Board of Regents
Regular Meeting Minutes - May 2006
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
of the
BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
Madison, Wisconsin
UW-Madison
Held in 1820 Van Hise Hall
Thursday, May 4, 2006
10:00 a.m.
- President Walsh presiding -
PRESENT: Regents Axtell, Bradley, Burmaster, Crain, Cuene, Loftus, McPike, Pruitt, Randall, Salas, Semenas, Smith, and Walsh
UNABLE TO ATTEND: Regents Connolly-Keesler, Davis, Rosenzweig, and Spector
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WELCOME TO NEW REGENTS
Regent President Walsh welcomed two newly appointed Regents: Mary Quinnette Cuene and Jeffrey Bartell.
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Mary Quinnette Cuene
Regent Cuene is Vice President of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and an instructor in the Business and Marketing Department at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay. Appointed to the WTCS Board in 2003, she has served as a member of several workgroups, including the Committee on Baccalaureate Expansion Workgroup and the Tuition Workgroup. She was named the WTCS Board representative to the Board of Regents, succeeding WTCS Board President Brent Smith, who has been appointed to the position on the Board of Regents formerly occupied by Regent Emeritus Greg Gracz.
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Jeffrey Bartell
Regent Bartell is a founding partner of the law firm Quarles and Brady in Madison. Formerly, he served as Wisconsin Commissioner of Securities and Assistant Attorney General. He chairs the Wisconsin Foundation for the Arts and this year was recognized with the University of Wisconsin Distinguished Alumni Award. He succeeded Regent Axtell following the May meetings.
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PRESENTATION OF 2006 ACADEMIC STAFF AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
In introductory remarks, Regent Crain stated that, with these awards, the Regents demonstrate their strong appreciation for the dedicated work, vital services, and outstanding contributions of the UW System’s non-instructional academic staff. Each recipient is presented with a $5,000 award designated to support his or her professional development or for other activities that enhance a university program or function.
Each UW institution annually is invited to submit one nomination for these awards, and the winners are chosen by a Regent selection committee. This year’s committee was chaired by Regent Connolly-Keesler. Members were Regents Crain, Davis, McPike, Randall, Salas and Smith.
Criteria for choosing the winners are:
o Excellence of Performance: performance that consistently and substantially exceeds in quality the expectations for the position, has set superior standards of excellence, and has resulted in important and significant contributions to the department and institution.
o Personal Interaction: performance that consistently and substantially demonstrates ability and willingness to work positively and effectively with others.
o Initiative and Creativity: performance that consistently and substantially demonstrates an innovative approach to the job.
o Outstanding Achievement: performance that consistently and substantially has resulted in important and significant contributions to the departmental unit and the university and has resulted in distinction in one’s profession – campus-wide, system-wide, statewide, nationally or internationally.
Stating that the Committee was overwhelmed by the accomplishments of all the nominees, Regent Crain remarked that they are wonderful representatives of the achievements of the more than 7,600 UW non-instructional academic staff. Each of these nominees, she indicated, should take great pride in his or her nomination to this outstanding field of candidates. This years nominees included an archivist, a director of planning and landscape architecture, two distance learning directors, a housing director, and a senior graphic designer.
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Lynn Markham, UW-Stevens Point
Turning to the first of this year’s awards, Regent Crain introduced Lynn Markham, a land use specialist with UW-Stevens Point’s Center for Land Use Education (CLUE), a joint venture of Cooperative Extension and the College of Natural Resources, which serves the entire state. Ms. Markham joined CLUE in 2000, the same year that Wisconsin initiated legislation requiring communities to develop land use plans. Her work is to create learning opportunities for communities to help in making wise land use decisions that result in a sustainable Wisconsin.
Among her numerous achievements have been to co-author a publication that helps communities manage existing developments that do not conform to zoning standards and creation of the Shoreland Friends Guidebook that describes how to implement projects that educate new waterfront property owners about the benefits of shoreland protection. She also co-authored the Plan Commission Handbook and the Zoning Board Handbook to provide guidance for local government officials. Using her scientific background in water resources, she has helped many communities consider groundwater as a priority in their land use plans.
She has had great impact through her numerous personal interactions with individuals, small groups and large conferences. For example, she has held zoning board workshops across the state and assisted a number of counties in developing waterfront policies. In dealing with often volatile issues and strong emotions, she has displayed a combination of knowledge, patience and thick skin that has earned respect from citizens and community leaders around the state.
In a letter supporting the nomination, Anna Haines, Director of the Center for Land Use Education said that “Lynn brings to her work an unexpected level of creativity and initiative. . (She) functions at a very high level and goes far beyond…normal expectations…She is a consummate professional and a wonderful ambassador of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the UW System.”
In conclusion, Regent Crain referred to the following statement by Ms. Markham, submitted in her nomination materials: “I love my work and my colleagues. Who would have ever guessed that they would pay me for learning and talking about things I care about with people I enjoy?”
Expressing appreciation for the award, Ms. Markham thanked her colleagues at the Center for Land use Education, UW-Extension, UW-Stevens Point, and the local government officials, staff and volunteers with whom she had worked. She also thanked her family for their support.
In addition, she expressed gratitude to the many people around the state who care about their communities and invest great amounts of time and energy in doing what they believe is right, sometimes taking unpopular stands to protect natural resources and public health. In that regard, she observed that people facing difficult issues appreciate timely, credible information and that she has seen many cases of people using such information to develop exemplary land and water plans
Based on her experience with Wisconsin communities, Ms. Markham then offered the following recommendations:
o Keep a UW education affordable so that it will be accessible to as many people as possible.
o Encourage and even require that students participate in their communities. This, she added, should improve graduation rates and enhance the state’s brain gain, since students would be more likely to stay in communities that they have grown to know.
o Encourage all UW faculty to do work that benefits Wisconsin communities.
o Maintain outreach positions so that educators can continue to help community leaders make sound decisions and take preventive measures to maintain healthy communities. In that regard, she pointed out that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
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Patti See, UW-Eau Claire
Regent Salas introduced the second award winner, Patti See, Senior Student Services Coordinator at UW-Eau Claire, noting that she “demonstrates the extraordinary role that these versatile and multi-talented employees play in our campuses”.
Since 1994, Ms. See has served in the Academic Skills Center, evaluating student tutorial needs, training and supervising tutors and instructing students. In addition, she is one of the most published authors on campus, with works that include essays about best classroom practices, short stories, and poetry.
She has been recognized by UW-Eau Claire three times for her exemplary work, having received the Student Recognition Award from Services for Students with Disabilities; the Distinguished Service Award from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the institution-wide UW-Eau Claire Academic Staff Excellence in Performance Award.
Her abilities as a teacher and speaker are recognized on local, state, and national levels, where she has made many presentations on her innovative classroom techniques, first-year experience curricula, diversity agendas, study strategies, and Third Wave Feminism. She has taught developmental courses, along with courses in the Women’s Studies program. Students describe her as “approachable”, “personable”, “helpful”, “compassionate,” “intelligent”, and “cool”.
Her textbook, Higher Learning: Reading and Writing about College, is used in transitional programs and composition courses across the nation.
Noting that not many writers can produce works of art across genres, Regent Salas remarked that, “Patti See can do it all…a teacher, essayist, short story writer, and poet!”
Expressing appreciation for the award, Ms. See thanked those who had nominated her and written letters of support and others with whom she worked.
She referred to her own college experience as preparation for the person she became. As a commuter student at UW-Eau Claire 20 years ago, she felt like an outsider and did not realize that half of the university population was made up of first-generation college students like her. At the time, she felt invisible, but later realized that “becoming nobody was the seed of the reinvention of myself… I never tried to explain to my family what a liberal arts degree meant. I couldn’t explain that I was a writer in training, taking in the world and its details until I was ready to write it. I just knew.”
These experiences prepared her for her work with students on the fringe – students with disabilities, first-generation college students, students of color, “the wounded and the invisible and the overwhelmed – essentially anyone who ever felt like an outsider like me.”
In conclusion, she expressed pride in the fact that UW-Eau Claire is a place where students from all kinds of backgrounds have an equal chance for a liberal education with practical applications. She was thankful to be part of a “community of thinkers that makes its corner of the world a better place.”
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PRESENTATION ON DIVERSITY
In opening remarks, President Reilly observed that, while some progress has been made toward reaching diversity goals, much remains to be done in order to achieve them.. The mission of the UW System and the priorities of the Board of Regents, he noted, include strong commitments to increasing access for all students. Plan 2008 restated the commitment to access and success for students of color and disadvantaged students who typically are underrepresented on UW campuses. In addition, he pointed out the compelling interest in having all students receive the educational benefits of a diverse student body.
He then referred to a resolution adopted by the Board in February 2005, reaffirming the commitment to diversity and identifying specific roles for the President, Chancellors, and UW System Administration. That resolution included the following elements:
o That the UW System adopt a system-wide diversity accountability report card with measurable goals to track progress toward closing the achievement gap between students of color and white students;
o That the UW System institute a system-wide diversity award to recognize excellence in diversity programming or achievement;
o That the President work with the Board to refocus evaluation of Chancellors and the President with respect to their work on diversity and on progress toward Plan 2008 Phase II goals;
o That institutional Plan 2008 Phase II plans describe their accountability process, including incentives and penalties for success and failure in closing student achievement gaps.
On the first point, the President reported that progress is being made, using the Equity Scorecard. An evidence-based culture will enable better assessment of performance and analysis of differences among campuses.
On the second point, the goal would be to establish a system-wide diversity award before this time next year, after clarification of the standards and criteria that would apply to such an award.
On the third point, the President asked each Chancellor to be prepared at his or her annual performance evaluation to discuss progress toward Plan 2008 goals and areas where goals are not being reached. Regents have the opportunity to join in that conversation during the Board’s sessions on Chancellor evaluations. The System Office of Academic Diversity and Development will be asked to prepare a summary of successes and failures in meeting the goals of Plan 2008 for each institution and the system as a whole, and to set forth the continuing work that needs to be done. These summaries will be used in the 2007 round of performance evaluations and be factored into salary determinations for the Chancellors and the President.
On the fourth point, progress and accountability will be assessed when institutional plans are forwarded to the system level for review.
President Reilly then introduced Assistant Vice President Vicki Washington for information about closing the achievement gap through the Equity Scorecard project and building pipelines for multicultural and disadvantaged students through pre-college programs.
Ms. Washington began her remarks by stating that, although there have been some successes and although many people are working on it, the UW has not succeeded in reaching the goals of Plan 2008. Making more progress over the next two years and beyond, she said, is both an opportunity and a challenge.
As background information, she noted that the Board of Regents and the UW System have a 20-year history of stated commitment to excellence through diversity, beginning with Design for Diversity in 1988, followed by Plan 2008, now in its sixth year.
In April 2004, following review of Phase I of Plan 2008, which showed persistent gaps in achievement for students of color, the Board established as a priority for Phase II closing the achievement gap in recruitment and retention. In February 2005, the Board adopted Resolution 8970, which was described by President Reilly.
Turning to the subject of pre-college programs, Ms. Washington noted that the UW recognizes the vital role these programs play in increasing access for students of color. The Office of Policy Analysis and Research has been asked to enhance data collection and reporting to better track students in these programs.
Data on student of color retention and graduation, she pointed out, reflect progress toward closing the achievement gap; and this progress also helps in recruiting more students of color. National and state data show that pre-college programs are important in providing multicultural and disadvantaged students access to higher education.
In the UW System, Ms. Washington explained, these programs serve the following purposes:
o To cultivate aspirations for going to college by increasing awareness that college is possible and by exposure to campus environments
o To support academic preparation, achievement, and social development through elementary and high school in order to increase the students’ potential for college eligibility
o To increase college access and enrollments
With regard to enrollments, Ms. Washington indicated that enrollments of students of color in pre-college programs has increased steadily, with the greatest growth -- from 9,180 to 13,953 -- occurring from 2002-02 to 2003-04. It is believed that those increases resulted from better methods of counting, as well as actual increases in the number of participants. In 2004-05 there were 17,073 multicultural and disadvantaged students enrolled in pre-college programs. Of that number, 14,023 (82%) were students of color.
The combined breakdown in terms of targeted racial/ethnic groups from 2002-03 to 2004-05 were as follows:
o 50% African American
o 19% Hispanic/Latino
o 5% Southeast Asian
o 3% American Indian.
Ms. Washington noted that using data disaggregated by racial/ethnic group, is consistent with the Equity Scorecard process and makes clear where the gaps are among groups.
Turning to service rates for multicultural and disadvantaged students, Ms. Washington indicated that, over the past three years, the pre-college service rate has increased from 5.1% to 7.5%. Over the same period, students of color increased from 21% to 22% of Wisconsin public school enrollment. With only small increases in funding for pre-college programs, she noted, it has not been possible to keep pace with the rate of increase in multicultural and disadvantaged students in the public schools.
While reporting of pre-college participation data has improved, it still is not possible to determine the exact number who enroll in college because not all participants provide social security numbers, which are needed for future tracking.
Of the 55,378 multicultural and disadvantaged students in the UW pre-college database, 31,628 are traceable through social security numbers. Of the number the UW is able to track, it is estimated that 21,072 have graduated from high school. 9,258 (44%) took the ACT test, indicating intent to go to college. 5,120 (24%) of estimated high school graduates have enrolled in a UW institution since 1993-94. Ways are being explored to measure the number of students who may have enrolled in a non-UW institution, such as the Wisconsin Technical College System.
Ms. Washington then discussed service rates for new freshmen as a key measure of access to the UW System. There is a significant gap, she pointed out, in service rates for students of color when compared to white students – 21% compared to 34%. In 2004, service rates for African American students were 15%, 20% for Hispanic/Latino students, 18% for American Indian students, and 35% for Asian students.
With regard to new freshmen retention, she indicated that overall retention rates from 1998-2004 increased by two percentage points. Between 2002 and 2004, the retention rate for African American students increased by 2.1 percentage points, to 70%, while the rate for Hispanic/Latino students decreased to 74%, and the rate for American Indian and Southeast Asian students decreased to 65% and 75%, respectively.
As to graduation rates, Ms. Washington reported that African American students graduate at the lowest rate of 32%, resulting in a gap of 33 percentage points when compared with white students. The six-year graduation rate for African American students declined by one percentage point between 1997 and 1999. Graduation rates for American Indian students increased by three percentage points to 46%, resulting in a gap of 19 percentage points. Graduation rates for Southeast Asian students increased by 8 percentage points to 47%, resulting in a gap of 18 percentage points. Graduation rates for other Asian students exceed that for white students – 68% versus 65%.
Ms. Washington then described the Equity Scorecard, which is designed to discover root causes of gaps and inequitable educational outcomes for students of color. These discoveries are expected to lead to better decision-making and action strategies, and also to lead to changes in organizational culture and climate. The UW’s history of collecting disaggregated data will be put to good use in this project.
In December 2005, the UW launched the Equity Scorecard process, with intensive training for teams on the six campuses participating in the project – UW Colleges, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Parkside, and Whitewater.
In this process, institutions are evaluating every aspect of academic and social life for underrepresented students of color through four perspectives:
o Access – factors that limit access to the institution and to the full array of programs, opportunities and resources that significantly improve life’s opportunities;
o Retention – factors that hamper student persistence in courses and majors, as well as retention from year to year to degree completion;
o Excellence – barriers to success, such as gatekeeper and gateway courses to certain majors, equitable representation across all majors and disciplines, eligibility for honors, awards and scholarships, and preparation for graduate and professional schools;
o Institutional receptivity – institutional support and other factors that contribute to welcoming and affirming campus and classroom environments for students, faculty and staff of color.
By June, the institutions will have completed the access perspective – the first of four in the process.
With regard to the external access perspective, Ms. Washington gave as examples five questions used by campus evidence teams:
o How do the percentage rates of each racial/ethnic group in the student body compare with the percentage among high school graduates?
o What is the rate of admission across racial/ethnic groups?
o What is the rate of admits versus applicants across racial/ethnic groups?
o What high schools are the feeder schools for this institution?
o What about transfers from UW Colleges and technical colleges?
Such questions, she explained, help to identify possible barriers and roadblocks that are common as well as unique to each racial/ethnic group.
As to internal access, Ms. Washington gave examples of the types of questions teams use to better understand what happens to students once they enroll.
o In what programs and majors do underrepresented students enroll? Are students of color equitably represented across academic departments and majors?
o To what extent are students of color equitably represented in important career enhancing academic programs, like undergraduate research, internships, fellowships, and study abroad?
o What type of financial aid are students of color receiving when compared with white students?
In conclusion, Ms. Washington stated that closing the achievement gap depends on achieving the goals of Plan 2008. Those are:
o Increase the number of students who graduate from high school and are eligible to apply to UW institutions.
o Develop partnerships with K-12 education to better prepare students for college and increase the likelihood that they will enroll at a UW institution.
o Improve retention and graduation rates for the students who do enroll.
o Provide adequate financial aid.
o Increase recruitment and retention of faculty and staff of color.
o Cultivate a welcoming and affirming campus and classroom climate for all students.
o Hold institutional leaders accountable.
The equity scorecard, she said, strengthens the capacity to achieve those goals.
Ms. Washington then introduced UW-Parkside Provost Rebecca Martin to describe that university’s work on the Equity Scorecard Project.
Stating that UW-Parkside is excited to participate in the project, Provost Martin noted that supporting students of color is central to Parkside’s mission. The project provides an opportunity to use data and analysis to understand better what is happening on campus. When problems are discovered, investments can be made in interventions. The project shifts the focus from the students to the university and what can be done to help students succeed.
The team, consisting of seven members, is chaired by the provost. While there are no student members, the team is meeting with focus groups of students to provide a richer context. It is very important, she said, to engage the whole campus in the project.
While the team is eager to work on retention, the Equity Scorecard model suggested beginning with access, which has helped enrich understanding. The focus on access has to do with students coming to the university and whether their access to the institution, majors, courses, internships, athletics, and other programs is equitable. This study shows where students of color are in the university and where they are succeeding. Data is disaggregated by race/ethnicity.
Provost Martin then introduced Eugene Fujimoto, Assistant to the Chancellor for Equity and Diversity, to continue the presentation.
Mr. Fujimoto reported that in fall 2005 there were about 5,000 students at UW-Parkside. Of thse, 0.7% were Native American, 3.1% Asian American, 6.3% Hispanic/Latino, 9.9% African American, 1.2% international, and 78.8% white. Of the entering freshman class, 0.7% were Native American, 2.1% Asian American, 6.2% Hispanic/Latino, 15.3% African American, 0.8% international, and 75.2% white.
Asian American and Native American students, he pointed out, are a small proportion of the population in high schools from which most UW-Parkside students come – 36.3% from Kenosha County, 34.5% from Racine County, and 11.3% from Milwaukee County. African Americans comprise 5.8% of the Kenosha graduates, 9.8% of the Racine graduates and 30.3% of the Milwaukee graduates. With a 15.40% African American student population in the freshman class, UW-Parkside is doing well in providing access to these students.
Hispanic/Latino students comprise 7.10% of the Kenosha graduates, 6.80% of the Racine graduates and 9.20% of the Milwaukee graduates, but only 6.20% of the Parkside freshman class where a little over 7% would be expected.
Preliminary findings findings from the study were:
o First-year enrollments for students of color exceed graduation levels for the major feeder high schools.
o African-American and Hispanic/Latino students are over-represented among first-generation students.
o All students of color are equitably represented among financial aid and scholarship recipients.
o UW-Parkside enrollment levels are under-represented when compared to regional census data for 18-19 year olds, especially for Hispanics/Latinos and African American males.
o High school graduation rates for these groups indicate that barriers may exist earlier in the educational system.
In Racine and Kenosha counties, over 13% of 18-19 year olds are Hispanic/Latino, while 11.8% are African American. While UW-Parkside is serving African Americans well, Hispanics/Latinos are under-represented. It appears that they are falling out of the educational system at the high school graduation level.
Provost Martin indicated that issues for further consideration include access to majors, gateway courses as barriers to success, placement and success in academic skills courses, and access to special programs. These areas currently are being reviewed, starting with access to majors. Noting that students of color are under-represented in the sciences, she indicated that there are questions that need to be answered and that the student perspective is important in that regard. Some have been told that their grades are not good enough to succeed in the sciences, and there is indication that a particular math course has been a negative experience for some.
She identified the following questions that had emerged from the data:
o Why are UW-Parkside’s enrollment rates for Hispanic/Latino students below the graduation levels in the major feeder high schools?
o Are there steps that can be taken to increase enrollment of African American males, despite the low high school graduation rates for these students?
o Why are there no Southeast Asian students in the 2005 entering class?
o Why are part-time students less diverse than full-time students?
o White part-time students are older than part-time students of color. Is this a recruitment opportunity?
o Should Parkside look further into potential UW/WTCS transfers? While many transfers come from Gateway Technical College, could Parkside be made a destination other technical college transfers?
Provost Martin indicated the following initial indicators for improvement:
o Increase enrollment for Hispanic/Latino students both by short-term admissions strategies and targets and by long-term strategies through pre-college.
o Increase enrollment for African American males by long-term strategies through pre-college.
In conclusion, she indicated that next steps will be to finish the access perspective and move on to retention, the area about which the team is most excited.
President Reilly then addressed the relationship between the Growth Agenda and the Diversity Agenda. The Growth Agenda, he said, has two goals:
o To increase the number of Wisconsin residents who have four-year college degrees and knowledge economy jobs;
o To grow the financial capacity to support more student enrollments.
Stating that these clearly are the right goals for Wisconsin, he said that it is right for the UW System to lead this growth.
He did not see the Growth Agenda and diversity goals as two distinct efforts. Rather, he pointed out, as the populations of the state and nation change, the educational benefits of diversity will be part of the Growth Agenda and the work to expand the number of citizens who have four-year college degrees. To serve all students who want a college degree, the UW will need the state’s support to grow its resources. To serve students at every level, diversity goals must be part of partnerships with PK-12 schools and the technical colleges.
Diversity goals also will need to be incorporated into university fundraising, faculty and staff recruitment and hiring, as well as teaching, learning and professional development programs. These goals also should inform student services, student government and organizations, along with other extracurricular activities.
The UW System and campuses were working to broadly define diversity in what will be a holistic admissions process, appropriate to each campus. Included will be acknowledgement of different personal characteristics and talents, as well as social and cultural differences. In that context, diversity includes age, gender, nationality, religion, physical ability, sexual orientation, race ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. This holistic admissions process, which will follow guidelines established by the U.S. Supreme Court, will enable campuses to reap the educational benefits of diversity for all students. It also is an example of how diversity goals can be met by thinking of diversity not as a separate issue, but rather as a part of every facet of the university.
The Growth Agenda, President Reilly stated, calls for the university to open its doors to talented students, regardless of background. That means students of color and white students; men and women; students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered and those who don’t; students with different physical abilities and adult students. It means diversity in all of its dimensions.
This mindset is needed, he said, if the university is to reach out and build college aspirations among more students from low and moderate income families. In order to attract and serve more adult and nontraditional students, it will be necessary to target diverse populations of potential students of every race, ethnicity and income level.
While he understood the confusion and frustration about diversity programming and outcomes, he felt that there is reason for optimism. In that regard, he noted the already outstanding contributions of the President’s Diversity Council, a group of very talented, experienced and diverse leaders. He looked to this group to learn from the private sector, which is in many ways far ahead of universities, and to learn from peers in higher education as well.
He expressed gratitude to Senior Vice President Cora Marrett and her staff for their work in organizing these efforts and to Vicki Washington for bringing her expertise and energy to the Office of Academic Diversity and Development. Their continued leadership will be needed as efforts are accelerated to achieve equity and excellence across the UW System.
Noting that he and his wife, Kate, were blessed with three children, including a son and daughter adopted from Colombia, South America, he said that “I want for all UW students the same things I want for my own children – a place where, regardless of background, they can have the same opportunities to live, learn and grow; a place where faculty and staff understand them, their educational aspirations and their unique gifts, talents and perspectives, and can help them along the way; a place where they feel comfortable speaking out, testing their limits, and trumpeting their successes; and a place that can give extra encouragement to those who need it. The UW System must be that place.”
In conclusion, President Reilly stated that he and the chancellors would continue to work to assure that the value of diversity is embedded in the university’s educational mission and expressed the belief that the Growth Agenda demands that diversity be recognized as key to achieving Growth Agenda goals for Wisconsin.
In discussion following the presentation, Regent Salas pointed out that updated census data on Hispanics/Latinos would show a dramatic increase in that population. Asking that more focus be placed on retention of students of color, he noted that the Achieving Excellence Accountability Report showed that retention rates for African American students at UW-Parkside was only 15%.
Provost Martin agreed, adding that this is why the university embraced the Equity Scorecard. Because of the structure of that approach, access was studied first; and the study of retention would begin at the next meeting. She concurred that retention must be a key focus for UW-Parkside.
Chancellor Keating added that the access problem is exacerbated at the high school level where 40% of boys, but 60% of girls take the ACT test. Students of color are increasingly in the group that does not take the test and so is not eligible for college.
Regent Salas remarked that there is failure to retain 69% of African American students and more than half of Latino students. He asked that consideration be given to increasing resources for these efforts in the upcoming budget.
Regent Burmaster expressed appreciation to Regent Salas for articulating the sense of urgency around this issue and to President Reilly for his statement that diversity is part of the Growth Agenda. More students of color with degrees are needed, she remarked, for both moral and economic reasons.
Commending UW-Parkside’s leadership in working with local schools and for getting students’ insights in the Equity Scorecard process, she urged that all chancellors have leadership roles in PK-16 efforts and that there be strong involvement of students as Equity Scorcard projects go forward. She also commended President Reilly for his statement that leaders will be held accountable, adding that the Board also will hold leaders accountable.
Noting that the Equity Scorecard involves data-driven analysis and that it is important to involve students and ask the right questions, she commented that this is worthy work and that it is important to step up the timetable and celebrate successes along the way.
Regent Loftus noted that this is a serious problem on a national basis that needs serious discussion. Remarking that UW-Parkside is the system’s most diverse campus, he felt that it would be helpful to have campus-by-campus data and analysis. Some campuses, he observed, are geared to higher income students, which also affects diversity. Pointing out that there now are only 330 more African American students than there were seven years ago, he asked if the report card had become the Equity Scorecard.
Ms. Washington replied that Plan 2008 includes multicultural and disadvantaged students, based on socio-economic factors and status as first generation college students. Indicating that data for each campus are available, she thought that the equity scorecard would address the issues he had raised.
Referring to the Growth Agenda, Regent Smith asked how UW-Parkside would address that effort.
In response, Chancellor Keating said that retention is Parkside’s growth opportunity, along with recruitment of more Hispanic students. The current enrollment is 7,300.
Regent Burmaster observed that the Wisconsin Covenant will address issues of both access and retention.
Regent Crain noted that it will be essential to work with the K-12 schools to successfully address these issues. Remarking that it is a matter of supporting families for the long term, she stated that the UW should look at the issue holistically and provide leadership in those efforts.
With regard to accountability, Regent Randall inquired about the process for holding campus leaders accountable and whether there would be incentive programs and pay reductions for failure to meet goals.
In reply, President Reilly indicated that withdrawing money from a campus that is making strong efforts might hamper achievement of goals. As to compensation, he thought it important to look at a range of factors, including progress toward diversity goals.
Regent Randall commented that a process is needed to provide incentives and disincentives in order to move efforts forward more successfully. He thought that PK-16 councils would present important opportunities and urged that funding support be provided in the budget. President Reilly replied that there would be the opportunity to discuss that possibility along with other budget initiatives.
In response to a question by Regent Randall, President Reilly said that information on recruitment and retention of faculty of color are available and could be provided to him. He added his hope that the Wisconsin Covenant would become a focus for the statewide and local PK-16 councils.
Regent Loftus commented that chancellors should be held accountable not just for participation in the equity scorecard process, but for actual results, and that failure to achieve goals should result in compensation consequences.
Regent President Walsh recalled that the Board agreed to support the equity scorecard process as part of Plan 2008. Noting that the annual accountability report is another scorecard, he remarked that these factors all should be taken into account.
Regent Burmaster said that individual campus plans should be evidence-based and should make best use of available data.
Regent Semenas thanked President Reilly for his strong statement about the value of diversity and his broad definition of what it entails. Noting the importance of PK-16 partnerships, he pointed out the need to address the low high school graduation rate in southeast Wisconsin of African American males. He also urged that consideration be given to increasing Fund 402 monies for multicultural and disadvantaged programming; and he commended UW-Parkside for its excellent presentation of the issues on that campus.
Regent Cuene remarked that continuing partnerships with the Wisconsin Technical College System also would be helpful in reaching diversity goals.
The meeting was recessed at 12:15 p.m. and reconvened at 12:45 p.m.
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SUMMARY OF 2007-09 BIENNIAL BUDGET INITIATIVES
In introductory remarks, President Reilly noted that planning for the biennial budget began in February with the introduction of the UW’s Growth Agenda for the State of Wisconsin. At the same meeting, he reiterated his vision that: “The University of Wisconsin System should be the state’s premier developer of advanced human potential, of the jobs that employ that potential, and the communities that sustain it.”
At this meeting, he asked the Board to consider a number of institution-based proposals to advance the Growth Agenda in ways that accord with the institution’s market niche and build on its unique contributions to the UW System and State of Wisconsin.
Stating his excitement about the potential reflected in these initiatives, he remarked that all of them can increase higher education opportunities for Wisconsin citizens, improve their potential for graduating with a bachelor’s degree, and increase the number of spin-off companies and tech-transfer opportunities that emerge from university knowledge and discovery.
There are two categories of initiatives: The first seek to increase the number of baccalaureate degrees awarded in the state by increasing the number of students who enroll at UW institutions and also by increasing the number of students successfully retained and graduated with four-year degrees. The second category addresses the need to increase the research capacity of the state in certain regions, thereby growing the economy, and increase the ability to address statewide worker shortages.
Turning to the biennial budget timeline, President Reilly noted that the intention at this meeting is to have an initial discussion about the potential that the proposals represent for the state and to provide advice on how to proceed. At the June meeting, the Board would hear about UW-Milwaukee’s plans to enhance southeastern Wisconsin’s knowledge-based economy, hear an update on the Wisconsin Covenant, and discuss some proposed statutory language changes. There also would be an outline of the costs needed to continue operating at current levels, as well as initiatives that institutions would fund with dollars they generate themselves. In addition there would be recommendations for prioritizing the capital budget request. It was expected that, by the June meeting, the Governor would have outlined his major priorities for the 2007-09 budget and the Department of Administration would have issued technical budget instructions.
Between the June and August Board meetings, System staff would be available to review the items that have been proposed for the budget and to respond to any questions or concerns about them. The Board is scheduled to meet on August 17th to review and vote on the final budget package.
President Reilly asked the Regents to consider the following questions as they hear about the proposed initiatives:
o Should some proposals be advanced for the coming biennium, with others lined up for future biennia?
o Should all campus proposals with enrollment growth be combined into one major initiative?
o How should priority be placed between enrollment growth, on the one hand, and retention and graduation improvement, on the other?
o How should priority be placed among initiatives that address pressing state needs, like teacher education, that impact all four-year UW institutions, and nursing, which would involve several institutions?
o What about the size and magnitude of the requests? Should the full range be submitted with the expectation that the Governor and Legislature will fund the ideas that best address their priorities or should more time be taken to further refine the initiatives?
He then called on Associate Vice President Fred Harris to describe the proposals.
Beginning her remarks, Ms. Harris noted that at this no dollar amount had yet been attached to the Wisconsin Covenant request. A follow-up discussion is planned for the June meeting.
With regard to tuition remissions for veterans and certain dependents, Ms. Harris noted that there is a need to request state funding for these remissions, which provide affordable access for those who have sacrificed in service of their country and are expected to increase in scope in 2007-09. An early estimate of ongoing costs is $7.5 million GPR.
For the Growth Agenda, requested funding would add approximately 2,800 new students in 2007-09 and 7,700 long term.
Beginning with proposals to increase the number of baccalaureate degrees, Ms. Harris first discussed the proposal by the UW Colleges and UW-Extension to identify, recruit and better serve adult learners. The proposal requests $1.9 million to expand opportunities to obtain both associate and baccalaureate degrees by redesigning courses for greater accessibility, increasing counseling and improved advising. It is expected that 1,760 additional students could be enrolled with this funding, with 1,140 of those enrolled as early as 2008-09.
UW-Green Bay’s proposal is for $987,000 to provide increased access for residents of the community, particularly students of color and first generation college students. The university would expand enrollments in high demand programs as overall enrollments grow. The funding requested would support 178 additional headcount enrollments by 2010, with 70 expected to enroll in 2008-09. Additional funding would be sought over the next two biennia that would allow the campus to support an additional 2,150 students.
UW-La Crosse proposed a tuition management program that would generate resources to increase degree production, access to quality programs, and timely degree completion. In addition, increased financial aid is proposed for students from the lower two income quintiles. If tuition setting authority is provided, no additional GPR would be required. The ability to adjust tuition rates would allow the campus to increase enrollments by 1,000 students over the next six years.
UW-Oshkosh proposed increasing the number of graduates in high-demand programs and developing programs to articulate with the needs of technical college graduates. Examples include a Bachelor of Applied Sciences and a Bachelor of Fire and Emergency Response Management. The request is for $1.7 million to support 1,440 additional headcount enrollments by 2019. It is expected that 480 of those would enroll by 2008-09.
UW-Parkside’s proposal, at a cost of $912,000, would fund programs to address barriers to success for students at high risk for failing to complete a bachelor’s degree. The goal is to create a comprehensive, coordinated, and seamless infrastructure that fosters student success, increases retention and improves graduation rates. The funding would allow the campus to increase the number of graduates by up to 127 students per year, over a six-year period.
UW-Platteville proposed providing engineering training to students throughout the state, for a cost of $370,000. Using streaming video technology, it would expand to other UW Colleges offerings in electrical engineering in the Fox Valley and mechanical engineering in Rock County. The initiative is expected to result in up to 200 additional engineering students at UW-Fox Valley and UW-Rock County as a first phase, expanding to include up to 300 students at other UW College campuses.
UW-River Falls requested $211,000 to meet the needs of first-year students and students in transition. A large proportion of the students enrolled are first generation college students and come from families whose median income is among the lowest in the System. The requested funding is expected to allow the university to retain 80% of new freshmen to the second year. Up to 60 more students per year could be retained under this proposal.
UW-Superior sought $735,000 to fund a package of initiatives designed to provide academic service learning, first-year experiences, global awareness, senior experiences and a student development model of writing across the curriculum. UW-Superior would enroll 78 additional students by fall 2013, with 16 of those enrolled in 2008-09. Retention would be increased by 40 students per year.
UW-Whitewater requested $248,000 to increase access and success of multicultural, disadvantaged, and disabled students through recruiting, intensive support, a learning community program, gateway courses, faculty mentors, on-campus employment and experiential opportunities. The university would add 50 students in these categories per year, beginning in 2008-09. Retention of these students also would be improved.
$130,000 is requested to reinstate the Early Math Placement Test, which was provided to high school juniors until 2000 to help students compare their math skills against the level needed for college. Students who took the test generally took one more course in math than other students and needed less remediation once they entered college. Students would be able to take the test without paying a fee, and the goal would be to decrease the number of remedial courses that students need to take in college.
Finally, $250,000 is requested to implement Phase IV of the Transfer Information System. This phase would provide online degree audits to improve transfer for students.
Ms. Harris then described the following research and workforce development requests.
UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout jointly requested $2.2 million to develop the Chippewa Valley NanoSTEM partnership that also would include Chippewa Valley Technical College. The funding would provide advanced nanoscale science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and state-of-the-art facilities for students and faculty. Businesses would be supported through the development of a highly skilled workforce with the knowledge and skills to support economic growth of tomorrow. An additional 334 students could be enrolled by fall 2013, with 172 enrolled in 2008-09.
UW-Milwaukee requested $8.8 million to compete for extramural research funds, hire leading faculty to establish a world-class program in medical imaging research, and enhance graduate and undergraduate research support and training.
UW-Stevens Point requested $464,000 to implement a new major in Health Science to prepare graduates for career advancement in health care related industries, such as pharmaceutical sales, administration, and the health insurance industry. The university expects to enroll 50 new students per year.
Multi-campus funding of $2.3 million is requested to address the state’s teacher education needs by expanding the Institute for Urban Education across the state to increase the number of teachers prepared to work in urban and/or small rural communities, to enhance campus efforts to recruit and retain students from diverse backgrounds into teacher education, to expand capacity in areas for which the state has a high demand, and to develop a data base to assess how well the UW is meeting education standards as required by state teacher education rules (PI 34).
Multi-campus funding of $2 million is requested to increase the number of nurse educators and new nursing graduates in the state. This request would leverage work already being done through two federal grants and would enhance and expand opportunities for accelerated nursing degrees, off-site programs to reach new areas of the state, and on-line distance education to reach place-bound students. The request would provide 92 additional masters and doctoral-prepared nurses each year, who would increase the number of faculty and clinical educators in the state. The request also would add 130 baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the state.
$250,000 is being requested to increase funding for the Applied Research Program, which encourages faculty and academic staff at all UW institutions to support applied research activities that are likely to improve connections between knowledge and practice and promote growth in the state’s economy. There also is the potential to receive external matching funds of $250,000 per year for four years with an additional state investment.
Finally, the UW System Solid Waste Research Council requested $120,000 to provide additional grants for projects dealing with alternative methods of solid waste disposal as part of the Solid Waste Research Program. Funding would come from non-GPR resources from the state’s Recycling Fund.
In discussion following the presentation, Regent Salas inquired about the UW-La Crosse program. In response, Ms. Harris explained that resident undergraduate tuition would be raised to the level of peer institutions. Graduate and non-resident tuition would be adjusted toward peer levels. Nonresident tuition would fund additional enrollments of resident students and financial aid. Improvement of educational quality and reduction of time to degree also are part of the plan.
Regent Salas commended UW-Whitewater for its initiative in support of students of color and disadvantaged students. He asked what would be done on campuses that need to increase diversity but have not submitted an initiative in that area.
In reply, President Reilly said that the Wisconsin Covenant will be a powerful way to help students of color and disadvantaged students to across the state.
Regent Salas urged that, before consideration of tuition increases, there should be a strategy to hold lower income families harmless from those increases.
Regent President Walsh pointed out that this is the first time in a number of years when the UW has had the opportunity to ask for new dollars.
In response to a question by Regent President Walsh, Ms. Harris indicated that a one percent tuition increase would generate $5 ½ to $6 million, with a 65% GPR, 35% tuition funding split as agreed with the state for instruction and student services. For research or other programs, the funding would be 100% GPR.
Noting that the proposed initiatives would educate 7,700 more students for $30 million, Regent Smith asked if that amount would become part of the base budget, and Ms. Harris replied in the affirmative.
Regent Pruitt asked if the 65/35 split would apply to veteran’s tuition remissions, and Ms. Harris replied that this funding would be 100% GPR. As to other initiatives, financial aid would be 100% state funded, and the UW-La Crosse initiative would be funded entirely with tuition. While part of the UW-Milwaukee initiative would be funded with a 65/35 split, most of it consisted of research-related items that would be 100% state funded. The UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout technology transfer initiative would be entirely GPR funded, as would the applied research and early math placement testing initiatives. Most of the others would be funded with a 65/35 split.
In response to a question by Regent Pruitt as to support for the teacher education and nursing initiatives, President Reilly indicated that the legislators are aware of the nursing shortage and there is interest in seeking solutions. There also is awareness of shortages of teachers in some areas and disciplines.
Regent Burmaster added that the teacher education initiative addresses two areas of high need that are widely recognized – teachers for urban and very rural areas. PI 34, she indicated has been well received in local communities
In response to a question by Regent Bartell about the UW-Superior initiative, Chancellor Erlenbach explained that the proposal focuses on the university’s public liberal arts mission, particularly those elements identified by the accreditation team.
Replying to a question by Regent Loftus, Ms. Harris indicated that the existing veterans’ tuition remission program costs about $4 million. Legislation to increase the remission to 100% from the current 50% would raise the cost to $7.5 million. Regent Loftus noted that the program had been mandated by the Legislature but was not yet funded.
Regent Loftus asked if there was an initiative for UW-Madison, and Ms. Harris replied that the nursing initiative would apply to that campus.
In response to a question by Regent Loftus about the UW-Milwaukee initiative, Ms. Harris indicated that it would fund expansion of research faculty, the Medical Imaging program, graduate scholarships, undergraduate research, partnering with other entities for technology transfer and competing for federal grants. Only $1 million of the $8.8 million request would be funded by tuition.
Replying to a question by Regent Crain, Ms. Harris said some campuses submitted multiple proposals and had been asked to prioritize among them. The list presented at this meeting was based on those priorities.
Regent Loftus asked how much tuition would increase if state funding were not forthcoming for the veterans’ remissions, and Ms. Harris replied that the increase would be 1.2%. There currently were 1,500 students in the program, a number which was expected to increase.
In response to a question by Regent Loftus, Regent President Walsh said that the current remissions were paid from existing budgets.
Regent Crain noted that the teacher education initiative seems closely associated with the priority on diversity. She suggested that the nursing initiative also have such an emphasis.
Regent Axtell remarked that studying abroad is the quickest way to globalize the minds of young people. Since 1997, the percentage of students who study abroad had grown from 2% to 10%, but was still short of the goal established in the accountability report. He suggested that $1 million be requested for these programs, with matching funds by each campus.
Regent Cuene asked if the UW Colleges/UW-Extension initiative duplicated what is already offered by other UW institutions and by the Technical Colleges.
Noting that the UW Colleges and UW-Extension have a long history of reaching out to students, Chancellor Wilson called on Lee Zaborowski, Dean of Outreach and E-Learning, to provide further information about the initiative.
Mr. Zaborowski indicated that Wisconsin lags other states by five percent in baccalaureate degree attainment and that the number of nontraditional adult students being served by the UW has been declining. He noted that there are 1.2 million adults in the state who have some college education but have not earned a bachelor’s degree. The initiative would convert existing programs to a distance format to make them more easily accessible and would seek out potential students to inform them about the programs.
UW Colleges Provost Margaret Cleek added that retention rates for distance learning programs offered by the UW Colleges are similar to retention rates for students who attend classes in person. Students reached by the initiative, she added, probably would not otherwise attend college and are likely to remain in the Wisconsin workforce after earning their degrees.
In response to a question by Regent Cuene, Mr. Zaborowski said that the retention rate in these programs is 98%. As to types of programs that will be offered, he said that the focus would be on meeting student demand. Distance programs in business, teacher education, health care, and criminal justice have proved popular.
Noting that UW-Green Bay’s initiative would cover three biennia, Regent President Walsh asked that estimates include the total cost of initiatives, so that the entire amount can be taken into account when considering which initiatives to pursue.
Regent Pruitt pointed out that the area of advising remains a challenge but is not a focus in these initiatives.
Regent Loftus asked that information be provided on how many and what type of positions will be needed for the initiatives.
The discussion concluded, and the meeting was adjourned at 1:50 p.m., upon motion by Regent Randall, seconded by Regent McPike.
Submitted by:
Judith A. Temby, Secretary
G:regents/minutes/May04,2006BOR(Thur).doc
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
of the
BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
Madison, Wisconsin
UW-Green Bay
Held in Phoenix Rooms A, B, & C/University Union
Friday, May 5, 2006
8:30 a.m.
- President Walsh presiding -
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.. 4
Resolution of Appreciation to Regent Roger Axtell. 4
Resolution of Appreciation to UW-Eau Claire Interim Chancellor Vicki Lord Larson 6
Resolution of Appreciation to Margaret Cleek for Service as UW Colleges Interim Chancellor 9
Report on the May 3, 2006 Meeting of the Hospital Authority Board.. 10
Taxpayer Protection Amendment.. 11
Committee Regarding Faculty/Academic Staff Disciplinary Process. 11
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SYSTEM... 11
Appreciation to Regent President Walsh.. 11
UW System Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity.. 12
2006 Promising Practices Award.. 12
UW-Extension Receives Award for Diversity Outreach.. 12
Federal Grant to UW-Marathon County.. 13
UW-Stevens Point Dean Named to National Committee. 13
UW-Milwaukee Hosts Governor Doyle for Grand Opening.. 13
Welcome to David Wilson, Chancellor of the UW Colleges and UW-Extension.. 13
Patent Awarded to UW-La Crosse Researchers. 13
UW-Green Bay and Brown County UW-Extension Co-Host Leadership Summit on Diversity 14
UW-Whitewater Again Ranked Number 1 on Certified Public Accountant Exam... 14
UW-Oshkosh Leads State in Renewable Energy Use. 14
UW-Madison Professor Honored as One of the 100 Most Influential People of 2006. 14
UW-River Falls Partnership with Bolivian University.. 15
Congratulations to 30,000 Graduates. 15
Honorary Degree Recipient Elected to Italian Senate. 15
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE. 15
Actions on the Vilas Trust Estate. 18
UW-Milwaukee Charter School Contract Extension with YMCA Youth Leadership Academy 18
Amended Requests to Trustees of the William F. Vilas Trust Estate. 19
Acceptance of the Proffer from the Trustees of the William F. Vilas Trust Estate. 19
UW-Parkside: Program Authorization (Implementation) B.A. in Liberal Arts for Teachers. 19
UW-Milwaukee: Program Authorization (Implementation) Ph.D. in Social Work. 20
UW-Milwaukee: Charter School Contract Extension YMCA Youth Leadership Academy. 20
REPORT OF THE PHYSICAL PLANNING AND FUNDING COMMITTEE. 20
UW-Extension: Authority to Grant an Easement for an AT&T Telecommunications Cabinet 20
UW-Madison: Authority to Acquire a Parcel of Land for Expansion of the University Research Park 21
Building Commission Actions. 21
UW-Extension: Authority to Grant an Easement for an AT&T Telecommunications Cabinet 22
UW-Madison: Authority to Acquire a Parcel of Land for the Expansion of University Research Park. 22
REPORT OF THE BUSINESS, FINANCE, AND AUDIT COMMITTEE. 27
Wisconsin Partnership Fund for a Healthy Future. 27
UW-Growth Agenda: A Plan for UW-Oshkosh.. 27
Follow-Up Discussion of 2007-09 Biennial Budget Initiatives. 28
Quarterly Status Report: Operations Review and Audit 28
Program Review Report: Student Segregated Fees. 28
Review of Chancellors’ and President’s Car Allowance. 29
2005-07 Administrative Position Reduction Report 29
Authorization to Distribute Delayed 2005-06 Pay Plan to University Academic Leadership 29
Report of the Vice President.. 29
Action by Joint Committee on Employment Relations. 29
Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee. 29
Review of Chancellors’ and President’s Car Allowance. 30
2005-07 Administrative Position Reduction Report 31
Veterans’ Tuition Remissions and the Growth Agenda.. 31
COMMUNICATIONS, PETITIONS, MEMORIALS.. 32
UW-Madison: Approval of Salary: Dean of the Law School 32
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
of the
BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
Madison, Wisconsin
UW-Green Bay
Held in Phoenix Rooms A, B, & C/University Union
May 5, 2006
8:30 a.m.
- President Walsh presiding -
PRESENT: Regents Axtell, Bradley, Burmaster, Crain, Cuene, Loftus, McPike, Pruitt, Randall, Salas, Semenas, Smith, and Walsh
UNABLE TO ATTEND: Regents Connolly-Keesler, Davis, Rosenzweig, and Spector
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Upon motion by Regent Smith, seconded by Regent Crain, the minutes of April 7, 2006 meeting were approved as distributed.
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REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD
Resolution of Appreciation to Regent Roger Axtell
Regent Bradley stated that he was honored to offer remarks to one of the great Regents in the UW’s history, who also had been Vice President for Marketing at Parker Pen, an advisor to three governors and the author of nine books.
Among all these accomplishments, Regent Bradley recalled, Regent Axtell had said that, other than his marriage and raising his children, his service as on the Board of Regents was the most important thing he had ever done. He said to Regent Axtell, “Your colleagues hold you in awe.”
Regent Axtell could accomplish all this, Regent Bradley observed, because he is so talented, thoughtful, diligent, a man of great integrity and “just plain smooth.”
Noting that Regent Axtell often said that he owed his success in life to his UW education, Regent Bradley concluded his remarks by saying to Regent Axtell, “I think your example is the window through which we will look to examine our dedication and our commitment to public higher education in Wisconsin.”
Regent Bradley then offered the following resolution, which was adopted by acclamation, with a standing ovation in honor of Regent Axtell:
Resolution 9180: WHEREAS, Roger E. Axtell has provided outstanding service and remarkable contributions to public higher education in Wisconsin during his seven years as a member of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents; and
WHEREAS, Roger has been an active and thoughtful member of the Education Committee, through which he has demonstrated his keen interest in accountability, international education, and overall educational excellence; and
WHEREAS, through his services as a member, and leader, of the Executive and Business, Finance and Audit Committees, Regent Axtell showed his commitment to the UW System’s tradition of sound stewardship and financial preparedness; and
WHEREAS, Roger made significant contributions to the university’s long-term future as the chair of the Revenue Authority and Other Opportunities subgroup of the Charting a New Course strategic-planning initiative; and as a member of Governor’s Task Forces on International Education, UW System Compensation, and UW System Accountability; and
WHEREAS, Regent Axtell worked to find capable and dedicated academic leaders through his participation on Regent Search Committees for the chancellors of UW-Whitewater, UW-Stevens Point, UW-La Crosse, UW-Extension, and the UW System President; and
WHEREAS, through his service on the committees for the Regent Teaching Excellence and Academic Staff Excellence Awards, Regent Axtell accurately recognized truly outstanding teaching, research and public service throughout the UW System; and
WHEREAS, Regent Axtell has served as a valuable and eloquent advocate for the vitality of the state’s public university system, offering his time, extraordinary talents, and sense of humor in the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System extends its most sincere gratitude to Regent Emeritus Roger E. Axtell for his outstanding leadership and invaluable service to the UW System and the citizens of Wisconsin.
Regent President Walsh presented Regent Axtell with a certificate of commendation from Governor Doyle, and President Reilly gave him a UW Medallion in appreciation for his distinguished service.
Expressing his gratitude to Regent Bradley, President Reilly and his colleagues on the Board, Regent Axtell offered special thanks to Regent Burmaster and the students of Janesville Parker High School for the musical tribute they had given him the preceding day.
Regent Axtell introduced his wife, Mitzi, and thanked her for always being at his side. Stating that he was honored to have served on the Board of Regents, he remarked that it is the most sought after appointment in state government and a cherished honor.
Expressing the enjoyment he felt in working with his fellow Regents and UW staff, he noted that the Board has chosen talented and dedicated chancellors, to whom he said: “I am very proud of working with you, and I honor you.”
Regent Pruitt observed that Regent Axtell “has been a role model of what it means to be a Regent.”
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Resolution of Appreciation to UW-Eau Claire Interim Chancellor Vicki Lord Larson
Presenting this resolution, Regent Pruitt remarked that being an Interim Chancellor is an especially difficult job, and that those who serve in these positions share a deep love for their university. In that regard, he noted that Interim Chancellor Larson clearly loves UW-Eau Claire, which she served for many years, having joined the faculty in 1973. When she accepted the appointment, he recalled, she said: “I will be here as long as the university needs me.”
Regent Pruitt then offered Resolution 9181, which was adopted by acclamation with a standing ovation in honor of Interim Chancellor Larson.
Resolution 9181: WHEREAS, Dr. Vicki Lord Larson, interim chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since March 2005, approached this position with a deep love for students and a deep appreciation of the campus and the UW System; and
WHEREAS, she worked tirelessly to carry on the tradition of excellence at UW-Eau Claire; and
WHEREAS, Lord Larson promoted the university’s strengths and needs through conversation and advocacy with community leaders and area legislators; and
WHEREAS, Vicki greatly assisted with the continued success of the campus’s comprehensive campaign; and has worked tirelessly on three key initiatives — the Chippewa Valley NanoSTEM Initiative, a new academic building for the campus, and the Davies Center project; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Lord Larson’s service as interim chancellor followed 37 years of dedicated service to the University of Wisconsin System, including teaching, administrative, and consulting roles at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh, and the UW System; and
WHERAS, Vicki has made numerous contributions toward improving the status of women throughout the UW System through her membership and leadership of committees that examined the opportunities for and standing of women on campus and across the system; and
WHEREAS, above all, in her service as interim chancellor, Vicki Lord Larson kept the best interests of UW-Eau Claire students at heart;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System hereby offer thanks and commendation to Dr. Vicki Lord Larson for her service as interim chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and wishes her well in all future endeavors; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon the recommendation of UW System President Kevin P. Reilly, Vicki Lord Larson be recognized as Chancellor Emeritus with all of the rights, privileges, distinction and responsibilities such status may carry.
Expressing her appreciation, Interim Chancellor Larson observed that the past 15 months had been “energizing, rewarding, enlightening, and a labor of love.” She thanked the students, faculty, staff and her “wonderful administrative team” for their accomplishments and support.
Stating her support for the initiative to assist lower income students, she said that the state and nation cannot afford to lose the human potential represented by those students.
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Regent Burmaster offered the following resolution of appreciation to Interim Chancellor Marvin Van Kekerix. The resolution was adopted by acclamation with a standing ovation in honor of his service.
Resolution 9182: WHEREAS, Dr. Marvin Van Kekerix has shown exemplary dedication and leadership as interim chancellor of both University of Wisconsin-Extension, and the recently realigned UW-Extension/UW Colleges; and
WHEREAS, interim chancellor Van Kekerix provided steady leadership for the complex administrative integration of UW Colleges and UW-Extension, setting a positive tone for future collaborations, and involving faculty and staff from both institutions in collegial discussions; and
WHEREAS, Marv has supported innovative economic development efforts, including UW-Extension’s role in establishing and managing the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network, a statewide partnership to create jobs by providing specialized services for second-stage businesses; and
WHEREAS, Van Kekerix demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity and multiculturalism by moving forward a UW-Extension Multicultural Awareness Training Initiative, facilitating cross-institutional collaboration on important multicultural issues, and funding Diversity Partnership Grants; and
WHEREAS, Marv led a strategic effort to increase educational attainment among Wisconsin workers by providing greater access to college courses and degree-completion programs for working adults in what will be become the UW’s Adult Student Initiative; and
WHEREAS, as a strong advocate for the UW’s value and accountability, Marv met with countless state, county, and federal leaders; news media and editorial boards; and citizens statewide; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Van Kekerix managed significant funding and personnel reductions, while preserving the core outreach and public service missions of UW-Extension to serve citizens and the state in the true spirit of the Wisconsin Idea;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System hereby offers thanks and commendation to Dr. Marv Van Kekerix for his service as interim chancellor and notes its deep appreciation for his continued service as UW-Extension Provost.
Expressing appreciation for the resolution, Dr. Van Kekerix thanked the faculty and staff of the UW Colleges and UW-Extension for stepping up to the challenge of finding synergies between the institutions. Stating his pride in their accomplishments, he offered special thanks to UW Colleges Provost Margaret Cleek, a valued colleague and friend for her leadership in these efforts, noting that they shared a common dedication to greater access for students.
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Resolution of Appreciation to Margaret Cleek for Service as UW Colleges Interim Chancellor
Presenting Resolution 9183, Regent Semenas noted that Dr. Cleek brought energy, experience and knowledge to her leadership of the UW Colleges, and he stated the Board’s pride in her excellent service.
The resolution was adopted by acclamation with a standing ovation in honor of Dr. Cleek.
Resolution 9183: WHEREAS, Dr. Margaret Cleek served admirably for 18 months as the interim chancellor of the 13 freshman-sophomore University of Wisconsin Colleges; and
WHEREAS, Margaret provided strong leadership on the effort to increase effectiveness and efficiency through an integration of several important administrative functions of the statewide UW Colleges and University of Wisconsin-Extension; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Cleek inspired the 13 freshman-sophomore UW Colleges campuses to be open to cooperation and integration with UW-Extension through her actions as an accessible and intelligent role model; and
WHEREAS, during a time of intense public scrutiny, she worked tirelessly to lead strategic efforts that increased understanding about how the UW Colleges serve communities around the state and the role of the UW Colleges in providing a foundation to a bachelor’s degree; and
WHEREAS, Cleek demonstrated her unwavering commitment to the UW Colleges mission of access within the UW System and across the state;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System hereby commends Dr. Margaret Cleek for her outstanding service as interim chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges, and thanks her for her continued service as Provost and Vice Chancellor of the UW Colleges.
Expressing her appreciation, Provost Cleek said that she had become convinced that integrating functions of the two institutions was a good idea. Noting that it was a tough 18 months, she thanked her colleagues and especially Dr. Van Kekerix for their support and achievements. Stating her belief in the mission of the UW Colleges and the UW System, she said, “What I love the most is access – we provide access with quality. Please preserve what the UW Colleges does for the state.”
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Report on the May 3, 2006 Meeting of the Hospital Authority Board
A written report was provided.
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Regent President Walsh reported that he, along with two chancellors, had appeared before the Legislative Joint Committee and the Senate Committee on the Taxpayer Protection Amendment. A resolution on the amendment was defeated and the amendment was not expected to pass. The greatest strength of the university’s case, he felt, was the work done by the chancellors in their communities that prompted people to contact their legislators. He thanked Chancellor Wells, in particular, for the effective work he had done.
Chancellor Wells noted that it was important to make it clear that the amendment would make campuses smaller when they needed to be larger in order to serve Wisconsin students and the state. That was a message that resonated.
Regent President Walsh indicated that he had received e-mails from faculty and staff thanking him for standing up on this issue. He had testified that the amendment would remove the ability to fund new initiatives and growth in the capacity to serve students and be an economic driver for the state. He had listed recent private donations that were made subject to matching funds from the state and pointed out that these would be lost in the future. Legislators realized that the university is part of the solution to the economic problems facing the state.
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Committee Regarding Faculty/Academic Staff Disciplinary Process
Noting that the Committee’s recommendation would come to the Board in June, Regent President Walsh indicated that consideration was being given to input from faculty and academic staff governance bodies across the system. The recommendation will make needed changes to the process, while protecting the rights of faculty and addressing concerns of the public and state officials.
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REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SYSTEM
Appreciation to Regent President Walsh
President Reilly expressed his gratitude to Regent President Walsh for his effective work in opposition to the Taxpayer Protection Amendment and for the great deal of time and effort that he had been willing to devote to this matter.
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UW System Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity
President Reilly reported that 238 students, representing every UW campus were at UW-Stout for the 7th annual UW System Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. The symposium was being held as part of Research Week at UW-Stout. Like the recent Posters in the Rotunda event, the presentations addressed a wide variety of issues and solutions that could benefit the state. Many UW students also participated in a recent National Conference on Undergraduate Research, held at the University of North Carolina, including 19 students from UW-River Falls and 27 from UW-La Crosse.
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2006 Promising Practices Award
It was reported by President Reilly that, for the second year in a row, the PK-16 Leadership Council had honored a UW program that is giving back to the community with the 2006 Promising Practices Award.
This year’s award went to a collaborative reading program in UW-Superior’s Teacher Education Department, through which students who are preparing to become teachers serve as tutors at Northern Lights Elementary School for reading and language arts lessons.
The PK-16 Leadership Council consists of Regent Burmaster, Wisconsin Technical College System President Dan Clancy, Rolf Wegenke, President of the Wsiconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and President Reilly.
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UW-Extension Receives Award for Diversity Outreach
President Reilly reported that UW-Extension received the University Continuing Education Association 2006 Recognition of Excellence Award for Innovations in Outreach and Engagement.
This national award recognized UW-Extension’s Diversity Program Development Initiative as an effective way to reach a diverse and underserved audience. It provides one-year grants of up to $10,000 to UW campus-based continuing education divisions to work with community partners in providing new programs and services that reach racially and ethnically diverse audiences. The program has awarded 27 grants since it began six years ago.
He congratulated UW-Extension on a “well-deserved honor for an outstanding program that fits with our system-wide diversity goals.”
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Federal Grant to UW-Marathon County
It was reported by President Reilly that UW-Marathon County received a $3.2 million Congressionally directed grant to support the campus’ planned expansion. The $6.8 million project would allow the campus to grow its services to the state through a 350 seat theatre, outreach offices connecting the campus more closely to the wider community, Wisconsin Public Radio studios, and a proposed Institute for Public Policy and Service. The institute will focus on internships and public service, faculty research, and nonpartisan public dialogue on important issues.
In addition, a $3 million county-funded science renovation is scheduled to start in January.
President Reilly thanked Regent Bradley for his assistance in obtaining the grant.
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UW-Stevens Point Dean Named to National Committee
President Reilly congratulated Christine Thomas, Dean of the UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources, who had been named to the 11-member Sporting Conservation Advisory Committee by U.S. Interior Secretary Gail Norton. He thanked her for sharing university expertise far beyond the boundaries of the state.
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UW-Milwaukee Hosts Governor Doyle for Grand Opening
It was reported by President Reilly that UW-Milwaukee hosted Governor Doyle and the Milwaukee community for the grand opening of the Pavilion at UWM. The new academic, athletic and recreation facility is distinctive for its use of glass walls, which save energy, while allowing users to view the Downer Woods and the campus.
The Pavilion’s features include state-of-the-art academic facilities for the College of Health Sciences, a student fitness center, athletic department offices, and a running track that is elevated above a gym area and uses natural light.
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Welcome to David Wilson, Chancellor of the UW Colleges and UW-Extension
President Reilly welcomed Dr. David Wilson, who on May 1st became the first chancellor of both the UW Colleges and UW-Extension.
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Patent Awarded to UW-La Crosse Researchers
President Reilly observed that Wisconsin patients may be among those to benefit from the discoveries of UW-La Crosse researchers – the first ever from the campus to receive a patent. Chemistry Professor Aaron Monte, Microbiology Professor Marc Rott, and student Leah DeFoe were honored for their patent of anti-infective agents derived from the Native American plant, Comptonia Peregrina.
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UW-Green Bay and Brown County UW-Extension Co-Host Leadership Summit on Diversity
It was reported by President Reilly that UW-Green Bay and Brown County UW-Extension were among the co-hosts of the first Leadership Summit on Diversity, attended by nearly 200 community members. The summit emphasized that inclusiveness must be a top priority if the region is to thrive during economic and demographic transitions. He thanked Chancellor Shepard for his work on this event.
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UW-Whitewater Again Ranked Number 1 on Certified Public Accountant Exam
President Reilly congratulated UW-Whitewater for again being ranked Number 1 on the Certified Public Accountant Exam – a rank it has held for more than a decade. The ranking reflects the percent of undergraduate students achieving first-time pass rates on the national exam.
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UW-Oshkosh Leads State in Renewable Energy Use
President Reilly commended UW-Oshkosh, which was the first Wisconsin campus, and the 10th nationwide, to join the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable energy initiative in 2003 and now leads the state in renewable energy use. This year, the university has purchased 11 percent of its electricity from Wisconsin Public Service, through the NatureWise renewable energy program, which uses a mix of wind energy and biomass energy from a dairy farm and landfill in northeastern Wisconsin. Nationally, UW-Oshkosh ranks 23rd among all colleges and universities in using renewable energy.
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UW-Madison Professor Honored as One of the 100 Most Influential People of 2006
President Reilly congratulated Richard Davidson, UW-Madison Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, who recently was honored by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2006. Dr. Davidson’s career has been devoted to understanding how the brain regulates human emotions. His studies of how psychological and social factors influence physical health received special recognition in the 1990s, when he worked with the Dalai Lama to investigate the effects meditation on the brain.
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UW-River Falls Partnership with Bolivian University
It was reported by President Reilly that UW-River Falls had signed a first-ever agreement with Unidad Academica Campesina-Carmen Pampa of Bolivia, launching a cultural and academic exchange program between the two universities. The partnership, known as “Project Bolivia”, offers degrees in agriculture, veterinary medicine, nursing, teacher training and eco-tourism – all strong matches to UW-River Falls’ academic strengths.
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Congratulations to 30,000 Graduates
Offering best wishes to graduating students and their families, President Reilly said that the UW System will graduate more than 30,000 highly skilled professionals, prepared to contribute to Wisconsin’s economy and quality of life. The UW’s graduates, he noted, are its greatest contribution to the state.
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Honorary Degree Recipient Elected to Italian Senate
President Reilly reported that Ronato Turano who was being awarded an honorary degree by UW-Parkside, had been elected to the Italian Senate.
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REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Presenting the Committee’s report, Regent Burmaster, Chair, began by noting that the theme of diversity and all the efforts being made toward that goal set the stage for the Committee meeting.
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Francine Tompkins, Director of PK-16 initiatives for the UW System, reminded the Committee of two of the goals for diversity in teacher education that had been established last fall:
o Recruitment, training, and retention of a more diverse cohort of teachers; and
o Preparation of teachers to effectively work with diverse learners.
The Committee was informed about collaborative efforts to achieve both those goals. Tamara Horstman-Riphah, of UW-La Crosse, described the social justice mission of the Center for Cultural Diversity and Community Research at UW-La Crosse and its efforts to increase diversity among educators. The center has had a particular focus on recruiting, mentoring and preparing Hmong teachers through two multi-campus programs – Project Teach and Project Forward.
The participating campuses are UW-La Crosse, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Marathon County, which collaborate among institutions and PK-12 communities.
The Committee also heard from Hardin Coleman, Associate Dean of the UW-Madison School of Education, regarding plans for the UW System Institute for Urban Education. This institute would provide expanded professional development opportunities in urban education for pre-service and in-service teachers, placing students in Milwaukee for residential and teaching experiences in an urban setting, with at-risk populations.
Regent Burmaster indicated that the Committee was very impressed with both these collaborative efforts that speak directly to the diversity goals of the Board.
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The Educational Mission of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Milwaukee Clinical Campus
Regent Burmaster noted that Regents had received information from various stakeholders: The School of Medicine and Public Health, Aurora Health Care, community-based health groups, and several Milwaukee clinical faculty members. The purpose was to provide a forum for discussing the Milwaukee Clinical Campus’ commitment to Milwaukee’s underserved populations through its partnership with non-profit Aurora Health Care.
The Committee heard from some of the people involved and got a clearer sense of areas of disagreement. At issue was a recently revised affiliation agreement with Aurora, through which the Medical School offers its students the opportunity to work with the urban poor at Aurora sites through its Milwaukee Clinical Campus. The Medical School views this as an essential experience for future doctors.
Several of the faculty from the Clinical Campus perceived that Aurora is backing away from its commitment to provide medical care for Milwaukee’s underserved population, and some have chosen not to sign the new employment contracts that are part of the agreement.
Community health groups in Milwaukee and elsewhere have also become interested in the matter, and Regents had received letters from a number of them.
The Committee heard first from Dean Farrell of the School of Medicine and Public Health who discussed the differing responsibilities of the school and of Aurora as spelled out in the affiliation agreement, which he assured the Committee follows national models and strengthens the public health mission of the school.
Nick Turkal, Senior Associate Dean of the Milwaukee Clinical Campus and Senior Vice President of Aurora Health Care, outlined the major concerns of faculty physicians at the Clinical Campus. Some are concerned about the new affiliation agreement, a revised campus structure and employment model, and about the continuing commitment to provide health care to underserved populations.
While admitting that Aurora has closed some of its urban facilities, Mr. Turkal emphasized that Aurora’s commitment to underserved populations remains strong and that it commits more financial resources to these efforts than ever before. As examples, he indicated that $156 million was spent in 2004-05 on uncompensated care, and that 500,000 people who had no health insurance were served last year by Aurora. He also noted that there are two distinct issues involved: educating medical students and Aurora’s commitment to the underserved.
Steve Schwartz, of the Wisconsin Citizen Action Network, addressed the Committee next, naming some of the ways in which he felt Aurora was cutting back its care in underserved urban regions for financial reasons, leaving the populations there at risk. He asked the Regents to re-examine the new affiliation agreement.
The next speaker was Dr. Anthony Otters, a Milwaukee Clinical Campus faculty member, who asked the Board for additional discussion of the new affiliation agreement, which he asserted would have a dramatic impact on the underserved population. He particularly objected to the fact that the old agreement had been terminated two years before its expiration and that the new agreement had been approved without public input.
The affiliation agreement was not acted upon by the Board. Rather, it is one of many contractual matters that have been delegated to the institutions – in this case UW-Madison. The new agreement was signed last winter and goes into effect on July 1st.
Regent Burmaster indicated that this will remain a matter on which differing sides might not agree, but which was brought to Regent attention; and awareness of the issues was raised. The Committee made it clear that the Board would not waver in its stewardship role to oversee UW programs, including the School of Medicine and Public Health. The Regents, she stated, care deeply about the school’s commitment to doing what it can to serve Milwaukee’s most vulnerable citizens, whether with Aurora, the city, or other community-based health care providers.
In conclusion, Regent Burmaster noted that in the fall the School of Medicine and Public Health will return to the Board with a full report on its activities in Milwaukee; and the Committee’s expectation is that work will be done to establish trust among the parties.
In discussion at the Board meeting Regent Crain thanked the Education Committee for its attention to this issue, remarking that, even though the affiliation agreement is not within the Board’s purview, important questions about health care had been raised that required understanding and response.
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Actions on the Vilas Trust Estate
Noting that in May the Board approved the 2006-07 request to the trust by UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, Regent Burmaster reported that the Committee’s first action was to approve an amended request, as stipulated by the Vilas will. The Committee then voted to approve acceptance of the proffer.
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Regent Burmaster reported that the Committee enthusiastically approved two excellent new programs.
The first was a B.A. in Liberal Arts for Teachers at UW-Parkside, an innovative program that responds to national concerns that teachers are not as well prepared as they should be in their major content areas. In addition to providing a solid liberal arts education, the program emphasizes preparation in science and math, areas in which many teachers lack requisite skills and confidence. It is seen as part of the long-term solution to reducing the achievement gap by better educating students in the early years. There is solid representation of people of color among its students, faculty, and governing body.
The second program was a Ph.D in Social Work at UW-Milwaukee. Regent Burmaster reported that the Committee had nothing but accolades for this program, which addresses a statewide and national shortage of doctoral-trained social workers who are needed as faculty for social work programs that are growing across the country.
The program builds on existing research strengths and faculty expertise in the areas of addictions and behavioral health, applied gerontology, and family and child welfare – areas that also align closely with the City of Milwaukee’s needs.
The Committee appreciated this program as a demonstration of UW-Milwaukee’s desire to grow its research capacity while also fulfilling its urban mission.
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UW-Milwaukee Charter School Contract Extension with YMCA Youth Leadership Academy
The Committee approved the requested contract extension for inclusion in the consent agenda.
Referring the the Committee’s decision the preceding month to table another charter school contract request, Regent Burmaster reported that the school was undergoing a thorough re-evaluation by the Office of Charter Schools, motivated by questions raised by Regent Randall. The school will not open this year and may be returned for the Board’s consideration next year.
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Regent Burmaster moved adoption of the following resolutions as consent agenda items. The motion was seconded by Regent Randall and carried unanimously.
Amended Requests to Trustees of the William F. Vilas Trust Estate
Resolution 9184: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellors of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Board of Regents approves the amended request to the Trustees of the William F. Vilas Trust Estate for $8,674,928 for fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, subject to availability, as provided by the terms of the William F. Vilas Trust, for Support of Scholarships, Fellowships, Professorships, and Special Programs in Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and Music.
Acceptance of the Proffer from the Trustees of the William F. Vilas Trust Estate
Resolution 9185: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellors of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Board of Regents accepts the proffer made by the Trustees of the William F. Vilas Trust Estate for fiscal year July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007, as provided by the terms of the William F. Vilas Trust, for Support of Scholarships, Fellowships, Professorships, and Special Programs in Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and Music.
UW-Parkside: Program Authorization (Implementation) B.A. in Liberal Arts for Teachers
Resolution 9186: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Chancellor be authorized to implement the B.A. in Liberal Arts for Teachers.
UW-Milwaukee: Program Authorization (Implementation) Ph.D. in Social Work
Resolution 9187: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Chancellor be authorized to implement the Ph.D. in Social Work.
UW-Milwaukee: Charter School Contract Extension YMCA Youth Leadership Academy
Resolution 9188: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Board of Regents approves the extension of the charter school contract with the YMCA Youth Leadership Academy, Inc. together with amendments to the contract, establishing a charter school known as the Young Leaders Academy.
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REPORT OF THE PHYSICAL PLANNING AND FUNDING COMMITTEE
The Committee’s report was presented by Regent Salas, Chair.
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UW-Extension: Authority to Grant an Easement for an AT&T Telecommunications Cabinet
The Committee approved this request for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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Noting that the Board authorized the original project in February, Regent Salas reported that this authority provided the impetus for an additional $3 million in gift funds, for a total of $10 million, all in gift funds.
The Committee approved the request for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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UW-Madison: Authority to Acquire a Parcel of Land for Expansion of the University Research Park
Noting that the Board authorized expansion of the Research Park by 113 acres in 2001, Regent Salas indicated that this additional 9 acres would enhance the entrance to the south end of the park.
The Committee approved the request for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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UW-Madison: Authority to Amend the Master Term Sheet with Madison Real Estate Properties for the Redevelopment of the University Square Development Project
Regent Salas indicated that Executive Management, Inc. had been selected as the developer. There would be four units: private housing, retail, university, and parking.
The Committee approved the request for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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Noting that this project was enumerated in 2004, Regent Salas pointed out that UW-Oshkosh has a large deficit of parking spaces.
The Committee approved the request for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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UW-River Falls: Authority to Adjust the Project Budget and Construct the Dairy Science Teaching Center Project through a Request for Proposals Process
Regent Salas recalled that in 2004 the Building Commission had suggested reducing the cost by using less expensive building materials. He and others had opposed doing that, and staff compensated by making other reductions.
The Committee approved the request for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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It was reported to the Committee that the Building Commission approved a number of projects, including the UW-Madison Institutes for Discovery.
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Regent Salas moved adoption of the following resolutions as consent agenda items. The motion was seconded by Regent Crain and carried on a unanimous voice vote.
UW-Extension: Authority to Grant an Easement for an AT&T Telecommunications Cabinet
Resolution 9189: That, upon the recommendation of the UW Colleges/UW-Extension Chancellor and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, authority be granted for the officers of the Board of Regents to grant a permanent easement in the city of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, for modification and new installation of telecommunications utilities.
Resolution 9190: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Madison Chancellor and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, authority be granted to increase the project scope and budget of the Health Emotions Research Institute (HERI) Addition project, located at the University Research Park, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin by $3,000,000 Gift Funds for a total revised project cost of $10,000,000 Gift Funds.
UW-Madison: Authority to Acquire a Parcel of Land for the Expansion of University Research Park
Resolution 9191: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Madison Chancellor and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, authority be granted to acquire 9.358 acres of land in the city of Madison, Dane County for $3,434,540 Program Revenue Supported Borrowing plus closing costs and any necessary environmental abatement costs.
UW-Madison: Authority to Amend the Master Term Sheet with Madison Real Estate Properties for the Redevelopment of the University Square Development Project
Resolution 9192: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Madison Chancellor and President of the University of Wisconsin System, authority be granted to amend the Master Term Sheet with Madison Real Estate Properties for the redevelopment of the University Square Development Project.
Resolution 9193: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Oshkosh Chancellor and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Design Report be approved and authority be granted to: (a) increase the project enumerated budget by $232,000 Program Revenue Supported Borrowing (b) replace $321,000 of Program Revenue Supported Borrowing with an equal amount of General Fund Supported Borrowing - Utilities Repair and Renovation, and (c) construct the South Campus Parking Ramp project at an estimated total project cost of $7,551,000 ($7,230,000 Program Revenue Supported Borrowing, and $321,000 General Fund Supported Borrowing - Utilities Repair and Renovation).
UW-River Falls: Authority to Adjust the Project Budget and Construct the Dairy Science Teaching Center Project Through a Request for Proposals (RFP) Process
Resolution 9194: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-River Falls Chancellor and the President of the University of Wisconsin System, authority be granted to design and construct the Dairy Learning Center project, and increase the project budget by $2,100,000 General Fund Supported Borrowing - All Agency Funds, at a total estimated project cost of $9,313,000 ($6,713,000 General Fund Supported Borrowing; $2,100,000 General Fund Supported Borrowing - All Agency Funds, and $500,000 Gift Funds).
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Introducing Governor Doyle, Regent President Walsh noted that this was the third time that the Governor had honored the Board with his presence and that it is important for the Regents and Governor to communicate in this way.
Recalling that, two years after a large budget cut, the Governor saw fit to reinvest in the university and had solved some access and financial aid problems, Regent President Walsh remarked that the Governor saw the UW as part of the solution to the challenges facing Wisconsin.
Governor Doyle began his comments by thanking Regent Axtell for his term of service to the Board and the students of Wisconsin, calling him “a remarkable man and a bridge builder.”
Welcoming Regents Bartell and Cuene, he noted that they would be smart and hard workers on the Board.
With reference to the Taxpayer Protection Amendment, he credited Regent President Walsh, Regent Burmaster and others for bringing to the attention of the people the fact that putting this amendment in the Constitution would have a serious, negative impact on the university. Votes against the proposal in the Legislature showed understanding of how harmful it would be.
Turning to the Wisconsin Covenant, Governor Doyle said that he is excited about the potential for the state to make sure middle school students know that college is an achievable goal. It will complement the UW’s Growth Agenda, which he considered important to the future of the state and its economy by increasing the number of college graduates in Wisconsin.
Noting that he proposed the Wisconsin Covenant in his State of the State Address, the Governor indicated that he and First Lady Jessica Doyle had been visiting middle schools to promote the concept. Its strength, he felt, is in its simplicity and the profound effect that it will have for students. In a basic exchange of promises, students would be asked to finish high school, take college preparatory courses, maintain a “B” average, and stay out of trouble. In exchange, they would be promised a place in college and the financial aid package that they need.
Indicating that he would want to see the university fully engaged with eighth graders to let them know the importance of preparing for college, he commended UW-Green Bay Chancellor Bruce Shepard and his wife, Cyndie, for leadership in the Phuture Phoenix initiative.
Governor Doyle indicated that he and the First Lady had received positive feedback about the Covenant from students, teachers, and parents. For many students, he said, there is a perception that college is for rich people. It is this problem that the Covenant will address. Graduation of a first generation college student, he observed, is the proudest moment in a parent’s life.
Noting that the Wisconsin Covenant will require resources, he congratulated President Reilly and the chancellors for focusing attention and seeking to change the national trend of students from low-income families attending college in fewer numbers than other students. “That is not acceptable,” he said. “It isn’t fair, and we are leaving too much talent to the side when we are not making sure that those kids are coming through.” In that regard, he had been glad to be able to veto back into the budget a doubling of state financial aid for these students. Unfortunately, he noted, federal student financial aid funding remained flat or decreasing.
The Governor suggested setting up a not-for-profit organization to raise private dollars for the Covenant. This kind of a program might also mentor eighth graders through their high school years to help them adhere to their promises.
He felt that the Covenant is being well received because it is a basic value of the state’s people that, if students work hard and do well in school, it is only fair that they should be able to attend college. In that regard, he reported that he also has received an enthusiastic response to the Covenant from the Wisconsin Technical College System and private colleges.
In conclusion, he stated that he wants the next class of eighth graders to be able to sign the Covenant.
In discussion following the Governor’s remarks, Regent Smith, President of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board, thanked him for including the technical colleges in his plans for the Covenant. With regard to the Growth Agenda, he noted that some had suggested that it would be more effective to attract graduates from outside the state than to grow the number of degrees awarded in Wisconsin.
Governor Doyle replied that the state needs both more in-state university graduates and more graduates from outside of the state. The UW, he said, is the state’s greatest attractor of highly talented people and an ongoing source of friends, like the Morgridges, who graduated from the UW, live elsewhere, but still benefit Wisconsin students with their philanthropy.
Thanking Governor Doyle for endorsing the Growth Agenda, Regent Loftus noted the brain gain to the state from the university’s stem cell research program. He asked what the Governor thought about the program’s future.
In response, Governor Doyle pointed out that stem cell research represents an opportunity that does not often arise. Noting that the UW has the most advanced stem cell research team in the world, he said that the state has the opportunity to be in the forefront of curing intractable diseases and that Wisconsin can take great pride in that leadership. He predicted that the practice of medicine will be revolutionized and that Wisconsin is positioned in the center of that forward movement.
With regard to economic impact, he thought that a major part of the state’s economic growth could be built around the bio-sciences, facilitated by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation’s first-rate technology transfer capabilities. Noting that he had vetoed a bill to stop stem cell research, he said that such legislation would pose a major threat of sending the UW’s research team to another state.
The Institutes for Discovery, the Governor remarked, would boost the state’s growth in this area, as would promising work being done at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He felt strongly that the state needs to maintain its leadership in this field.
Regent Salas thanked the Governor for restoring financial aid funds to the budget, adding that more will be needed for lower income students.
Governor Doyle replied that he was hopeful that the state could continue to increase its investment in this area, noting that more college degrees translate into more tax revenue.
Regent Salas also thanked the Governor for his support of capital projects at the Building Commission, including classroom projects and the Institutes for Discovery.
Regent Crain stated that the Wisconsin Covenant must include outreach to families and communities so that parents know from the time of a child’s birth that this avenue would be open to them. “I think that will help families to believe in a future for their children,” she said.
Regent President Walsh thanked Governor Doyle for his courage on the stem cell issue and for his leadership in the Wisconsin Covenant to make college affordable. He asked what the challenges might be in implementing it.
The Governor replied that it would be of key importance to keep the message clear and simple. As to the requirement for staying out of trouble, he suggested that principals might sign a certificate that the students had been good citizens. Indicating that he has not heard opposition to the program, he said that it will be important to keep the message before the public.
Stating that he thought that the Covenant is a wonderful idea, Regent Bartell asked for the Governor’s advice on improving relationships with the Legislature.
Governor Doyle replied that the chancellors are the university’s best ambassadors. Suggesting that the focus be kept on the education and research mission, he said: “I can’t tell you how highly regarded this system is. Communities deeply respect the leadership of their local campuses.” The defeat of the Taxpayer Protection Amendment, he added, partly resulted from people understanding the damaging effect that it would have on the university.
Thanking the Governor for his leadership on the Wisconsin Covenant, Chancellor Wells agreed that the message needs to be clear and simple and that the technical colleges and others should be included. Indicating that he had learned through his experience in Indiana the importance of core curriculum in this type of program, he thought that kind of curriculum might be incorporated, rather than a grade point average.
Governor Doyle indicated that the advantage of using a “B” average is that everyone knows what it means.
Thanking the Governor for coming to the meeting, Regent President Walsh stated the Board’s appreciation for his support of the university.
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REPORT OF THE BUSINESS, FINANCE, AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
Regent Pruitt, Chair, presented the Committee’s report.
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Wisconsin Partnership Fund for a Healthy Future
The Business, Finance and Audit Committee met in joint session with the Education Committee to hear presentation of the report of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and the Oversight and Advisory Committee: The Wisconsin Partnership for a Healthy Future.
Noting that this was the second annual report on use of funds received from the conversion of Blue Cross and Blue Shield United of Wisconsin to a for-profit stock corporation, UW-Madison Medical School Dean Philip Farrell described the activities leading to the award of grants by the Oversight and Advisory Committee (OAC) and the Medical Education and Research Committee (MERC) for health improvement projects, along with description of projects that received funding. Total funding of $18.8 million was awarded.
The OAC, which was allocated 35% of the funding for public health initiatives, awarded a total of $5.5 million. The funded projects represent initiatives that address many issues identified in the State Health Plan, Healthiest Wisconsin 2010, show success in meeting minority population needs, and are aligned closely with the goals of the Five-Year Plan.
The MERC, which was allocated 65% of the funding, made awards of $13.3 million. For two-thirds of this funding, emphasis was placed on funding five focus areas in education and research. The remaining one-third went to strategic initiatives, including expansion of the Master’s of Public Health, the Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine, reducing cancer disparity, a transformation of health care conference, a health innovations program, and a new investigator program.
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UW-Growth Agenda: A Plan for UW-Oshkosh
Chancellor Wells presented to the Business, Finance and Audit Committee the UW-Oshkosh component of the UW Growth Agenda. The campus aims to increase the number of graduates through increased enrollment, increased degree offerings, and retention of increased numbers of students of color and adult students. It was noted that more faculty would be needed to serve additional students. The goal would be to add 400 students per biennium for three biennia.
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Follow-Up Discussion of 2007-09 Biennial Budget Initiatives
Associate Vice President Freda Harris answered follow-up questions from the Committee regarding the biennial budget, including possible ways to prioritize institutional initiatives.
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Quarterly Status Report: Operations Review and Audit
Ron Yates, Director of the Office of Operations Review and Audit, gave an update on the office’s major projects. Those under way include reviews of tuition waivers and academic fees. Initial information had been received from the Legislative Audit Bureau on the economic development review.
Program Review Report: Student Segregated Fees
Members of the Physical Planning and Funding Committee joined the meeting at this time.
Mr. Yates presented findings and recommendations from the review of student segregated fees. Fee setting and collection processes were found to be appropriate and in compliance with UW System and Board policies, and students are fairly informed and participate significantly in the process. Some inconsistencies were noted, and several recommendations for improvements were made. Among its recommendations, the report suggested:
o Involving students in the early stages of budget development.
o Customizing and standardizing budget materials.
o Including additional details when submitting proposed segregated fee rates and fee-funded capital projects.
The Committee discussed the recommendations, and it was agreed that the matter would come back to the Committee at the June meeting with a scope statement for a system-wide committee to develop options for the Board to consider with respect to each of the recommendations included in the report.
The intent is to involve the Physical Planning and Funding Committee, along with other interested Regents.
The Committee approved Mr. Yates’ proposed scope for a review of academic performance standards in coaches’ contracts. A review was requested by Regent Randall at the March Committee meeting.
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Review of Chancellors’ and President’s Car Allowance
Vice President Durcan reviewed a number of alternatives to the current $700 per month car allowance for UW Chancellors and the System President. She indicated that the President recommended eliminating the current allowance system and replacing it with a vehicle leasing contract through the Department of Administration.
The Committee approved the recommendation for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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2005-07 Administrative Position Reduction Report
Associate Vice President Freda Harris presented information regarding state-mandated reductions in the number administrative positions by institution, staff type, and title. The report was required to be submitted to the Department of Administration in the 2005-07 biennial budget.
The Committee approved the report for inclusion in the consent agenda.
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Authorization to Distribute Delayed 2005-06 Pay Plan to University Academic Leadership
Associate Vice President Crist discussed this item with the Committee, noting that the 2005-07 biennial budget provided for a two percent pay plan effective July 1, 2005 for the 2005-06 fiscal year.
The Committee approved for inclusion in the consent agenda a resolution authorizing the UW System President to distribute the pay plan funds in accordance with the originally agreed upon plan, as they have now been released by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations.
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Action by Joint Committee on Employment Relations
Vice President Durcan reported that the Joint Committee on Employment Relations approved the additional 1.25% pay plan effective April 1, 2007 for university employees.
Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee
It was reported by Vice President Durcan that Senior Executive Vice President Mash, General Counsel Brady, and Audit Director Yates represented the university at a recent hearing at which they discussed the status of the UW’s payroll software system and other issues. Dr. Mash provided additional information to the Committee on the university’s appointment, payroll and benefit system, which remains a challenging and difficult matter.
Vice President Durcan reported that the most current projection showed a slight surplus in the utility appropriation. It was hoped that any savings could be applied to the shortfall due to veterans’ tuition remissions.
In other discussion, Regent Loftus expressed concern over the potential negative impact on UW-Madison of any constitutional amendment to limit either revenues or expenses. He asked General Counsel Brady to prepare a preliminary briefing memo on giving UW-Madison more autonomy in setting tuition, determining faculty salaries, and other things the Board might be able to do within its statutory authority.
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Regent Pruitt moved adoption of the following resolutions as consent agenda items. The motion was seconded by Regent Smith and carried on a unanimous voice vote.
Resolution 9195: That, upon recommendation of the President of the University of Wisconsin System and the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Board of Regents approves the 2005 Annual Report of The Wisconsin Partnership Fund for a Healthy Future, which was collaboratively developed by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and the Oversight and Advisory Committee, in accordance with the Order of the Insurance Commissioner and the Agreement.
Review of Chancellors’ and President’s Car Allowance
Resolution 9196: That, upon the recommendation of the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Board of Regents eliminates the $700 per month car allowance as soon as existing contractual obligations are concluded, and that the President and the Chancellors be provided cars through the Department of Administration’s State leasing contract.
2005-07 Administrative Position Reduction Report
Resolution 9197: That, upon recommendation of the President of the University of Wisconsin System, the Board of Regents approves the 2005-07 Administrative Position Reduction Report for submission to the Secretary of the Department of Administration.
Resolution 9198: That, contingent upon release by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations of the previously delayed 2005-06 pay plan for University Academic Leaders, the Board of Regents authorizes the UW System President to distribute the pay plan funds in accordance with the attached Schedule A, effective July 1, 2005.
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Veterans’ Tuition Remissions and the Growth Agenda
Noting that recent legislation expanded veterans’ tuition remissions from 50% to 100% as of fall 2007, Regent Loftus observed that this program could help achieve the goals of both the Growth Agenda and the diversity effort. He suggested that thought be given as to how to integrate the program with those initiatives.
Expressing agreement with that idea, Regent Pruitt commented that the UW has done a fine job of finding resources to support the remissions to date. He said that pride should be taken in that accomplishment, as well as in the administrative position reductions.
Regent President Walsh said that a group would be formed to think about the idea and come back to the Board with recommendations.
Regent Bradley remarked that it should be made clear that the Growth Agenda is a data-based response on how to provide the people of the state with the educational opportunities that they need.
Regent Burmaster agreed with that thought, noting that the state has understood the need of the technical colleges to grow.
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COMMUNICATIONS, PETITIONS, MEMORIALS
Regent Loftus noted the retirement of Don Nichols, UW-Madison Professor of Economics, after a career of 40 years. During that time, he recruited one of the best economics faculties in the world. A public intellectual, Professor Nichols was able explain complex economic issues and what it means to be in a global economy.
The meeting was recessed at 11:45 a.m. and reconvened at 12:00 p.m.
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At 12:00 p.m., the following resolution, moved by Regent Bradley and seconded by Regent Loftus, was adopted on a roll-call vote, with Regents Axtell, Bradley, Burmaster, Crain, Cuene, Loftus, McPike, Pruitt, Randall, Semenas, and Walsh (11) voting in the affirmative. There were no dissenting votes and no abstentions.
Resolution 9199: Recess into closed session to consider annual personnel evaluations, as permitted by s.19.85(1)(c) Wis. Stats.; to consider a salary adjustment at UW-Madison, as permitted by s.19.85(c) Wis. Stats.; and to confer with legal counsel regarding pending or potential litigation, as permitted by s.19.85(1)(g) Wis. Stats.
The closed session concluded at 1:55 p.m., with the following resolution having been adopted.
UW-Madison: Approval of Salary: Dean of the Law School
Resolution 9200: That, upon recommendation of the President of the University of Wisconsin System and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor, the annual salary for Kenneth Davis, Dean of the Law School, University of Wisconsin-Madison, be increased by $22,352 to an annual salary of $270,000, effective July 1, 2006.
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The meeting was adjourned at 1:55 p.m.
Submitted by:
Judith A. Temby, Secretary