June 9, 2026 – Academic Staff Senate – Minutes

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Time: Tuesday at 2:30 pm
Location: Microsoft Teams

Attendance

Present: M. Archer, R. Calkins, M. Rausch Camacho, C. Cho, C. Driscoll, R. Edwards, K. Esguerra, C. Fleider, B. Freer, C. Hayes, B. Hinshaw, J. Johnson, T. Joosten, K. Korinek, A. Meddaugh, L. McGovern, N. Oswald, M. Priem, J. Rotier, A. Schmidt, M. Schmit, K. Scholz, N. Simonson, S. Surach, J. Steinheiser, K. O’Connell Valuch, D. Van Kerkvoorde, E. Zahasky
Absent: J. Court, J. Herriges, S. Luelloff, B. Mueller, A. Singer, A. Stoddard, B. Trager
Guests: Makda Fessahaye, Tina Freiburger, Renee Joos, Melissa Spadanuda, Brian Switala

Call to Order

Vice Chair J. Steinheiser called the meeting to order at 2:31 p.m.

  1. Minutes of the May 12, 2026 meeting were approved as distributed.
  2. The revised SAAP 07-02: Annuitant Privileges was approved as presented. (Deputy Chief HR Officer Elise Bechly Schubert provided clarification on the minimum break in employment.)
  3. The revised SAAP 07-12: Rehiring UWM Annuitants was approved as presented.
  4. The revised SAAP 10-08: Smoke and Tobacco-Free Campus​ was approved as presented.

Chair’s Report

J. Steinheiser shared J. Herriges’ report which included guests who attended the May 18 and June 1 ASC meetings. University Committee (UC) Chair M. Kavanaugh voiced support for academic staff job security and multi-year contracts and she supports using collective governance to voice concerns and work together to make sure governance voices are heard by administration. ASC assigned the Instructional and Research Academic Staff Subcommittee to review and give feedback on the ASPPP Proposed Chapter 114: Instructional Academic Staff Workload. Feedback will be shared in early fall so that ASC can submit to the Senate for review in fall. ASC discussed the report: Review Academic Staff Appointment Types and Contract Term Comparisons to Peer Institutions submitted by the NIAS and IRAS workgroup Thorsten Curcio, Nicole Hoover, Beth Lobner, and Deidre Marsh. T. Curcio, N. Hoover, and D. Marsh were present at the May 18 meeting to discuss the report. They provided an overview of the workgroup’s research and summarized their findings. The ASC brainstormed strategies and discussed next steps and critical areas to address were discussed. The ASC will continue the conversation in the coming months before sharing the report with AS Senate. J. Herriges reported activities at the May 19th Faculty Senate and the May 19th University Staff Senate. J. Herriges enjoyed the privilege of attending graduation as a member of the platform party on May 17th. It was an energized and long day of celebration.

Guests

  1. Interim Provost T. Freiburger
    Interim Provost A. Freiburger noted that May graduation was well attended and ran very well. UWM hosted the Board of Regents on June 4-5 and Freiburger was impressed with the hard work that is involved with planning. Interim Provost Freiburger shared some of the items presented at the meeting. She, Michael Doylen and Natasha Jankowski presented on textbook affordability which was well received by the Regents. She encouraged participation at today’s listening session on the hiring of the UWs President.
  2. Associate Vice Chancellor (AVC) M. Fessahaye and Total Rewards Director R. Joos
    AVC Fessahaye stated performance evaluations process will launch July 1st in Workday and due to be completed on September 30th. HR website has templates available and communication will be sent out in late June. Flex arrangements expire on June 30th and can be renewed in Workday. Team is preparing for the 2% pay plan increase for eligible employees which will be effective June 28th and employees will see on their July 23rd paycheck. R. Joos shared upcoming total rewards initiatives. Michael Doylen asked how employees can document professional development and service in performance evaluations. M. Fessahaye noted that employees and supervisors can add goals and add to additional comments section in Workday.
  3. M. Spadanuda, Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities, Planning and Management
    AVC M. Spadanuda shared that the Research Compliance unit is moving to the Office of Research effective July 1st. She provided updates on projects in progress including the old Chemistry building demolition (area will be replaced with green space in 2027), central plant chiller replacement, and NWQ stormwater management project. Internal summer projects average 25-30/year and with approximately $1.2M budget. AVC Spadanuda gave overviews of Fall 2026 project and the 2025-27 capital projects. She spoke about long-range campus planning approach and goals. Currently interviewing consultants to work on the next long-term plan and expect to initiate phase 1 in August 2026.

 New Business

  1. ​SAAP 07-06: Employee Assistance Program – Associate Vice Chancellor for HR Makda Fessahaye presented the rationale for eliminating the SAAP 07-06. T. Crary moved and S. Surach seconded approving the elimination of SAAP 07-06. Motion passed unanimously.
  2. SAAP 10-14: Emergency Operations Management​ – UWM Police Chief B. Switala presented an overview of the new policy. No concerns or questions were raised. R. Edwards moved and L. McGovern seconded approving SAAP 10-14 as presented. Motion passed unanimously.

Unfinished Business

  1. None.

Committee Reports

  1. Committees
    Georgia Brown (member) reported on the AS Awards Committee activities. The review and selection of candidates for the 2026 academic staff awards has been completed and the selections were shared with Chancellor Gibson. The award recipients will be recognized at the Employee Excellence Awards ceremony in fall. The new Panther Praise recognition program has received positive feedback and more than 40 nominations have been received. The program is available year round. The Committee will not meet until late August.
    Tammy Howard (member) reported on behalf of Elizabeth Jastrab, chair, that the AS Codification Committee has not met since May when they forwarded feedback on the proposed Chapter 114 on Instructional AS workload. They have meetings scheduled for July and August if needed.
    M. Priem, co-chair, ASHAC, reported the Committee met to review an appeal and submitted findings to the chancellor.
    S. Surach, chair, reported the AS Orientation Committee met May 15th and will not meet over summer. Jill McClary-Gutierrez was elected as 2026-27 Chair.
  2. Subcommittees
    None.

General Good and Welfare

None.

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.