News

Faculty OK women’s studies change

The University of Wisconsin Faculty Senate proposed to create a new department and released the annual report for the Campus Planning Committee Monday.

The Senate discussed restructuring the women’s studies program into a full-fledged department. Under this recommendation, the women’s studies program would also change its name to the department of gender and women’s studies. The recommendation passed in the Senate with no concerns.

Julie D’Acci, chair of the women’s studies program, presented the recommendation to the Senate. She said it passed the L&S Academic Planning Council in September 2007 and the University Academic Planning Council in November 2007.

The plan is now awaiting the approval of the chancellor and the provost before further action is taken, but according to Secretary of the Faculty David Musolf the general consensus is that the women’s studies program will soon become a department in its own right.

“This has already passed two committees and was presented here, so anyone could clarify any concerns they had that they hadn’t had a chance to voice at the other meetings,” Musolf said. “I see no reason why it won’t get the chancellor’s approval.”

Also discussed Monday was the Annual Report for the Campus Planning Committee, which advises the chancellor on policy issues affecting campus buildings. The report included a presentation of a $51 million project to either renovate or add to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences’ Agricultural Research Stations.

This is a six year plan, with $11 to $13 million going to short-term fixes and core issues, $28 million allotted to mid-term needs and $10 million budgeted for the long-term needs of the stations. UW is currently prioritizing the committee recommendations.

The Senate also discussed the chancellor search. Astronomy professor Robert Mathieu emphasized the need for faculty members to use their own contacts in the search for a new chancellor. He said this is an expedited process, needing a decision by early May.

“This is something that we need to do now, not in a month from now, or two months from now,” Mathieu said.

He urged faculty to look among their colleagues at other universities and to send in a name as soon as possible.

Human ecology professor Ann Hoyt also spoke about a faculty initiative to provide need-based scholarships to graduate students. This would involve seed money from the UW Foundation and a fundraiser among faculty to add extra funds. Twenty-one Senate members were randomly polled to determine the amount of support for the campaign, and of those polled, none said they would not donate, and 18 said they themselves would contribute.

Although more information will not be available until March, Hoyt said she was “very encouraged” by the amount of support for the campaign.