Tag: tenure

Legislative Update

by Michelle Felber • April 5, 2016 • Comments Off

Tenure and Shared Governance

The Board of Regents met last month and approved three policies related to tenure, post-tenure review, and faculty layoffs. The meeting was contentious at times as the board rejected three faculty-supported amendments offered by Regent Tony Evers.

The language approved by the board was broad and intends to serve as an umbrella policy for individual campuses. The Regent Education Committee will consider UW-Madison’s faculty layoff policy (below), approved by the Faculty Senate in November, at its meeting in Green Bay later this week.

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Wisconsin Legislature

Republican legislative leaders have said the legislature has concluded its regular 2015-16 session. The legislature is unlikely to meet again this spring, but could reconvene in special or extraordinary sessions later this year. PROFS monitored and lobbied on the following bills this session:

Assembly Bill 305/Senate Bill 260, Limits on Scientific Research—Passed committee, never brought to the floor

PROFS registered against AB 305 and SB 260, proposals that would make it illegal to provide or use for experimentation fetal body parts.

Assembly Bill 480/Senate Bill 363, Campus Concealed Carry—In Committee

PROFS registered against AB SB 363, legislation that would have require UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System campuses to allow concealed carry of weapons in campus buildings. Current law permits concealed carry on campus grounds, but allows individual campuses to forbid weapons in buildings.

Assembly Bill 485/Senate Bill 365, Bans Guns on College Campuses—In Committee

PROFS registered in favor of this bill, which would ban guns on college campuses.

Assembly Bill 814, Shared Governance—In Committee

PROFS registered in favor of this bill, which would have returned university, shared governance to state statutes.

Assembly Bill 898, Tenure—In Committee

PROFS registered in favor of this bill, which would have restored strong tenure language to state statutes.

College Affordability Package—Four bills signed into law

Governor Walker signed four of six bills into law last month. A PROFS statement on the bills is here.

Senate Bill 276, Parking Revenue

Governor Walker signed this bill into law. It allows the university to spend parking revenue on campus safety and transportation programs. PROFS registered in favor of this proposal.

Senate Bill 571, Sale of Agricultural Lands

Governor Walker signed this bill into law. It expands UW System Board of Regent authority over agricultural lands. PROFS registered in favor of this proposal.

UW System Board of Regent Tenure Discussion Documents

by Michelle Felber • March 10, 2016 • Comments Off

Documents from the Thursday, March 10 UW System Board of Regents meeting.

Tenure

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Post-tenure Review

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Layoffs

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Amendments

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Legislative Update

by Michelle Felber • March 8, 2016 • Comments Off

UW System Tenure Policy Task Force
PROFS continues to actively follow the work of the UW System Tenure Policy Task Force. The Board of Regents meets Thursday, March 10 and will discuss recommendations of the Regent Education Committee. Board action on UW-Madison’s draft policy is not expected until April.

Wisconsin Legislature
Republican leadership has said the Assembly has adjourned for the session, but the Senate plans to meet again March 15. Both houses could reconvene in special or extraordinary sessions. PROFS is monitoring and lobbying on several items:

Assembly Bill 305/Senate Bill 260, Limits on Scientific Research PROFS is registered against AB 305 and SB 260, proposals that would make it illegal to provide or use for experimentation fetal body parts. If passed, the bills would criminalize the research and use of scientific material previously derived from fetal tissue. Action on the bills seems unlikely.
Assembly Bill 480/Senate Bill 363, Campus Concealed Carry PROFS is registered against AB SB 363, legislation that would require UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System campuses to allow concealed carry of weapons in campus buildings. Current law permits concealed carry on campus grounds, but allows individual campuses to forbid weapons in buildings. PROFS is vigorously opposed to this legislation.
Assembly Bill 814, Shared Governance PROFS is registered in favor of this bill, recently introduced by Representative Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton), which would return university shared governance to state statutes.
Assembly Bill 898, Tenure PROFS is registered in favor of this bill, recently introduced by Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine). The proposal restores strong tenure language to state statutes.
College Affordability Package The Governor announced a package of six bills that address college affordability last month. All six bills passed the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities and five of the six passed the Senate last week. The PROFS statement on the bills is here.
Senate Bill 276, Parking Revenue Governor Walker signed this bill into law. It allows the university to spend parking revenue on campus safety and transportation programs. PROFS registered in favor of this proposal.
Senate Bill 571, Sale of Agricultural Lands Governor Walker signed this bill into law. It expands UW System Board of Regent authority over agricultural lands. PROFS registered in favor of this proposal.

PROFS Forum on Self-insurance for State Employees
The Group Insurance Board met last month and voted to issue a request for proposals on self-insurance for state employees. PROFS hosted a forum featuring three insurance experts the following week. Video here.

February Board of Regents Meeting – updated with correct location

by Michelle Felber • February 3, 2016 • Comments Off

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison Thursday and Friday, February 4 and 5. Meetings will take place at Union South, 1308 West Dayton Street. Livestream coverage of the full board meetings is here.

UW-Madison is the host of the meeting and several campus leaders will have the opportunity to address members of the board. Chancellor Rebecca Blank will update the board on the “All Ways Forward” campaign on Thursday afternoon, while Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Darrell Bazzell, and Interim Vice Chancellor for University Relations Charles Hoslet will speak to Regent committees Thursday morning.

The full board convenes at 1:15 pm Thursday with Chancellor Blank’s presentation. UW-Madison will also present its annual NCAA Division I Athletics Report. The board will meet in closed session to discuss several personnel issues, including compensation for UW-Madison football coaches.

The board continues its meeting Friday morning at 9 am with with reports from the Higher Educational Aids Board, the Hospital Authority Board, the Wisconsin Technical College System Board, and the Tuition-setting Policy Task Force.

The Education Committee will reconvene after the board adjourns to discuss the report of Tenure Policy Task Force. Documents to be discussed are below.

Tenure

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Post-tenure Review

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Faculty Layoff

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Legislative Update

by Michelle Felber • February 2, 2016 • Comments Off

UW System Tenure Policy Task Force

PROFS actively followed the work of UW System’s Tenure Policy Task Force, which concluded its work in December and released updated layoff and post-tenure review language in January. The Regent Education Committee will review the proposed language on February 5 and full board action is expected in March.

PROFS Forum on Self-insurance for State Employees

PROFS will host a public forum on the possibility of self-insurance for state employees later this month (details to come). The Wisconsin Group Insurance Board has received conflicting reports on if self-insurance would save or cost the state millions of dollars and will vote February 17 vote on whether or not to issue a request for proposals on such a move.

Wisconsin Legislature

The Assembly and Senate are currently meeting in their last scheduled floor period of 2016, but could reconvene in special or extraordinary sessions. PROFS is monitoring and lobbying on several items, including:

Assembly Bill 305/Senate Bill 260, Limits on Scientific Research PROFS officially registered and delivered testimony against AB 305 and SB 260, proposals that would make it illegal to provide or use for experimentation fetal body parts. If passed, the bills would criminalize the research and use of scientific material previously derived from fetal tissue. Both bills have passed out of committee but have not been scheduled for a vote. PROFS will continue to strongly oppose the proposals, which have far-reaching negative consequences on campus.
Assembly Bill 480/Senate Bill 363, Campus Concealed Carry PROFS is registered against AB SB 363, legislation that would require UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System campuses to allow concealed carry of weapons in campus buildings. Current law permits concealed carry on campus grounds, but allows individual campuses to forbid weapons in buildings. PROFS is vigorously opposed to this legislation telling legislators in a statement that “we believe that making it easier for people to carry firearms and bring them onto university property would make it more dangerous for the faculty, staff and student of the University of Wisconsin.”
Assembly Bill 814, Shared Governance PROFS is registered in favor of this bill, recently introduced by Representative Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton), which would return university shared governance to state statutes. PROFS worked with Hesselbein on the bill, and PROFS president Judith Burstyn spoke in favor of the proposal at a press conference announcing the legislation in December.
Tenure Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine) will introduce legislation restoring strong tenure language to state statutes. PROFS will register in favor of this proposal once the bill is introduced.
College Affordability Package The Governor announced a package of six bills that address college affordability last month. All six bills passed the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities last week.

UW System Tenure Policy Task Force Update

by Michelle Felber • January 28, 2016 • Comments Off

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Tenure Policy Task Force concluded its work on December 23 and released updated layoff and post-tenure review language last week (below).

This language will be reviewed by the Board of Regents Education Committee at the February 4 board meeting. UW-Madison is hosting the meeting, which is open to the public, at Gordon Dining and Event Center, 770 West Dayton Street. Full board action on the tenure and layoff documents is expected in March.

The University Committee is holding a special meeting in Room 260 Bascom Hall at 10 am Friday, January 29 to gather feedback on the language. Comments may be sent to the Secretary of the Faculty, sof@secfac.wisc.edu. UW System is also taking comments online.

Post-Tenure Review

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Faculty Layoffs

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Faculty Tenure

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UW System Tenure Policy Task Force Meeting

by Michelle Felber • December 22, 2015 • Comments Off

The University of Wisconsin System Tenure Policy Task Force will meet tomorrow, Wednesday, December 23 at 2 pm. The meeting will be held in Room 1820 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive, and is open to the public.

The task force is expected to finalize layoff and post-tenure review language. Current draft language is below.

Recommendations from the task force will be forwarded to the Board of Regents Education Committee for consideration at its February meeting. Full board action could happen in March. UW-Madison will hold campus information sessions on the proposed policies in January.

Layoff and Termination Draft Language

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Post-Tenure Review Draft Language

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UW System Tenure Policy Task Force

by Michelle Felber • November 30, 2015 • Comments Off

The University of Wisconsin System Tenure Task Force is meeting today at 2 pm in Room 1820 Van Hise Hall. The task force will discuss UW-Madison’s draft policies and updated draft recommendations of UW System policies on faculty layoffs and post-tenure review (below).

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Legislative Update

by Michelle Felber • November 3, 2015 • Comments Off

The Legislature finishes its current floor period Thursday, November 5 and will not meet again in regular session until January 12. PROFS is monitoring and lobbying on several items, including:

Limits on Scientific Research, Assembly Bill 305/Senate Bill 260, PROFS officially registered and delivered testimony against AB 305 and SB 260, proposals that would make it illegal to provide or use for experimentation fetal body parts.

If passed, the bills 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. Both bills have passed out of committee but have not been scheduled for a floor vote.

PROFS will continue to strongly oppose the proposals, which have far-reaching negative consequences on campus.

Campus Concealed Carry, Senate Bill 363, PROFS is registered against SB 363, legislation that would require UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System campuses to allow concealed carry of weapons in campus buildings. Current law permits concealed carry on campus grounds, but allows individual campuses to forbid weapons in buildings.

PROFS is vigorously opposed to this legislation saying last month that “we believe that making it easier for people to carry firearms and bring them onto university property would make it more dangerous for the faculty, staff and student of the University of Wisconsin.”

UW System Tenure Policy Task Force PROFS continues to follow the action of UW System’s Tenure Policy Task Force, which met in Madison on October 22 to discuss proposed language on faculty layoffs and post-tenure review. PROFS has a long history of lobbying for strong tenure and met with Regents Millner and Behling earlier this year to reiterate support for tenure protections that meet full AAUP standards.

GOP Legislative Priorities Republican legislative leaders have identified several priorities, including:

Civil service reform: legislation passed, but does not include UW employees.
Government Accountability Board overhaul: proposed legislation would eliminate the non-partisan GAB and replace it with two commissions—one on elections, the other on ethics, campaign finance and lobbying.
John Doe investigations: legislation passed prohibiting the use of John Doe probes when investigating misconduct in public office.
Campaign finance changes: proposed legislation would make it harder to learn the background of individual contributors and allow unions and corporations to donate unlimited amounts to political parties and legislative campaign committees.

University Committee Chair’s Message to Faculty on UW System Tenure Task Force

by Michelle Felber • October 25, 2015 • Comments Off

The following message was sent to UW-Madison faculty on Friday, October 23:

Dear UW-Madison faculty,

I know many of you have seen the letter that UW System President Ray Cross sent to the faculty representatives earlier this week. You may have also heard about some of the conversations that were held at the System tenure task force yesterday afternoon. I want to assure you that none of this changes our approach to developing tenure policies for this campus. Before Act 55, the state had a single statute that allowed campuses to develop and implement their own faculty policies and procedures. It has always been our assumption that the policy that will be developed by the Regents in response to Act 55 would similarly allow variations from campus to campus.

The documents that will be submitted to the Senate in November reflect input from the faculty listening sessions, as well as the written revisions submitted after the October Senate reading. We believe that our proposed policies are very strong. We have always been clear that we would draft UW-Madison policies that reflect the language in Act 55 and that are congruent with AAUP standards and our policies of shared governance and strong tenure protections.

I want to make it completely clear that nothing has changed in our approach and we look forward to discussing our proposals with you on November 2nd at the Faculty Senate.

Sincerely,

Beth Meyerand, University Committee Chair

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