March 22, 2016

Chancellor Mone joined us and we discussed yesterday’s campus budget meeting. The majority of the budget shortfall will be made up by position control; this could equate to losing 10% of the UWM workforce of university staff, academic staff and faculty over the next three years. The UC emphasized the need to have a strategic outline and over all picture of what the campus might look like in 3-5 years (optimal size of departments, maintaining research activity), which could serve as guidance as decisions are made about program change, rather than a piece-meal type of approach. We discussed the status of various tenure, layoff, and post tenure review policies (summarized below). The Regents have passed their version of each of these policies. Each campus is now charged with preparing campus level documents implementing the Regent policies. Madison is likely putting forth the tenure policy approved by the Madison Faculty in November at the April Regents meeting. UWM Tenure policies are being formulated based on Madison’s documents. The layoff and termination policy from Madison is also likely going forward in April; ours is in development and is based on Madison’s policy. We are not expecting to call a special Senate Meeting in March since our documents won’t be going to the Regents in April. Also, Kathy Miller-Dillion, ASC Rep, joined us and discussed ongoing concerns of the number of non-renewals. Currently, fixed term appointments offer no security, whereas some AS are long term. Madison used 3-year rolling horizons for contracts, which are not used at UWM frequently. It is unclear why this mechanism is not used at UWM.

Status of different documents:

Board of Regents Tenure Policy, Layoff and Termination Policy, and Post-tenure Review Policy- passed by the Board of Regents. https://www.wisconsin.edu/regents/tenure-policies/

Madison Tenure Policy and layoff and Termination Policy- likely going to April Regents meeting for approval. https://www.secfac.wisc.edu/FPP_ch_10.htm

UWM Tenure Policy (draft form),

Layoff and Termination Policy (draft form)- likely will go to UWM Faculty Senate in May,

UWM Post Tenure Review (draft form)- draft form

(These three sets of documents are in development and will be posted as soon as the drafts are ready for comment and formal consideration.