University Committee – Annual Report – 2024-2025

Members:

Name	Rank	Department	Div	E/A	Term Ends	Email
Kathleen Dolan, Chair	Prof	Political Science	SS	E	2027	kdolan@uwm.edu
Kelly Kirshtner	Assoc	Film, Video, Animation, & New Genres	AH	E	2027	kirshtne@uwm.edu
Richard Leson	Assoc	Art History	AH	E	2026	leson@uwm.edu
Lindsay McHenry	Prof	Geosciences	NS	E	2026	lmchenry@uwm.edu
Gillian Rodger	Prof	Music	AH	E	2025	grodger@uwm.edu
William Watson 1	Prof	Theatre	AH	E	2025	bwatson@uwm.edu
Melinda Kavanaugh **	Prof	Social Work	PR	E	2025	kavanaug@uwm.edu

Charter:

A3.9 University Committee

1. Membership
   1. Seven tenured faculty members as follows: six elected faculty members and the President pro tem of the Senate.  No more than three of the members shall be from a single school, college, or equivalent academic unit.  No more than one member shall be from a single department in a departmentalized school or college.  All UC members are automatically Faculty Senators.
      
      For all regular elections of members to the University Committee, a primary election shall be held.  The final election ballot will contain twice as many nominees as there are individuals to be elected, such nominees to be chosen in descending order from the one who received the greatest number of votes in the primary election.  The provisions above concerning membership distribution shall be honored.
      
      The Committee annually elects a chairperson-elect from those having at least one more year to serve as a Committee member.  The chairperson-elect serves as chairperson the year following his/her election.
   2. Vacancies in the University Committee membership are to be filled as soon thereafter as possible.  If the vacancy cannot be filled within the regular annual committee elections process as specified in 6.24(1&6), then a special election will be held through preparation of a special slate of nominees by the Nominations Committee and permitting nominations from the university faculty followed by a mail ballot.  If the special slate has more than two nominees for an available position, a final election will be conducted as specified in A3.9(1)(a).  The membership that results from the filling of this vacancy will follow the membership composition restrictions of the University Committee with respect to school/college and departmental affiliation as cited in A3.9 (1) (a).
2. Functions
   1. Serves as the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, and in that capacity performs those functions which may be delegated to it by the Senate. Takes action representing faculty interests and prerogatives within the jurisdiction of the Senate when the Senate is not in session.  Such actions are reported to the Senate at its next regular meeting for ratification or other appropriate action.
   2. Examines any actions taken respecting the UWM campus by the Board of Regents, the various faculties or faculty committees, or by other bodies or individuals related to the university faculty, and makes recommendation as appropriate.
   3. On its own initiative, studies educational policy matters which are within the jurisdiction of the university faculty and makes recommendations to the Faculty thereon.  To the extent feasible, the committee performs this function in consultation with other appropriate faculty committees.
   4. On its own initiative, or upon request, advises the Administration on the implementation of faculty action.
   5. Consults with appropriate administrative officers at campus level or above on budget matters and reports thereon to the faculty.
   6. In consultation with the Rules Committee prepares the agenda for committee of the whole discussions concerning matters of general interest to the university faculty.
   7. Makes an annual report at the Faculty Senate’s first regular meeting of the academic year, and regularly submits to the Secretary of the University its minutes on all matters except those matters considered in closed session as permitted by 19.85, Wis. Stats.
   8. Advises the Chancellor on the membership on any campus search and screen committee which involves the faculty in making nominations for appointments to major university administrative positions as specified in 6.05, and represents the faculty on any system wide search and screen procedures.
   9. Advises the faculty and the administration on those questions concerning the operation of faculty governance which are within the jurisdiction of the university faculty.
   10. Receives grievances and complaints by or against members of the faculty and refers these grievances or complaints to the appropriate faculty standing committee.
   11. Receive notification within five working days from administrators when they, after conducting preliminary investigations, have grievances or complaints against faculty member(s) that may lead to discipline.

Meetings:

1. The UC met monthly with Provost Daire and monthly with Chancellor Mone in order to keep informed and provide input on important campus issues. We also met monthly with Sue Stalewski, chair of the Academic Staff Committee, to keep informed and provide input on issues shared by faculty and instructional academic staff. 
2. The UC Chair attended monthly 1:1 meetings with the Chancellor and with the Provost, and monthly meetings of the UWM Chancellor’s Cabinet and monthly meetings with UWs leaders and the 13 campus faculty representatives for the in-person and virtual meetings.
3. The UC provided members to, and monitored the activities of, the search and screen committees for the Chancellor, Vice Provost for Research, Dean of the College of Arts and Architecture, and Dean of the Graduate School.
4. Over the course of the academic year, the UC met with Provost Daire to discuss, among other topics, 1) faculty workload policy, 2) the status of the Institute for World Affairs, 3) student enrollment, 4) cuts to faculty-led study abroad programs, 5) the need for tenure clock extension policies to acknowledge the disruption to research as a result of Trump administration policies, 6) proposals for two sets of cluster hires, 7) concerns about faculty culture in some departments on campus and the need for more training of executive committees in their supervisory responsibilities.
5. The UC met with Vice Provost Canan Bilen-Green to discuss issues around faculty progression to the rank of Full Professor.
6. The UC met with Sharon Gosz, Director of Study Abroad, and Larry Kuiper, chair of the International Committee, to discuss the changes to faculty-led study abroad programs.
7. The UC met with Dean of Letters and Science Scott Gronert to discuss the transition of the First-Year Bridge program from the now-closed College of General Studies to L&S.
8. The UC met with Associate Vice Provost Drew Knab and Director of Budget and Planning Mickie Pearsall to discuss the newly implemented budget model and how it is working for the 2025-2026 FY.
9. The UC had several conversations with Vice Provost Dave Clark on the progress of plans to develop a new teaching evaluation instrument, the possibility of three-year degrees, and a campus program monitoring plan.
10. The UC met with Joely Urdan, Chief Legal Counsel over the course of the year to discuss 1) faculty reappointment rights, 2) UWs copyright policy,
11. The UC met with Interim Vice Provost for Research and Interim Dean of the Graduate School Kris O’Connor and Associate Dean of the Graduate School to discuss the development of faculty training programs in how to work with graduate students and teaching assistants in a healthy and equitable environment.
12. In May, the UC and the Faculty Senate hosted Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman to discuss the UWs and Board of Regents commitment to UWM as an R1 institution.
13. The UC performed its usual function of meeting with deans to learn about/approve augmentation requests for departmental executive committees and tenure clock extensions.
14. The UC performed its usual function of transmitting faculty complaints to the FAGC or FRRC as appropriate and monitoring the progress of the cases, as well as receiving the results of faculty evaluations of administrators.
15. The UC performed its usual function of appointing faculty to open positions on governance committees and in recommending people to be nominated for appointment to these committees.
16. The UC elected Melinda Kavanaugh chair for the 2025-2026 academic year.