CoE CASI (Committee on Academic Staff Issues) Meeting Highlights 5/30/2001

Present: J. Czyscon, B. Dye, J. Hendricks, M. Landretti, P. Peercy, B. Peterson, J. Schowalter, F. McTavish, L. Grossenbacher
Absent: S. Anderson

Announcements:

J. Hendricks has e-mailed to CASI members the Madison Campus administration's response to UW System Administration regarding the proposed Instructional and Research Professor titles. P. Peercy produced a list of CoE standing committees and their members, which will be included with the meeting highlights.

CoE CASI Website Demonstration (presented by Joyce Tikalsky, CoE Webmaster):
CASI members were encouraged to review the website at length and provide feedback to the Communications Subcommittee.

APC (Academic Planning Council) Report and Discussion (B. Peterson):
The issue of Research Assistants and outside consulting was discussed, in light of Engine Research Center (ERC) graduate students forming a company and possibly using UW resources. Since RAs are not employees, there are no clear campus-wide guidelines. The ERC has drafted a guidelines/expectations document for its graduate students. Policy documents for employees clearly address use of university equipment, but the issue of time is not as clear. The issue of guidelines for academic staff was raised. It was noted that academic staff are employees and guidelines exist. The Professional Development Subcommittee was asked to identify those guidelines for CASI. Issues ranking: The APC has formed subcommittees for the highest ranked issues research centers, infrastructure, and technology enhanced learning. Indirect costs: The indirect cost percentage is increasing, while tuition remission and other campus priorities are reducing the return to the colleges. Clarification of the opportunity for academic staff to compete for indirect cost return funds was requested. A draft policy for faculty parental leave was distributed. The Equity and Diversity Committee is considering this draft policy and will provide a recommendation.

Communications Subcommittee Report and Discussion:
APC election: Two candidates have been identified. As soon as Joyce completes the CASI web page, the subcommittee will e-mail an announcement and voting instructions to all academic staff. Website: The subcommittee will recommend where to position the entrance to CASI from the CoE homepage, add P. Peercy's e-mail address, and move the CASI website from the temporary url. When the website goes "live", the subcommittee will e-mail an announcement to all academic staff requesting comments/suggestions.

Professional Development Subcommittee Report and Discussion:
A summary document of "brainstormed" ideas and problems was distributed and discussed. Some topic ideas may be considered more orientation than professional development, and may be campus-wide issues. How should we recognize and reward professional development? The subcommittee is to contact other CASIs to see what they are doing in regard to orientation and training and Don Schutt to see what topics his office is working on. CoE orientation/training needs in some areas may differ from campus needs (e.g., computer security, viruses, and firewalls, etc.) There is a need for fire/tornado drills and instruction. What could / should be sources of professional development courses? A visiting academic staff member raised the issue of tuition waivers for academic staff. Current policy permits reimbursement requests on a case-by-case basis for job-related courses from department funds; however, tuition waiver is a legislative issue. As a result, the appropriate academic staff forum is ASPRO. The subcommittee goals include asking Don Schutt (Office of Human Resource Development) to attend a fall CASI meeting, bring further suggestions to CASI, and write a "White Paper" on Professional Development and Training Needs and Opportunities in the fall.

Town Meeting Feedback:
Apparently some attendees did not understand that they could ask questions on any topic, not just the ones presented. Suggestions included continuing with town meetings, perhaps having a meeting where the forum is to respond to questions, either sent in advance by e-mail or asked at a meeting "seeded" with some planned questions, and/or having CASI host a town meeting.

NEXT CASI MEETING: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2:30-4:00 p.m., 3609 ENGINEERING HALL

Copyright 2006 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System Date last modified: 27-Sep-2001 Date created: 27-Sep-2001 Content by: CASI Thank you for visiting http://www.engr.wisc.edu/staff/casi/mh053001.html