Key committees elect leaders for 2001-02

The Academic Staff Executive Committee and the University Committee, the executive committees for the Academic Staff Assembly and Faculty Senate, have elected officers for the academic year.

Linda Newman, senior student services coordinator, was elected July 12 to replace Wilton Sanders as ASEC chair. Replacing Barry Robinson as vice chair is Jean Buehlman, instruction program manager in the Department of Physics.

Newman says her top priorities include improving communication between ASEC, its constituents and other campus groups. “I want to see ASEC make an effort to improve those things and build a positive relationship with the academic staff and the UC,” she says.

Patricia Wolleat, professor of counseling psychology, who succeeded Tom Sharkey as UC chair last month, says that aside from the UC’s continued involvement in personnel issues, the committee will pay special attention to how cluster hires and changes to Chapter 9 are carried out in the coming school year.

Wolleat is also looking for ways to increase faculty involvement in campus governance. “We need to continue to make involvement in governance an attractive way for faculty to serve the university,” she says.

Newman and Wolleat, who each serve one-year terms, say they look forward to working with UW–Madison’s new leadership team, which will include provost Peter Spear and a new graduate school dean. ASEC and UC will continue to work on issues related to campus climate and diversity and provide more input on the new campus strategic plan, the leaders say.