Tag: search committees

February Legislative Update

This legislative update was shared with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty Senate y. 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.

The Wisconsin Legislature has been busy with committee hearings and floor sessions, and Governor Tony Evers is scheduled to deliver his State of the State address on February 15. Evers and members of the Legislature will make a final legislative push over the next several weeks before turning their attention the November elections.

Fall Elections

Democratic Governor Tony Evers is running for re-election, but Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes has instead joined a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge two-term Republican Senator Ron Johnson. The Republican race for the gubernatorial nomination heated up last week when Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson announced his candidacy, challenging former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch for the Republican nomination.

Legislature

PROFS is actively 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 413/Senate Bill 409  PROFS is registered against these bills that essentially ban instruction on systemic racism at UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System. Last week, the Committee on Colleges & Universities recommended passage of the bill along party lines, 10-4. PROFS’ statement in opposition to the bill is on our website. PROFS was also registered against similar legislation targeting K-12 public schools which was vetoed by Gov. Evers last Friday. PROFS is also registered against legislation that targets 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. Both bills passed unanimously in committee but neither have been scheduled for a floor vote.
  • 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. SB 602 passed in committee but has not been scheduled for a floor vote.
  • Assembly Bill 775/Senate Bill 728  PROFS registered in favor of this bipartisan legislation that provides $1 million to plan and design a new engineering building at UW-Madison. Gov. Evers signed this bill into law late last month.

UW System Presidential Search and UW-Madison Chancellor Search

The UW System Board of Regents named Milwaukee attorney Jay Rothman as UW System President. Rothman, Chair and CEO of Foley & Lardner, will begin in June. He is a graduate of Marquette University and Harvard Law School. The UW-Madison Chancellor Search Committee released a position description last month and is accepting nominations until March 11. The committee hopes to announce finalists for the position in April.

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.

 

 

UW-Madison Chancellor Search Committee Named

Last week, University of Wisconsin Board of Regents President Ed Manydeeds announced the UW-Madison Chancellor Search Committee. The 21-member committee will be chaired by Regent Vice President Karen Walsh, and Electrical & Computer Engineering Professor Susan Hagness will serve as vice chair. In addition to Hagness, the committee includes Professors Jon Eckhardt (Business), Adena Rissman (Forest & Wildlife Ecology), Ananth Seshadri (Economics) and Anja Wanner (English).

Last month, the 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 allows for greater representation of shared governance groups on search committees.

The full committee:

  • Chair Karen Walsh, Regent
  • Vice-Chair Susan Hagness, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Amy Blumenfeld Bogost, Regent
  • Jon Eckhardt, Associate Professor, School of Business
  • Ndemazea Fonkem, Student
  • Gail Ford, Director, PEOPLE Program, Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement
  • Robert Golden, Dean, School of Medicine and Public Health
  • Luis Gonzalez-Quizhpe, Student
  • Erik Iverson, Chief Executive Officer, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
  • Mike Jones, Regent
  • Tracey L. Klein, Regent
  • Aerin Leigh Lammers, Student
  • Edmund Manydeeds III, Regent President
  • John W. Miller, Regent
  • Adena Rissman, Professor, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
  • Ananth Seshadri, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Economics
  • Jack Salzwedel, Community Representative
  • Mike Shannon, Community Representative
  • Samantha Skenandore, Community Representative
  • Lisa Walters, Administrative Manager, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
  • Anja Wanner, Professor and Department Chair, Department of English

November Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at UW-Madison’s Gordon Dining and Event Center on Thursday, November 4. Registration for the Webex videoconference stream of the meeting is here.

The Business and Finance Committee will meet at 8:15 am to discuss three clinical trial agreements and one research agreement at UW-Madison.

The full board meeting will begin at 8:45 am and the board will hear updates from Board of Regents President Edmund Manydeeds and UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson and reports on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and freedom of expression compliance.

The board will also consider changes to Regent Policy Document 6.4, “Selection Process for System President, Chancellors, Vice Chancellors and UW System Senior Leadership Positions” (below). PROFS has strongly advocated for changes to the policy which was changed in 2017 under the leadership of Board President John Behling. The changes approved four years ago limited executive search committees to ten members, including five Regents. PROFS was opposed to the changes and supported a return to search committees that honor the principles of shared governance.

The current policy says that search and screen committees include “five non-Regent members… to include two faculty, one staff representative from the institution, one student, and one community and/or alumni member.” The proposed new policy will say the committees include “at least five non-Regent members of the university committee to include at least: two faculty, one staff representative from the institution, one student, and one community and/or alumni member.”

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March Legislative Update

This legislative update was distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty Senate meeting today. The senate meets the first Monday of every month at 3:30 pm during the academic year, October through May, except in January. This semester, the senate will meet in Room B10 Ingraham Hall.

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February Legislative Update

This legislative update was distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty Senate meeting today. The senate meets the first Monday of every month at 3:30 pm during the academic year, October through May, except in January. This semester, the senate will meet in Room B10 Ingraham Hall.

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Useful links:

UW System President Search Update

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents Presidential Search Committee met via conference call Friday, January 17 to discuss the UW System President job description and search timeline. Regent leaders previously indicated they would like to name a successor to UW System President Ray Cross sometime in May.

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the committee agreed on language that does not require candidates to hold a doctoral or terminal degree, but instead have at least ten years experience in a “significant senior executive position” and an understanding of public higher education.

The committee also shared comments gathered online and during video listening sessions last month (below).

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UW System Presidential Search Update

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents recently announced a public comment website for faculty, staff, students and others to offer input on the UW System President search.

In correspondence with UW System employees, Regent Vice President Michael Grebe also announced two video listening sessions at 11 am and 3 pm on Thursday, December 19. Those interested can register here.

Grebe writes:

To frame and guide these engagements, I am including a set of questions that I ask you think about:

What are the key challenges and opportunities facing the UW System over the next five to ten years? What particular characteristics and attributes would help the successful candidate address these issues?

What specific role and specific priorities should we expect the new President to carry forward with respect to that future agenda?

What are the characteristics, skills, and experiences we should be seeking in the search for the new President? Which characteristics are required and which would be nice to have? Which are the most important or essential?

What are the top three to five attributes of the UW System that should be exciting to candidates? More generally, why should candidates be excited about coming to UW System?

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and insights. Thank you in advance for participating and helping the Committee drive towards a successful result.

PROFS has previously expressed serious concern about the composition of the search committee and finds a comment website and online listening session to be poor substitutes for appropriate faculty, staff and student participation. These are not examples of shared governance. We again ask the Board of Regents to do better.