Time: Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
Location: Curtin 175 and Microsoft Teams
Call to Order
Chancellor Gibson called the Faculty Meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.
Comments and Questions
Chancellor’s Report
The Chancellor reported on updates shared with the Board of Regents following Deloitte’s 2024 assessment, noting alignment with UWM’s 2030 Action Plan. He reported that UWM ended FY25 with an operating surplus and outlined 2030 goals related to enrollment growth, graduation rates, fundraising, and research expenditures.
He highlighted enrollment and retention initiatives, including transfer agreements, University Centers, dual enrollment, re-enrollment of stopped-out students, the upcoming ROAR Ready K–12 program, and student success efforts focused on advising, standardized processes, course scheduling, office hours, and a pilot academic forgiveness program. He also noted expanded use of technology to support recruitment and retention.
He emphasized the role of athletics and campus events in building community and visibility, thanked faculty for their contributions, and noted that more than 1,500 students will graduate this month. He concluded by reporting that JCRAR approved all 2025 Act 15 proposals, with additional communication forthcoming.
Provost’s Report
The Provost reported on the proposal to rename CETL as the Center for Advancing Student Learning to reflect a more integrated, student-focused approach to instructional support. He also referenced the ROAR Ready initiative focused on pre-college and community engagement.
He provided an update on fall-to-spring enrollment and retention. As of December 8, 62.6 percent of eligible students were enrolled for spring 2026, representing 71 percent of the spring enrollment target. He outlined coordinated retention efforts, including early alert pilots, targeted re-enrollment campaigns, retention grants, advising and peer outreach, grade recovery support, and the use of Navigate 360 and texting campaigns.
The Provost encouraged faculty to support re-enrollment by reminding students to register, providing timely feedback, offering encouragement, directing students to financial aid resources, and ensuring course materials are available in advance. He emphasized the importance of belonging and continued collaboration to improve student persistence and completion.
Senator Jian Zhao asked whether low-enrollment courses, particularly at the graduate level, could be allowed to continue when needed for timely student graduation. The Provost responded that there is no university-wide class size policy and that decisions about low-enrollment courses are made at the college or department level. He noted that recent analysis showed significant instructional costs associated with low-enrollment courses and emphasized that inconsistent course scheduling contributes to these situations. He added that improved multi-year scheduling could reduce the need to run very small classes, and that independent study is often used when a course is required for an individual student’s graduation.
Committee Reports
The UC met 3 times since the previous Senate meeting. Guests at UC meetings included:
- Chancellor Gibson
- Provost Daire
- Jennifer Herriges, ASC Chair
UC meetings addressed Act 15 provisions, UWM budget models and potential new legislation addressing the role of faculty in university leadership. Additionally, the UC discussed changes to eth P&P document, which Dr. Kavanaugh will bring to ASC in December.
UC also discussed referral to FFRC committee
Meetings attended by UC Chair, M. Kavanaugh:
- ASC meeting
- Faculty reps meetings during BOR meeting in Whitewater
- One on ones with Chancellor
- Budget Transparency meeting with Provost and governance leads
- Canan Bilen-Green
The APBC did not hold a full committee meeting since the last Faculty Senate meeting; however, committee members remain busy and engaged in a variety of campus conversations.
APBC members attended 19 unit budget meetings, which included all schools and colleges, as well as campus support and administrative units. A common theme that emerged from these meetings is that the financial headwinds across campus have led to budget cuts and shortfalls, reduced staffing, considerable risks to our digital and physical infrastructure and, conversely, demanded increased physical and mental labor from UWM employees as we are asked to do more with less. And all of this is happening as the university advances the pillars of its 2030 commitment to student success, positive employee experience, research innovation and community engagement, and financial sustainability. Reconciling these two structural narratives presents enormous challenges and will require creative problem-solving.
APBC co-chairs serve on UWM’s Budget Advisory Team, which met on November 26, after the conclusion of the individual unit budget meetings. This meeting included a preliminary discussion of FY27 operating budget revenue assumptions and projections, in addition to an overview of the FY27 contribution rate recommendation. The goal was to gather feedback before future budget briefings with campus groups, including APBC, which will welcome UWM CFO Drew Knabb on Dec 18. As ABPC co-chairs, but also faculty members, Jarett and I appreciate the opportunity to join these important conversations as part of the budget team.
Finally, in response at least partially to productive conversations in APBC, Provost Daire convened a Budget Transparency Meeting on December 10 that included APBC, UC, and other campus-level governance groups. The 1-hour meeting focused on the financial picture of UWM’s schools and colleges. Topics included: the budget model, costs of subvention, opportunity costs linked to faculty research productivity, low-enrolling programs and declining enrollments across degree programs, the total number of programs at UWM, calculations of costs-per-student-credit-hour, workload, and other data points with budget implications. Since a major source of unrestricted revenue comes from tuition (at a time when revenue from other sources, such as state support and federal grants, are unstable), the most immediate opportunities identified for addressing budget challenges are connected to enrollments, workload, class sizes, and retention. The provost has promised to share this presentation with other groups across campus and we encourage everyone to take part and offer perspectives. While there can be differing opinions regarding the nuanced stories that these particular data points tell, there is little doubt that UWM’s financial security depends on sustained, collective efforts across all corners of campus.
- Academic Staff Committee
- Since the last Faculty Senate meeting The ASC met twice
- Our Guests were Melinda Kavanaugh Chancellor Gibson and Associate Vice Chancellor, HR, Makda Fessahaye
- Discussions include workload policy and Act 15, shared the ASC feedback before it was voted on by BOR
- Discussed GER because will likely bring about changes to the GER “buckets,
- Discussed concerns about student mental health and high stress levels and discussion about instituting a mid-fall break and we supported the idea.
- Discussed Chapter 105 Performance Management. We are seeking to align dates with those in workday.
- ASC Recommendations for a Replacement on the Libraries Committee
- Reviewed and approved Proposed Revisions to AS Awards Bylaws – AS Awards Committee Chair, provided context for the proposed revisions and explained the changes.
- January 2026 ASC Meeting Schedule – The ASC agreed to meet virtually only on January 5 and to schedule a short meeting on January 26th (9-10 am) on Teams if something comes up in Jan.
- ASC recommended an Appointment to AS Codification Committee – After review of last year’s preference form data,
- Review Proposed Revisions to SAAP 0-1 UWM Policy on the Creation of Selected Academic & Administrative Policies – After review, ASC members shared individual feedback with me to compile send to Joely Urdan by December 5th.
- Academic Staff Senate
Has met once since our last meeting.- Guests were: Chancellor Thomas Gibson/ Provost Andrew Daire /Associate Vice Chancellor, Human Resources, Makda Fessahaye /Total Rewards Director Renee Joos and Vice Chancellor for Research Ali Abedi
- We reviewed and approved AS Doc 153 Revisions to Academic Staff Hearing and Appeals Committee (ASHAC) Bylaws
- Listened to our Committee Reports
- For both the University Staff Committee and University Staff Senate
- I gave a Summary of what the ASC and Senate in the last month
- Attended the Provost’s Budget Transparency Meeting on Dec 10 for campus governance leaders
I have recently been elected Chair of the Physical Environment Committee and this is my first report to Faculty Senate.
The PEC met in September and October of this semester. Here are some highlights:
We discussed the capital budget passed in July and signed by the governor. Eight items pertain to UWM, including the Health Sciences Renovation project, funds for the redesigns of Engineering and Neurosciences and Sandburg Hall, the Maryland Ave bridge restoration, and Lapham exterior and envelope repair. The Chemistry Building demolition is scheduled for next year
The Transportation Subcommittee has been active in the Hartford Avenue reconstruction project; the road will become a one-way street between Downer and Kramer with bike lanes. Future plans to make UWM more bike and pedestrian friendly include new campus Bublr stations, improved bike access on Downer, and improvements to Kenwood pedestrian crossings. The committee will have a campus walk tomorrow to determine additional nodes of focus.
We recommended three naming requests which were subsequently approved by the chancellor.
The committee reviewed and approved the 2028-29 Academic Year Calendar
Four academic policies that were brought to the committee by Dave Clark, Ben Gautsch, and Ann Raddant and were approved.
- LMS Assignment Policy
- LMS Course Policy
- Office Hours Policy
- LMS Policy Gradebook
Report will be posted upon receipt.
Senate Roll Call
Secretary of the University John Reisel conducted the roll call for the Senate. There were 43 senators and Parliamentarian Colleen Boland present. A quorum of the Faculty Senate was present.
The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Automatic Consent
- The minutes of the November 20, 2025 meeting were approved as distributed
Chancellor’s Report
- Document 3582, 11/20/25: Recommendation of the Codification Committee to Revise UWM P&P Ch. A1.7: Codification Committee Charter. Sent to UWM Administration, 11/21/2025. Approved by UWM Administration, 11/23/2025.
- Document 3583, 11/20/25: Recommendation of the Physical Environment Committee (PEC) to Revise UWM P&P Ch. A3.6: PEC Charter. Sent to UWM Administration, 11/21/2025. Approved by UWM Administration, 11/23/2025.
- Document 3584, 11/20/25: Recommendation to Revise the Faculty Workload Policy. Sent to UWM Administration, 11/21/2025. Approved by UWM Administration, 11/23/2025.
- Document 3585, 11/20/25: Recommendation of the Academic Policy Committee (APC) to Approve the Calendar for Academic Year 2028-29. Sent to UWM Administration, 11/21/2025. Approved by UWM Administration, 11/23/2025.
- Document 3586, 11/20/25: Resolution to Protect the Integrity of Faculty Control over the Curriculum. Sent to UWM Administration, 11/21/2025. Received by UWM Administration, 11/23/2025.
- SAAP 14-15, 11/20/25: Recommendation of the Office of Research and the Policy Advisory Committee to Revise the Policy on Research Misconduct. Sent to UWM Administration, 11/21/2025. Approved by UWM Administration, 11/23/2025.
Business
Faculty Document 3587: Recommendation of the Academic Program & Curriculum Committee (APCC) to Revise UWM P&P Ch. A1.2: APCC Charter
A senator moved adoption of Faculty Document 3587. APCC Committee Chair Michael Newman presented the document.
Faculty Document 2836R4: Recommendation of the APCC to Revise the General Education Requirements Policy. A senator moved adoption of Faculty Document 2836R4
A senator moved adoption of Faculty Document 2836R4. APCC Committee Chair Michael Newman presented the document.
Senator Timothy O’Brien asked why the proposed distribution requirements reduce Social and Behavioral Sciences to a single three-credit course while other areas appear to retain six credits, expressing concern that the social sciences are disadvantaged. APCC Chair Newman responded that the proposal maintains the overall credit distribution approved last year. He explained that several categories were merged under the revised framework, resulting in six-credit requirements for Humanities and Arts and for Natural Science and Wellness, while Social and Behavioral Sciences remains a three-credit requirement, consistent with the earlier approved structure.
The Provost extended appreciation to Vice Provost Dave Clark and the APCC, acknowledging the significant effort required and the work done to address a last-minute issue within a short timeframe.
Report on Community Empowerment & Institutional Inclusivity (CEII)
Vice Chancellor Chia Vang presented.
ROAR Ready Presentation
Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategic Enrollment Management & Student Success Kay Eilers presented.
Distinguished Professor Derek Counts suggested expanding outreach to include homeschool networks and emphasized the importance of representing the humanities. AVC Eilers welcomed the suggestions and affirmed that humanities careers will be incorporated into ROAR Ready’s career exploration efforts.
Presentation on Course Materials Costs and Student Financial Wellness.
The presentation was postponed until the next Faculty Senate meeting.
Presentation on the Center for Advancing Student Learning (CASL). Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Canan Bilen-Green and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning Natasha Jankowski presented.
Presentation on the Center for Advancing Student Learning (CASL)
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Canan Bilen-Green and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning Natasha Jankowski presented.
Presentation on Course Materials Costs and Student Financial Wellness
Presentation postponed until the next Faculty Senate meeting.
Unfinished Business
None.
General Good and Welfare
FS Rules Committee member John Boyland reminded faculty to attend Senate meetings in person beginning in January.
Chancellor Gibson thanked faculty for their service to the university and its students, encouraged attendance at commencement to celebrate graduating students, and wished everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 3:43 p.m.