UC Chair Kathleen Dolan reported she attended the Faculty Representatives meeting last Friday in Madison. Most of the meeting time was spent discussing the UW System President search. Board of Regents Vice President Michael Grebe attended – he is chairing the UW System President search committee. Regent Grebe addressed the group regarding the composition of the search committee. Grebe said he believes the search committee is the right size and composition for this job, and the committee has the ear of other groups. The Faculty Representatives indicated that the UW System President should be an academic. The search committee hopes to have hired a new System President by April 1st. There was also continuing discussion of the implementation of changes in Title and Total Compensation for staff, including how campuses are allowed to create/use working titles for staff where business titles do not accommodate levels of achievement of current staff. UC discussed some of the title changes that appear to downgrade the level of degree needed for positions (e.g. only a Bachelors is now needed where a Masters or better was formerly required), and has concerns about how titles and requirements have been determined.

Provost Johannes Britz briefly attended. He reported having attended the monthly Provosts meeting, during which the Provosts met with Regent Grebe. The Provosts also emphasized to Regent Grebe the importance of higher education experience in hiring the UW System President. Provost Britz will meet with members of the Academic Leadership Council; they will discuss methods of managing enrollment, including ways to simplify enrollment (e.g. use of the Common Application), and student retention. Provost Britz also said the HBSSW Dean search is going well; 10 Zoom interviews are possible, prior to determining who will visit campus for on-site interviews. He and Chancellor Mone also served snacks for students in the library last night. UC Member John Reisel raised a concern from some faculty that they are not getting raises because they submitted their outside activities reports late; Provost Britz clarified that this is a UW System policy, not a UWM policy.

UC Member Julia Snethen reported that the surveys for the Chancellor and SOIS Dean have been sent.

UC Member Mark Schwartz called attention to the discontinuation of Digital Measures.

Academic Staff Chair Leigh Wallace attended. She said that currently, the main issue for academic staff is the changes in titles based on the implementation in Title and Total Compensation. She said that staff feel that administrators heard their concerns about doing away with prefixes for titles (esp. senior lecturer), and have said that people may be able to keep their business titles. AS are very appreciative of faculty support during TTC implementation. Also, paychecks will soon be distributed every two weeks, rather than once a month. ASC is trying to examine workload and dismissal and promotion policies with the goal of providing some stability, especially with regard to CGS. AS Member Sue Cashin will survey membership to see if there is interest in a mentoring program.

UC will not meet again before January 14th. In the meantime, all of us on the UC wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season and winter break.