MINUTES
2004/2005 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Faculty Senate
Tuesday, February 1, 2005, 2:15 p.m.
James R. Connor University Center 219

  1. Call to Order:   Chair Erdmann called the meeting to order at 2:16 p.m.

  2. Roll Call
    1. Senators present:  Ahmadi, Anderson, Aulerich, Bren, Cartwright, Ding, Epps, Erdmann, Ghavamshahidi, Gruber, Hixson, Hogan, Huang, Johnson, Jones, Kapp, Klug, Kolb, Kozlowicz, Leitheiser, Moini, Molloy, Munro, Nam, Ossers, Porter, Portman, Sherlock, Smudde, Topp, Valadez, Weston, White, Wildermuth
    2. Senators absent:  Ferencz*, Habanek*, Zhao* (*informed Secretary)

  3. Approval of Minutes:  2004/2005 Faculty Senate Meeting, December 7, 2004 (attached and available at  http://www.uww.edu/facsenate/archives/2004_2005/minutes/M120704.html) Ossers/Ghavamshidi moved approval.  Passed

  4. Reports of Committees
    1. University Curriculum Committee:
      1. Transmittal of actions of Friday, December 3, 2004 (attached; please see http://acadaff.uww.edu/ucc/2004-05/120304/120304T.html  for download links). Ahmadi/Epps moved approval.  Passed.  FS0405-17
      2. Transmittal of actions of Friday, January 21, 2005 (attached; please see http://acadaff.uww.edu/ucc/2004-05/012105/012105T.html  for download links). Ghavamshahidi/Hixson moved approval.  Passed.  FS0405-18
    2. University Standards Committee (please see the attachments)
      1. Klug/Epps moved approval of a special order of business to take up this report at 3:45 p.m. or sooner if the committee chair is able to arrive sooner.  Passed.   
      2. Weston/Epps moved approval of "Proposed Revised University Promotion Standards Document, January 2005". Motion pending.   USC Chair Brooks outlined the proposed changes to the University Promotions Standards and sought informal comment from the body.
    3. Faculty Personnel Rules Committee (please see the attachment) Epps/Klug moved approval of proposed revisions.  Passed.  FS0405-19
    4. Ad Hoc committee to study faculty concerns about course evaluations (from item 5.a., May 5, 2004 minutes,  http://www.uww.edu/facsenate/archives/2004_2005/minutes/M050404.htm; please see the attachments) Smudde/Hogan moved to postpone discussion until the March 8, 2005 Faculty Senate meeting.  Passed.
  5. Old Business
    1. Resolution on UW Trust Fund holdings (postponed per item 6.3.4., December 7, 2004 minutes, http://www.uww.edu/facsenate/archives/2004_2005/minutes/M120704.html):

      WHEREAS there have been allegations that some of the world’s governments, including, for example, the Israeli government, have been and continue to be engaged in grave human rights violations, including engaging in military assaults on civilians, making mass arrests, holding and torturing political prisoners, willfully destroying agricultural land, displacing civilian refugees, depriving civilians of water and food, demolishing homes, confiscating land, hostage-taking and conducting extra-judicial assassinations; and,

      WHEREAS the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel’s Security Wall violates international humanitarian law as well as the fundamental human rights of the Palestinians; and,

      WHEREAS it is alleged that these acts constitute war crimes, and, in some cases crimes against humanity, proscribed by such international codes and agreements as the Principles of the Nuremberg Charter and Judgment, The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, the Geneva Conventions (in particular, but not limited to the 4th Geneva Convention), the Convention Against Torture, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Protocol 1; and,

      WHEREAS, the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 22 USC sec. 2304, provides that “no security assistance may be provided to any country the government of which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights”; and,

      WHEREAS, University of Wisconsin System Regent Trust and Fund Policy 78-1 provides that “In accordance with Sec. 36.29(1) Wis. Stats., all investments ‘made in any company, corporation, subsidiary or affiliate which practices or condones through its actions discrimination on the basis of race religion, color, creed or sex. . . .’ shall be divested in as prudent but rapid a manner as possible”; and,

      WHEREAS, University of Wisconsin System Regent Trust and Fund Policy 97-1 (Investment and Social Responsibility) provides that “the Board acknowledges the importance of maintaining an awareness of public concerns about corporate policies or practices that are discriminatory (as defined by 36.29(1) Wis. Stats.) or cause substantial social injury, and it will take this factor into account.”

      BE IT RESOLVED that the Faculty Senate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater calls upon the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents to conduct a disinterested and expert investigation into the allegations stated above toward the possible end of divesting of holdings in Boeing, Caterpillar, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and any companies demonstrated to be knowingly supplying weaponry or financial support for any nations which engage in such human rights violations.

      1. Ghavamshahidi/Portman moved at December 7, 2004 meeting to approve the main motion.
      2. Kozlowicz moved at December 7, 2004 meeting to amend the main motion by striking the first three paragraphs
      3. Aulerich moved at December 7, 2004 meeting to amend the amendment by striking from the final paragraph, "Boeing, Caterpillar, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and"
      4. Ghavamshahidi moved at December 7, 2004 meeting to postpone the main motion until the February 1, 2005 meeting.   Passed at December 7, 2004 meeting.
      5. At the February 1 meeting, Ghavamshahidi requested permission to withdraw the main motion; approved by unanimous consent of the body.  (The pending amendments were withdrawn as subsidiary to main motion.)
      6. Ghavamshahidi/Ossers moved approval of the following substitute resolution titled "Resolution on the University of Wisconsin Investments and Social Responsibility."
                                                                                                                                                                                              
        WHEREAS, American principles, values, and traditions emphasize the right of the individual to basic freedoms without regard to ethnic origin or religious affiliation and support the protection and extension of these freedoms to all peoples around the globe, and where the systematic denial of these freedoms prompted the University of Wisconsin System to affirm its commitment to socially responsible investing and to take action by divesting its holdings in Apartheid era South Africa, in accordance with investment policy 78-1;

        WHEREAS, independent human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, and Al-Haq; the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and numerous NGOs have documented serious and widespread violations of international law and the human rights of Palestinian civilians by Israeli forces operating in the West Bank and Gaza;

        WHEREAS, the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel's separation wall violates international law and the fundamental human rights of the Palestinians;

        WHEREAS, there is irrefutable evidence that U.S. based companies in which the University of Wisconsin is invested provide material aid to the Israeli Army in the form of weapons, equipment, and supporting systems used to perpetrate human rights abuses against Palestinian civilians, and where knowingly continuing this support implicates these companies in practices that violate international humanitarian law;

        WHEREAS, the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 22 USC sec. 2304, provides that "no security assistance may be provided to any country the government of which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights;"

        WHEREAS, University of Wisconsin System Regent Trust and Fund Policy 78-1 provides that “In accordance with Sec. 36.29(1) Wis. Stats., all investments "made in any company, corporation, subsidiary or affiliate which practices or condones through its actions discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, creed or sex. . . ." shall be divested in as prudent but rapid a manner as possible.”

        WHEREAS, University of Wisconsin System Regent Trust and Fund Policy 97-1 (Investment and Social Responsibility) provides that “the Board acknowledges the importance of maintaining an awareness of public concerns about corporate policies or practices that are discriminatory (as defined by 36.29(1) Wis. Stats.) or cause substantial social injury, and (that) it will take this factor into account.”

        BE IT RESOLVED that the Faculty Senate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater calls upon the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents to divest from Caterpillar, General Dynamics, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop-Grumman, and Raytheon based on evidence of the active role these companies play in enabling Israeli Forces to engage in practices that violate international law and the human rights of the Palestinian people.

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that UW-Whitewater Faculty Senate urges all other UW System Faculty Senates to adopt similar resolutions aimed at ensuring the implementation of UW System investment policies and by extension upholding international law and safeguarding the human rights of all peoples.

        The substitute resolution failed on a voice vote.

  6. New Business: none

  7. Announcements and Information (no action unless noted otherwise)
    1. Report of the Chancellor:  None
    2. Report of the Provost
      1. NSSE/FSSE:  As a follow-up to the work done by the Faculty Senate's ad hoc task force established to look at the results of these surveys, Provost Telfer distributed tables updated to include 2004 data in the areas diversity, expectations, and mental activities.
      2. March 17 and AODA issues:  Staff members involved in AODA-related issues requested comment on two items related to March 17 (St. Patrick's Day): first, whether there is increased incidence of AODA-related problems on that day; and, second, whether there is support for developing first responder teams to help faculty and staff deal with AODA-related problems on that day. 
      3. Provost Telfer urged faculty to attend to Governor Doyle's state budget address next week.
    3. Report of the Senate Chair
      1. Resolutions from the December 7, 2004 Faculty Senate Meeting
        1. FS0405-12: November 12, 2004 UCC; Chancellor approved Dec. 14, 2004
        2. FS0405-13: 2005-2007 Faculty Salary Plan; Chancellor denied Dec. 14, 2004 pending further negotiations
        3. FS0405-14: 2006-2007 Academic Calendar; Chancellor approved Dec. 14, 2004
        4. FS0405-15: December 2004 graduation resolution
      2. Other announcements:
        1. Nominations for the University awards - Faculty Service, Outstanding Research, W.P. Roseman Excellence in
          Teaching, and the University Faculty/Staff Academic Advising award (please see http://acadaff.uww.edu/awards/).  Faculty Senators Robert Gruber and John Valadez are serving 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 terms; Virginia Epps is serving 2004/2005 as former Service Award Recipient; Neil Sawyer and Sue Wildermuth are continuing in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 term (see the November 9, 2004 minutes, http://www.uww.edu/facsenate/archives/2004_2005/minutes/M110904.html, item 6.2).
      3. Senate Meeting Dates and Times (please see http://www.uww.edu/facsenate/archives/2004_2005/0405MeetingDates.htm)
        1. Faculty Senate: March 8, 2005; April 12, 2005; May 3, 2005
        2. Faculty Senate Executive Committee: February 22, 2005; March 29, 2005; April 19, 2004

  8. Adjournment:  At 4:20 p.m the Chair noted the lack of a quorum during discussion of the University Standards Committee motion.   The Senate agreed to take up the Promotions Standards Committee Report at its March 8, 2005 meeting and then listened to the Report of the Provost.   Ossers/Portman moved to adjourn at 4:31 p.m.  Passed.