The State Building Commission decided yesterday to delay a vote on all but one University of Wisconsin building projects. A list of UW items on the April agenda is here. Projects previously approved, including funding for the Babcock Hall Dairy…
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February Board of Regents Meeting
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison on Thursday and Friday, February 9 and 10. UW-Madison is hosting the meeting, which will be held at Union South, 1308 Dayton Street. Registration for the Zoom link for the meeting is here.
In addition to the formal meeting, an informal welcome reception and tour will be held at the Chemistry Building on Wednesday afternoon, and UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin will host a reception and dinner on Thursday evening.
Members of the board will be in committee meetings Thursday morning:
- The Audit Committee will hear several reports and updates including the UW-Madison NCAA Division I Athletics 2021-22 Report.
- The Capital Planning & Budget Committee will consider approval of increasing the budget for the backup generator project at the UW-Madison Primate Center, selling a house on the UW-Stout campus, and making changes to a Regent Policy Document and evaluation criteria for major capital projects. Members will also hear a presentation from UW-Madison on its capital projects program and the importance addressing facility needs.
- The Business & Finance Committee will consider approval of several contractual agreements and hear two reports on information technology projects. UW-Madison will also give a presentation on its efforts to generate additional revenue and improve operations.
- The Education Committee will consider six new degree programs, including two at UW-Madison, and hear a report on recruiting and supporting international students and an update from the Direct Admission Task Force. UW-Madison will also deliver a presentation on artificial intelligence and ChatGPT.
The full board will meet Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. The agenda Thursday includes updates from UW System President Jay Rothman and Board of Regents President Karen Walsh. President Rothman will discuss the recent student survey on free speech and provide an update on UW-Platteville at Richland and the UW System 2023-28 Strategic Plan. The board will also meet in closed session to discuss honorary degrees at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee.
On Friday, the board will consider approval of committee action, hear a presentation from UW-Madison on the Wisconsin Idea and business partnerships, and recognize recipients of the Board of Regents 2023 Awards, including UW-Madison Communication Arts Professor Lori Kido Lopez, a PROFS Steering Committee member since 2020.
February Board of Regents Meeting
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison Thursday and Friday, February 7 and 8. UW-Madison is hosting the meeting, which will be held in Varsity Hall at Union South, 1380 West Dayton Street. A webcast of the full board portions of the meeting is here.
Regents meeting in committee Thursday morning:
The Business and Finance Committee will review and consider approval of several graduate and non-resident tuition increases at nine UW System institutions. UW-Madison is not among the nine campuses with proposals. The committee will also hear several reports and presentations, including one from UW-Madison.
The Education Committee will consider approval of several charter school proposals and three new degree programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Health Equity at UW-Madison. UW-Madison Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf will provide an update to the committee on UW-Madison educational innovations.
The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will consider approval of two capital projects, including a remodeling project at UW-Madison’s DeLuca Biochemistry building, and a revision of evaluation criteria for major capital project requests. The committee will also hear an update from UW-Madison and a report on recent State Building Commission action.
The Research, Economic Development and Innovation Committee will hear an update from UW-Madison on UW2020 research and innovation grants and report from UW-Eau Claire on new partnerships created by the UW-Eau Claire Finance Department.
The Audit Committee will hear several reports and an enterprise risk management update.
The full board portion of Thursday’s meeting begins at 1 pm with a welcome from UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank. The board will hear two reports before moving into closed session to discuss personnel, disciplinary, and legal items. UW-Madison football coach Paul Chryst’s employment and additional compensation agreements are among the items on the agenda.
The full board meets for a second day at 9 am Friday. UW System President Ray Cross and Regent President John Behling will each provide updates to the board and UW-Madison will deliver its annual NCAA Division I Athletics report. The board will also recognize recipients of the 2019 Diversity Awards.
April Board of Regents Meeting
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison Thursday and Friday, April 5 and 6. Livestream coverage of the full board portion of the meeting is here.
Regents meet in committee Thursday morning:
The Audit and Business and Finance Committees will meet jointly in closed session to discuss information security audit findings.
The Audit Committee will discuss several reports, including the FY2018 Audit Plan Progress Report and recently issued audit reports.
The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will discuss several building projects including three at UW-Madison — the Chemistry Building, Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, and Meat Science and Muscle Biology Lab.
The Research, Economic Development, and Innovation Committee will hear several reports, including updates on UW-Madison’s Posse Program and WiSys, and a presentation on UW System’s economic impact in the state.
The Business and Finance Committee will hear several reports and consider a request for an exemption from board policy on large unendowed gifts from UW-Madison.
The Education Committee will consider several new degree programs and approval of UW-Parkside Policies and Procedures relating to Faculty Layoff and Termination. Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, Provost at the University of Maryland-College Park, will deliver a talk on UTeach, a university-based teacher prep program working to increase the number of qualified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers in the United States.
The full board meets at 1 pm Thursday. Two newly-appointed Regents will be introduced, Jason Plante and Cris Peterson, while Gerald Whitburn begins his second term. The Board will also hear updates on UW System restructuring and possible changes at UW-Stevens Point before going into closed session.
On Friday, the board will hear reports from UW System President Ray Cross and Board of Regents President John Behling. UW-Green Bay will present its annual Division I Athletics report.
The Board will also present the 2018 Academic Staff Excellence Awards to Jaclyn Esqueda (UW-Platteville), Karen Mittelstadt (UW-Madison), and the Lake Superior Research Institute (UW-Superior).
December Board of Regents Meeting
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at the Gordon Dining and Event Center at UW-Madison today, Thursday, December 8. Livestream coverage of the full board portion of the meeting is here.
Regents meet in committee Thursday morning.
- an independent, substantive review by a dean, the provost or the chancellor, or a designee, with the appropriate administrator making the final assignment of the category reflecting the overall results of the review.” The committee will also consider approval of the post-tenure review policies of six UW System campuses. UW-Madison’s policy was approved by the Faculty Senate in November, but must now be revised to meet the new guideline. The committee will also discuss adoption of an interim post-tenure review policy to be used by campuses that do not have board-approved policies in place by April 7, 2017. The proposed policies are below:
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Open in new tab The full board meets at 12:30 pm. Items on the agenda include UW-Green Bay’s annual Athletics Report and discussion of report of the UW System Task Force on Sexual Violence and Harassment.
Legislative Update
History
The 2015-17 biennial budget process was difficult – UW System received a $250 million budget cut along with a two-year extension of a tuition freeze. PROFS played a key role in one budget bright spot: funding for the much-needed Chemistry Building project. In prior budget cycles, PROFS led the fight to ensure retirement contributions are taken pre-tax, saving the average faculty member about $1,800 per year and successfully lobbied for domestic partner benefits and first-day health coverage for faculty and staff. Looking ahead:
2017-19 Biennial Budget
While Governor Walker instructed all agency heads to prepare budgets with zero increases, the Board of Regents approved a $42.5 million increase in state funding over the next biennium. The increase will largely go toward initiatives to develop the state’s workforce and improve its economy, a plan called 2020FWD. The governor has also said he might consider performance-based funding increases for UW. Criteria for such an increase might include graduation and post-graduation employment rates.
FWD2020 highlights:
- $26.1 million for the educational pipeline, with a focus on addressing the state’s workforce needs and increasing the student pipeline.
- $6 million to improve the university experience, with a focus on creating graduates who are creative, innovative and entrepreneurial.
- $6.4 million for business and community mobilization, with a focus on bringing together the university, businesses and the greater community.
- $4 million for operational excellence, with a focus on improvements in targeted performance areas. The budget process is lengthy, beginning with formal introduction early next year and final passage most likely in late June. PROFS will be involved throughout the entire process and communicate regularly with faculty.
Tuition Freeze
Earlier this summer, Governor Walker said he supported an additional one or two-year freeze on University of Wisconsin System tuition, lengthening the current freeze to six years.
Regent Action on Tenure, Shared Governance and Post-Tenure Review
Last year, PROFS regularly communicated with the chair and members of the Regent Tenure Policy Task Force as they developed new tenure policies. We will continue to aggressively advocate on behalf of UW-Madison faculty as the Regents work to approve a post-tenure review policy this fall.
Fall Elections
All Wisconsin Assembly seats and 16 seats on the Senate are on the ballot in November. Republicans hold comfortable margins in both houses, but some pundits believe the Senate could flip parties if a Democratic presidential landslide occurs. A split legislature would have an impact on the upcoming state budget process and could slow Republican legislative efforts such as a proposed ban on fetal tissue research and campus carry.
Legislative Update
PROFS welcomes faculty back to campus as the new semester begins. For those unfamiliar, PROFS is a non-profit membership organization that represents UW-Madison faculty to the Wisconsin Legislature and Congress.
We are proud of our past achievements. During the most recent budget process, PROFS played a key role in securing $86 million in state-supported bonding for the UW-Madison Chemistry Building Project.
In 2011, PROFS led the successful fight to ensure retirement contributions are taken pre-tax, saving the average faculty member about $1,800 per year. Before that, PROFS successfully lobbied for domestic partner benefits and first-day health coverage for faculty and staff. Recent activities at the state level are listed below.
2015-17 Biennial Budget
PROFS met with more than two dozen legislators and staff throughout the budget process, lobbying for decreased cuts in state funding and the preservation of strong tenure and shared governance for faculty. While the final budget was still much worse than the faculty would have liked, it did include $50 million more for the UW System than the governor had proposed and the attacks on tenure and shared governance, while harsh, were not as punitive as some key legislators wanted them to be.
PROFS took strong stands on these harmful actions. Please see previous posts for statements on budget cuts, tenure, and shared governance. Going forward, PROFS is closely following the work of UW System’s Tenure Policy Task Force and making the case that tenure policy at UW-Madison must meet the standards of the AAUP and peer institutions.
Assembly Bill 305, Limits on Scientific Research
PROFS officially registered and delivered testimony (below) against AB 305, a proposal that would make it illegal to provide or use for experimentation fetal body parts. If passed, the bill would criminalize the use of scientific material previously derived from fetal tissue, which includes cell lines that have been in use for more than 30 years.
PROFS will continue to vigorously oppose the proposal, which has far-reaching negative consequences on campus.
The Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety will meet in executive session to vote on the bill on Wednesday, September 9.
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Possible Merger of UW Colleges and the Wisconsin Technical College System
PROFS is deeply concerned about the private discussion among Assembly Republicans on the possible realignment of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and Extension and the Wisconsin Technical College System. PROFS shared its concerns in a letter to Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester):
“The faculty at UW-Madison urge you and other legislative leaders to reconsider this strategy and instead create a transparent and inclusive process for any review of public higher education in the state”
“UW-Madison faculty welcome an open and consultative discussion on the future of higher education in Wisconsin. We hope to be “at the table,” along with many other stakeholders across the state, as this discussion continues.”
PROFS is funded entirely by faculty contributions. Please consider joining PROFS if you are not a member.
PROFS Welcomes Burstyn as President
PROFS welcomes Chemistry Professor Judith Burstyn as president and offers many thanks to Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Professor Grant Petty for his service as president in 2014-15. Petty remains a member of the steering committee.
Burstyn, former chair of the University Committee, has served on the PROFS steering committee since 2011. She was an instrumental participant in the lobbying effort that helped secure state bonding for a new Chemistry Building.
June Regent Meeting
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Thursday and Friday, June 4 and 5. Livestream coverage is available here.
The board meets in committee Thursday morning, while the full board meets Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. All meetings will be held in the UW-Milwaukee student union, 2200 East Kenwood Boulevard.
The Audit Committee will review and approve an audit plan, discuss the new waste, fraud and abuse hotline, and hear a report from the Chief Audit Executive.
The Research, Economic Development, and Innovation Committee will hear updates on UW-Milwaukee’s outreach and economic development efforts and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation trade missions. The committee will also participate in a panel discussion on the state’s angel and venture capitalists and funding university startups.
The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will discuss proposed building projects and hear updates on the State Building Commission action and and 2015-17 capital budget. PROFS lobbied hard for the Chemistry Building Project and is pleased the Joint Finance Committee approved bonding for the project.
The Education Committee will approve several new degree programs, hear a presentation on M3, a Milwaukee student success initiative, and hear an update from a UW System vice president. A resolution on tenure is also on the agenda, but without supporting documentation.
The Business and Finance Committee will discuss several contractual agreements, review policies related to UW-Madison’s Human Resources Design program, and consider changes to chancellor and senior administrator search and screen procedures.
PROFS is very concerned about the proposed changes and offered this statement to members of the Board of Regents.
Thursday afternoon, the full board will discuss the 2015-17 biennial budget, hear presentations from host UW-Milwaukee, and recognize outgoing Regent President Michael Falbo and retiring UW-Whitewater Chancellor Richard Telfer.
On Friday, UW System President Ray Cross will address the board and provide an update on recent events. The board will also hear committee reports and approve action.
New Regents
Governor Scott Walker recently appointed three new members to the board. Michael M. Grebe and Drew Peterson replace outgoing members Michael Falbo and David Walsh, and will serve seven-year terms. UW-Whitewater student James Langnes III replaces UW-L Crosse student Anicka Purath as the traditional student regent and will serve a two-year term. The appointments are subject to Wisconsin State Senate confirmation.
Michael Grebe Grebe is executive vice president and general counsel for HUSCO International, a global manufacturing company in Waukesha. He graduated Dartmouth College and the University of Wisconsin Law School. He was previously a partner at the law firm Quarles and Brady.
Drew Peterson Peterson is vice president of external affairs and corporate communications for TDS Telecommunications Corporation in Madison. He graduated from Ripon College and earned an MBA from UW-Madison. He served on the board as representative of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board for the past two years and continues with a regular appointment.
James Langnes III Langnes, a UW-Whitewater student majoring in finance, will serve as the traditional student regent. Langnes was recently appointed to fill a vacancy on the Whitewater Common Council. He is originally from Lake Geneva.
Joint Finance Committee to Meet Wednesday, May 27
The Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27 in Room 412 East in the State Capitol. Livestream coverage is available on WisconsinEye. Links to Legislative Fiscal Bureau budget papers are here.
Executive action will be taken on the following topics:
Blood Withdrawals — Intoxicated and Reckless Flying Violations
Building Commission
Building Program
Program Supplements
Department of Administration
Department of Tourism
Department of Workforce Development — Worker’s Compensation and Unemployment Insurance
Department of Health Services — Long-Term Care Services
PROFS continues to lobby for the inclusion of the Chemistry Building project which may come up tomorrow as part of the State Building Commission/Building Program discussion.