here.

The board meets in committee Thursday morning:

  • The Education Committee will consider approval of several degree programs throughout UW-System and the faculty layoff and termination policies at UW-La Crosse and UW-Platteville.
  • The Business and Finance Committee will consider contractual agreements at several campuses and hear an update on the title and total compensation study.
  • The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will discuss several construction projects and hear updates on the State Building Commission and capital budget.
  • The Research, Economic Development, and Innovation Committee will hear updates on several programs, including one from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
  • The Audit Committee will hear an update on internal audits and UW System’s response to the Legislative Audit Bureau’s annual UW System audit.

The full board meets Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. The meeting begins with the introduction of new Regents and an update from UW System President Ray Cross.

Later, the board will vote on 2019-20 annual operating budget. All four-year campuses, including UW-Madison, are slated for modest fee increases of .1-2 percent. The board will also hear presentations on UW System’s Wisconsin Small Business Development Center Network, student behavioral health, and UW System’s shared financial and human resources systems.

Friday, the board will hear updates from Regent President Drew Petersen and UW System President Ray Cross. UW-Madison Pediatrics Professor Dipesh Navsaria will participate in a panel discussion on early child brain development. Former Regents Regina Millner and Mark Tyler will also be recognized for their service to the board.