[media-credit name=’SUNDEEP MALLADI/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Chancellor John Wiley began the semester's first meeting of the University of Wisconsin Faculty Senate Monday by relaying his optimism about Gov. Jim Doyle's upcoming biennium budget.

"It will look very good for the university," said Wiley, who did not elaborate any further.

"Stay tuned for details."

In his State of the State Address Jan. 30, Doyle promised to make a large investment in the UW System, reportedly totaling $225 million.

However, with UW waiting along with the rest of the state for the actual numbers in Doyle's Feb. 13 biennial budget, the senate quickly moved to other topics on their agenda.

Faculty members discussed how to improve the senate's meetings, how they were governed and in which direction they should head on their "priority issues" in the near future.

Astronomy professor Robert Mathieu, a member of the University Committee, the executive body of the Faculty Senate, presented the five main issues the senate plans to focus on in the coming semester, including addressing the university's relationship with the state.

Mathieu encouraged the senate to "take a long-term view" on many of the issues because they will affect the university long into the future.

Specifically, Mathieu said he wants the senate to form a task force for the Wisconsin Idea Initiative, which will help the long-term goals of the university.

"The goal is to enhance collaborative connections of UW-Madison to the people of Wisconsin through a transformation of our perspective and approaches to teaching, research and learning," Mathieu said.

Mathieu went on to say he wants the university to be a focal point in the minds of everyone in the state, not just the students and residents of Madison.

"When funding for UW is being cut, people will care," Mathieu said.

The other four points Mathieu mentioned included graduate student education; diversity of students, faculty and staff; faculty life and community; and access to governance.

The diversity policy is one Doyle has to include in the next budget, Mathieu said, adding that the University Committee "anticipates Doyle will include domestic-partner benefits in [his] budget requests."

The senate also focused on internal and external salary equity, which involves faculty members supporting the public representation organization of the Faculty Senate. Mathieu encouraged all senators to tell their departments to join so that professors will receive better benefits.

Human ecology professor Ann Hoyt, another member of the University Committee, addressed issues and concerns faculty members raised in a recent survey she conducted.

One of the main issues of concern, Hoyt said, was "assuring that time was spent on important issues during senate meetings."

Hoyt simply recommended the senate "follow previous rules."

The former rules allowed each member to speak for only two 10-minute segments, to limit meandering speeches that take up too much time.

However, there was some dissent to this idea.

"There have been a number of occasions in which this rule would put considerable restrictions on debate that is important to the senate," mathematics professor Tom Kurtz said.

An orientation meeting for new senators will also start next fall due to complaints that some new senators did not know procedures at the first meeting.