2007-2008 Academic Staff Assembly
Academic Staff Assembly Approved Minutes
Ambrose, 2023N, January 23, 2008

Present:	Deborah Bowen, George Clokey, Mike Cohen (Chair), Denise Ehlen (Vice), Nancy Farmer, Amy Margulies, Giuliana Miolo, Paula Mohan, Eric Roche, Kim Simes, Wayne Youngquist, Rebecca Pechous (Secretary)
Excused/Absent:	Michael Flanagan, Gail Fox

The meeting was brought to order by Michael Cohen at 12:08 p.m.

The Assembly welcomed a new member, Kim Simes of Student Life.

1. Approval of Minutes:

Minutes of December 12, 2007 were reviewed and approved unanimously as modified on a Roche/Ehlen motion.

2. Search and Screen Update:

On the afternoon of Wednesday, January 23 there will be an open forum for the campus and the community in the South Ballroom of the new University Center. This is an opportunity for UW-Whitewater employees and residents to voice their opinions of what qualities a new Chancellor ought to have. The Committee plans to select five finalists for campus interviews in April with a final selection to be announced in May.

3. Visit by Ron Singer of System Administration:

Joe Hogan, Chair of the Faculty Senate, is setting up the meeting scheduled with Ron Singer for February 22. Singer will meet with the Academic Staff Assembly and the Faculty Senate. Joint concerns will be addressed (i.e., the next pay plan, collective bargaining, shared governance, background checks, etc.). Academic Staff members are asked to finalize their list of questions and concerns in regard to these issues by the Academic Staff Assembly meeting of February 20.

4. Shared Governance Principles and Guidelines:

Assembly members are asked to read the “Shared Governance Principles and Guidelines” proposal (handed out at the meeting) and decide by February 15 whether they support the suggested policies or not. Cohen asked that each Assembly member compose their concerns within a brief paragraph and he will share these concerns with the other campuses. The Assembly agreed that the document needs changes regarding some of the wording. Assembly members stressed the need for fair, official, consistent, representation; free dissemination of information; better communication; and quick feedback between the campuses and System Administration.

5. Titling Process:

Titling Process discussion was tabled and will be listed as a future agenda item for March.

6. Academic Staff Committees and Liaisons

1. Academic Staff Awards Committee: Miolo - A meeting is being scheduled.
2. Academic Staff Economic Issues Committee: Cohen - A meeting is planned in February to review the approved pay plan.
3. Academic Staff Elections/Balloting: Bowen - A meeting will be scheduled to get the timeline going.
4. Academic Staff Government: Mohan - No report.
5. Academic Staff Organization: Ehlen - No report.
6. Academic Staff Professional Development: Ehlen - The target deadline to receive applications is 2 -1- 08.
7. Academic Staff Instructional Promotions: Ehlen - A meeting is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. on 1-23-08. We will look at the timeline for next year regarding announcement release dates.
8. Academic Staff Review: Cohen - No requests.
9. Academic Staff Title Appeals: Margulies - No requests.
10. Academic Staff Titling Committee: Youngquist - We had two meetings over winter break.
11. Academic Staff Rewards and Recognition Committee: A meeting is pending. The rewards and recognition letters were sent to the Chancellor for the first round of fall meetings.

Announcements:

There is a Development meeting scheduled for March.

The Director of Human Resources position has not been filled. A new search is being conducted. Applications are due on February 15.

A meeting convened on January 17 with the representative counsels, via teleconference, whether to approve Osser’s pay plan recommendations. Dave Carlson of UW-Rock County wrote the letter of endorsement and sent it out.

Future Agenda Items:

Titling Process

Meeting Adjourned at 1:40 p.m. on a Miolo/Ehlen motion.

Respectfully submitted,
Rebecca Pechous
Governance Office
Assembly Program Associate/Secretary