MINUTES
FACULTY SENATE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-SUPERIOR
November 16, 2004
RSC 111, 2:30 PM
PRESENT: David Beran, Hal Bertilson, David Carroll, Orv Clark, Ted Cox, Tim Cummings, Maria Cuzzo, Martha Einerson, Matt Faerber, James Holter, Chris Kemnitz, David Kroll, Susan Loonsk, Peter Nordgren, Chuck Reichert, Nick Sloboda, Gloria Toivola, Julius Erlenbach, David Prior, and Mary Lee Vance.
ABSENT: Cecilia Schrenker.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Motion (G. Toivola/P. Nordgren) to approve the October 19 Faculty Senate minutes passed. The October 5 Executive Committee minutes were adopted.

REPORT OF THE CHANCELLOR: Julius Erlenbach. Chancellor Erlenbach discussed the budget reduction exercise (Two memoranda dated 11-15-04). Chancellor Erlenbach emphasized that these are exercises and not cuts and that they are general, not specific. A third document, the University of Wisconsin System 2005-07 Budget Reduction Exercise, was also distributed and discussed. It is being conceptualized as a "re-investment' rather than a cut. The National Survey of Student Engagement was discussed. For this year, Superior Days ranked our Academic Building as the number one issue.

REPORT OF THE PROVOST: David Prior. Provost Prior discussed cost overruns in Human Resources and D2L. Two papers will be coming to the Senate on how students move through general education classes. The chasm in preparation between high schools and the university is being addressed by some study groups. Two-person pairs between Northwestern High School and UW-Superior composition faculty and Superior Senior High School and UW-Superior composition faculty have been formed. It is hoped that similar study groups can be implemented with our Math instructors. Summer 2005 classes will be known by this Friday.
REPORTS
Chair--David Carroll. No report.
Secretary--Hal Bertilson. No report.

Faculty Representative--Nick Sloboda. The Faculty Representative report from October 28 is hyperlinked at Faculty Representative Report.
Planning, Budgeting, and Review Council--Peter Nordgren. The 2004-05 Information Technology Plan will be referred to the Senate. It will be forwarded to the Senators for the December Senate meeting.
1. Minutes of the 10-8-04 PBRC meeting.
2. Minutes of the 10-22-04 PBRC meeting.
3. Minutes of the 10-29-04 PBRC meeting.
Personnel Council--Chris Kemnitz. No report.
Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council--Tim Cummings. The Faculty Senate was asked for feedback on the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council plan to require all students to complete their general education credits by the time they complete 45 credits. If they do not, they must enroll in core courses. They will not be prevented from registering but they will be required to enroll in the core. This is consistent with a constant theme that the core curriculum is the foundation courses. Discussion followed.
Graduate Council--Terri Kronzer. No report.
Student Senate--Rob Schimke. The referendum on the Rothwell Student Center Project will be held on December 1 and 2. A handout permitting votes on three options was discussed. The three options were (a) I support a new building project for the Rothwell Student Center that will be implemented with a segregated fee of $513 per year; (b) I support a major renovation project for the Rothwell Student Center that will be implemented with a segregated fee of $332 per year; and (c) I do not support an increase in my segregated fees for the Rothwell Student Center Project. I realize that fees will arbitrarily increase as the University Administration deems necessary for a project that I do not support. Rob Schimke thanked faculty for supporting the get out the student vote.
Academic Staff Senate--Mary Lee Vance. Terri Kronzer, Human Resources, spoke on behalf of Academic Staff Personnel Policies approved by the Academic Staff Senate, forwarded to the Chancellor, and sent to System for final sign off. According to System policy, final approval is implied after 90 days if no formal changes are suggested. No objections have been raised so far.
Rob Schimke, Student Senate, presented information on Universal Design, a progressive model for ensuring equal access to products and facilities started under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A motion by Gustafson, seconded by Reinertson, offered Academic Staff Senate endorsement for the following resolution:
  Whereas, equal opportunity and accessibility is a crucial element to creating a healthy and safe environment for all students; and
  Whereas, the goal of Universal Design is to "design environments and curricula to be useable by a variety of people to the greatest extent possible;" and
  Whereas, the University of Wisconsin-Superior currently does not endorse the ideals and concepts of Universal Design; therefore,
  Be it resolved, the University of Wisconsin-Superior Academic Staff Senate endorses the ideals and concepts of Universal Design on behalf of its constituency; and,
  Be it further resolved, the Academic Staff Senate strongly recommends that the administration use concepts of Universal Design in all future building project plans.
OLD BUSINESS
1.

Plan 2008. Copies were forwarded to Senators on November 9. At the October Senate meeting, Faculty Chair Carroll summarized the main changes from the Plan 2008 Phase I document prepared in 1998 as follows. There are four major changes. First, the rank order of the goals (pp. 4-5) has been modified since Phase I. Second, the objectives under each goal (pp. 5-26) have been updated and revised. Third, Appendix A (pp. 27-28) has been added, defining diversity on this campus in a broader way. Although Plan 2008 deals specifically with faculty/staff/students of color, the addendum indicates that diversity also includes the LGBTQ and disability communities. Fourth, the departmental plans have been updated (pp. 28-52) and service program office plans have been added (pp. 53-64). Motion (M. Einerson/O. Clark) to endorse Plan 2008 Phase 2 was approved.
2. Promotion Portfolio. The Executive Committee recommended that the Faculty Senate approve the Personnel Portfolio as presented by the Personnel Council and that it become the common standard format effective with faculty hired in 2003 was approved. An illustrative, sample portfolio was attached to the hard copy of the October Senate meeting agenda. The Promotion Portfolio recommendation was forwarded to departments for their review. Comments were sought for the Personnel Council from Senators. Senator Sloboda asked if policies would be "grand fathered?" Chip Beal answered that departments may choose to "grandfather" the policies. Senator Toivola said that it would help to put these understandings in writing. It was suggested that departments may have provisions for mid-career changes in emphases. Motion (T. Cummings/M. Faerber) to postpone consideration of the Promotion Portfolio was approved.
3. Inclement Weather Policy The Executive Committee endorses the proposed Inclement Weather Policy. The proposed policy was tabled at the October Senate meeting for students to consider. Deferred until the December meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
1. SPBC Document. UW-Superior Goals Statement. Deferred until the December Senate meeting.
2. PBRC Reviews. PBRC Reviews will be distributed to Faculty Senators in email attachments.
3. Staggered Terms for Committees. Committees will be surveyed.
ADJOURNMENT
Minutes prepared by Hal Bertilson, Faculty Senate Secretary, December 12, 2004.