September 9, 2025 – Academic Staff Senate – Minutes

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Time: 2:30 pm
Location: Microsoft Teams

Attendance

Present: M. Archer, R. Calkins, C. Cho, M. Duellman, R. Edwards, K. Esguerra, A. Follmer, C. Fleider, B. Freer, J. Herriges, B. Hinshaw, J. Johnson, K. Korinek, S. Luelloff, L. McGovern, A. Meddaugh, B. Mueller, N. Oswald, J. Rotier, A. Sandoval, A. Schmidt, K. Scholz, N. Simonson, A. Singer, J. Steinheiser, A. Stoddard, S. Surach, K. O’connell Valuch, D. Van Kerkvoorde, W. White, E. Zahasky  

Absent: M. Rausch Camacho, M. Priem, C. Sampson, B. Trager

Guests: Jennifer Cramer, Andrew Daire, Makda Fessahaye, Thomas Gibson, Tracy Oles

Call to Order

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

  1. Agenda approved as presented.
  2. Minutes of August 18, 2025 meeting approved as distributed.
  3. 2024-25 AS Committee Annual Reports approved as distributed.
  4. SAAP 7-10 Minimum Qualifications for Instructors approved as presented. 

Chairperson’s Report and Announcements

J. Herriges welcomed new Senators and thanked all for their work. She met with Chancellor Gibson and discussed the faculty workload policy with impact instructional academic staff, asking to be kept informed of the progress of Act 15. She also talked to Gibson about supporting academic staff on fixed term contracts for three or more years, moving to multiple year, renewable contracts or probationary appointments. Comprehensive Compensation is in draft, but it is not yet published or final. It was originally slated for implementation in July 2024. For many AS, a probationary appointment is the only career progression path forward. Chair Herriges asked Chancellor Gibson if there are any areas that AS can engage and he will contemplate and get back to Herriges. Chancellor Gibson asked how academic staff view service and J. Herriges shared the importance of service to academic staff.  

Guests

  1. Chancellor Thomas Gibson
    Chancellor Gibson met with students and their families during move-in day and was excited to see the energy and enthusiasm students have for coming to UWM.  He also hosted a Coffee with the Chancellor event to meet with students to get feedback on their experiences at UWM.  Gibson also met with local government officials, including Milwaukee Mayor Johnson who had not visited the UWM Chancellor’s office before, to start building relationships and increase support for UWM.
    Chancellor Gibson has started meeting with major donors, reconfirming their commitment to UWM and has been busy with interviews with local media outlets, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Milwaukee Business Journal, the UWM Student newspaper, multiple television stations, and WUWM. Meetings with leaders of MATC, Marquette University, WCTC, and MSOE are also occurring with the focus on exploring new avenues for collaboration between institutions. 
    The Chancellor’s Plenary address will be on September 16 where Chancellor Gibson will highlight UWM’s accomplishments and share his vision for the future. He encouraged all to attend.
    Enrollment for the Fall semester is projected to be up by 11% for first-year students, the highest increase in a ten-year period. The overall enrollment increase is expected to be approximately 3-3.5%.  However, graduate student enrollment, particularly among international students, has declined.
  2. Provost A. Daire
    Provost Daire gave a brief enrollment update including the concerns about the declining international student enrollment. He emphasized that retention is key.
    Provost Daire is serving on two workgroups convened by UW System to work through the implementation of Act 15 on workload policies. Opportunities for feedback on the draft policy before it is submitted for approval will be shared. 
  3. Associate Vice Chancellor (AVC) Makda Fessahaye
    AVC Fessahaye reported the pay plan for 12-month employees was reflected on the September 4 paycheck and will be reflected on the September 18 paycheck for 9-month employees.
    Human Resources is still navigating Workday and its complexities. She asked for grace and patience as HR employees work through thousands of transactions.
    She explained the abbreviated performance evaluations process in Workday. The current task assignment in Workday is requesting that supervisors and employees set up the goals for the upcoming year and confirm (by entry into Workday) the final overall rating scale (from last year) into Workday.
    Telecommuting agreements must be entered into Workday by September 30.
    There is a new employee orientation on September 16. M. Fessahaye asked to alert any new colleagues since there have been issues with Workday noticing new employees.
    Communications on the hiring freeze is expected in the coming weeks from UW System.
  4. Jennifer Cramer and Tracy Oles
    J. Cramer and T. Oles presented UWM’s professional development and wellness resources and taking care of our employees so they can support and take care of our students. They shared information on fall programming. M. Fessahaye thanked the AS Senate for its support and engagement in wellness initiatives.

 New Business

  1. SAAP 15-3 Hazing Policy.
    A. Meddaugh provided an overview of the policy. No questions or concerns were voiced. K. Esguerra moved and A. Stoddard seconded approving SAAP 15-3 as presented. Motion carried unanimously.

Unfinished Business

None

Committee Reports

  1. Committees
    Sara Luelloff, Chair of AS Awards Committee, reported first meeting will be September 22.
    Elizabeth Jastrab, Chair of AS Codification Committee, reported first meeting will be September 19.
    Mike Priem, Chair of AS Hearing and Appeals Committee, reported first meeting will be September 19.
    Tammy Howard noted the first AS Nominations Committee will be September 15.
    Stephanie Surach, Chair of AS Orientation Committee, met on August 27 and will meet again on September 19.
    Kyla Esguerra, Chair of the Non-Instructional AS Review Committee, reported they meet regularly to review cases and gave overview of the annual report (activities).
    No report from Instructional AS Review Committee.
  2. Subcommittees
    Nathan Schneidermann reported the NIAS subcommittee will meet September 23 and the How to be of Service presentation is scheduled for November 19.
    Sarah MacDonald and Anne Kissack, Communications Subcommittee, shared the AS Newsletter will be distributed today. They will meet on October 21 and encourage academic staff to join the subcommittee.

Other Business

  1. New Senator Orientation.
    J. Herriges and J. Steinheiser presented the orientation PowerPoint for new Senators.

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.