For the record

Grants and fellowships

Lectures Committee Seeks Proposals
The Lectures Committee solicits applications from departments, academic programs and registered student organizations for support of public lectures to be held during the 2002-03 academic year. As stated in Faculty Policies and Procedures, the function of the committee is to consider “requests for lectures of general interest that are not primarily supplementary to or extensions of programs of instruction provided by colleges, schools or departments.” Potential applicants should read the document “Policies and Guidelines for Requesting Lectures Committee Support.” To be considered by the committee, applications must conform to specifications in this document and must be submitted on current (2002-03) forms. This document and the support request form may be accessed online at http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/secfac/lectures/lectcomm/General.htm, or they may be requested by calling 262-3956.

The committee will review new applications once each month. To help applicants plan, refer to the schedule below to determine the deadline date for submitting a new request.

Deadline for Lecture may be proposed (application receipt for a date on or after):

Sept. 15 (Nov. 1)

Oct. 15 (Dec. 1)

Nov. 15 (Jan. 1)

Dec. 15 (Feb. 1)

Jan. 15 (March 1)

Feb. 15 (April 1)

March 15 (May 1)

April 15 (June 1)

Lecture dates for international speakers should be two months after the date for a domestic speaker. Additional preparation time may be necessary when inviting international speakers to allow for the visa application process.

Applications will be accepted as long as funds are available; however, applicants are urged to submit requests well in advance of the deadline dates. We particularly encourage at this time submission of applications for fall semester lectures. Please keep in mind that the committee’s budget will not be determined until later in the summer. Approval of applications is conditional upon availability of funds. For information, contact Joe Farrenkopf, farrenkopf@mail.bascom.wisc.edu or 262-3956.

National Sea Grant
The National Sea Grant Office requests proposals for fiscal year 2003 for three Sea Grant National Strategic Investments competitions and one fellowship program. These requests for proposals have been published in the Federal Register, and information is posted at: http://www.nsgo.seagrant.org/research/rfp/index.html.

National Strategic Investments
1. The Aquatic Nuisance Species Research and Outreach Program encourages proposals designed to prevent and control nuisance species invasions. Specific proposal topic areas include: Biology and Life History; Effects on Ecosystems; Socioeconomic Analysis; Control and Mitigation; Preventing New Introductions; and Reducing the Spread of Established Populations. About $5.6 million will be available from the National Sea Grant Program to support these programs in fiscal years 2003 and 2004, depending on overall federal appropriations. Of this amount, about 70 percent of the funds will support research and 30 percent for outreach activities. The maximum federal award for each project will be $150,000 per year for up to two years. Each proposal must include additional non-federal matching funds equivalent to at least 50 percent of the funds requested.

2. The Oyster Disease Program requests proposals for research that improves the survivability of oysters in U.S. coastal waters and to improve technology for disease management and control. About $4 million will be available from the National Sea Grant Program to support these programs in fiscal years 2003 and 2004, depending on overall federal appropriations. The maximum federal award for each project will be $200,000 per year for up to two years. Each proposal must include additional non-federal matching funds equivalent to at least 50 percent of the funds requested.

3. The Gulf of Mexico Oyster Industry Program was established as a result of information provided by the gulf oyster industry, state resource managers and academic researchers from the five-state gulf region. Ten specific research focus areas are listed in the call for proposals, including research, restoration, education and socioeconomic topics. About $2 million will be available from the National Sea Grant Program to support these programs in fiscal years 2003 and 2004, depending on overall federal appropriations. The maximum federal award for each project will be $200,000 per year for up to two years. Each proposal must include additional non-federal matching funds equivalent to at least 50 percent of the funds requested.

The due date for receiving preliminary proposals for the National Strategic Investments is 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the Wisconsin Sea Grant office. Specific information for submitting proposals is available at http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/.

Fellowship Program
Sea Grant is also seeking applications for a fellowship program to fulfill its broad educational responsibilities and to strengthen the collaboration between Sea Grant and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Graduate Fellowship Program in Population Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics is available to U.S. citizens who are graduate students enrolled in Ph.D. degree programs in academic institutions in the United States and its territories, with required institutional matching funds, expects to support four or five new fisheries fellows in Population Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics in fiscal year 2003. Fisheries fellows will work on thesis problems of public interest and relevance to NMFS and have summer internships at participating NMFS Science Centers or Laboratories under the guidance of NMFS mentors. Applications must be received by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3. Details for submitting a fellowship application to Wisconsin Sea Grant available at http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/.

UW-Madison Grants, Programs
The specific guidelines for various 2003-04 UW–Madison grants and programs are available for faculty. Information can be obtained from the Office of Human Resources, 166 Bascom Hall, 263-2511, or: http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/grants/index.asp.

A sample packet with applications and instructions will be sent to deans, directors and department chairs. Academic staff are eligible for the Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Grant Program.

Faculty Professional Development Grants
The purpose of the faculty development grant is to give faculty members released time to add to their competencies, either through acquiring new competencies within their principal fields or through work in a related field. Due to department, Friday, Oct. 11; to dean Friday, Oct. 18; and to OHR, Friday, Nov. 1.

Research Service Grants
The Faculty Research Grant Program supplements research opportunities available to untenured faculty who have given unusually large amounts of time and effort to university service outside their departments. The program will provide summer salary support (2/9 of the academic year salary or equivalent) for the grantees to pursue worthy projects. Due to department, Friday, Sept. 13; to dean, Friday, Sept. 27; and to OHR, Friday, Oct. 18.

Sabbatical Leaves
Sabbatical leave provides faculty members who have completed six or more years of full-time UW System instructional service, released time to engage in intensive study to enhance teaching, course and curriculum development, or conduct research or any other scholarly activities related to instructional programs within their fields of expertise. Due to department, Friday, Sept. 13; to dean, Friday, Sept. 27; and to OHR, Friday, Oct. 18.

Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Grant Program
Under the grant structure for the UW System, this program encourages projects from faculty members, teaching academic staff, departments, colleges and institutions that develop programs aimed at improving undergraduate teaching and learning. See: http://www.uwsa.educ/acadaff/utlg/. Due to department, Friday, Sept. 20; to dean, Friday, Oct. 4; and to OHR, Friday, Oct. 25.

Academic Staff Professional Development Grant Program
The Academic Staff Professional Development Grant program, authorized by the Board of Regents, sponsored and administered by UW–Madison, will be offering a second grant competition for 2002-03. All UW–Madison staff who hold at least a 50 percent appointment are eligible to compete for academic staff professional development grant funds for projects that begin on or after Jan. 1 and end before June 30. UW System funds will match department funds for projects that occur within that time period.

The primary focus of proposals should be on training and/or retraining to improve the effectiveness of academic staff members in their current roles. Proposals for enhancing abilities that enable a staff member to compete for a more responsible position will have a lower priority. The program has these main objectives: individual professional development, improved program quality, improved institutional effectiveness and/or design for diversity.

Applications must be submitted to department chairs or directors by Friday, Oct. 18, and to the dean or director by Friday, Oct. 25. If you have a split appointment, and your proposal is related to all units for which you work, you must obtain the endorsement of each unit. If approved by your department(s), your application will be reviewed by the dean’s/director’s office and a committee of academic staff. Recommendations will be made to the director of the Office of Human Resources for final selection. Approved proposals will receive funds from the UW System account on the basis of an equal match by college or department. Application instructions can be found at http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/grants/asprofdevgrtinfo.html. Information: Marlene Vlachina, Office of Human Resource Development, 263-2511.

Policies and procedures

Wisconsin Department of Employment Relations: Merit Recruitment and Selection Bulletin
This is a re-issue and replacement of policy bulletin MRS-102 (released April 20, 1990) on classified state employee political activity. The content of this bulletin is essentially the same, with supplemental information added from several relevant attorney general opinions written after the initial April 20, 1990, release of this bulletin.

During any election year, questions are raised by classified state employees concerning permitted or prohibited political activity. This bulletin provides information about which political activities classified state employees are permitted to undertake and which are prohibited.

The extent to which state employees may engage in political activities is set forth in Sections 11.36 and 230.40 of the Wisconsin Statutes and by the federal Hatch Act, which applies to state and local employees who work in federally funded programs. If you are uncertain whether a position is covered by the Hatch Act, the U.S. Civil Service Commission has developed the following criterion from which you can make that determination:

A state or local officer or employee is covered by the federal Hatch Act if his or her principal employment is in connection with an activity financed in whole or in part by loans or grants made by the United States or a federal agency.

Many of the following state programs receive financial assistance from the federal government: public health, public welfare, housing, urban renewal and area redevelopment, employment security, labor and industry, highways and public works, conservation, agriculture, civil defense, aeronautics and transportation, antipoverty and law enforcement.

In this connection, it should be noted that a number of classified state positions are specifically exempted from Hatch Act coverage. These include individuals employed by an educational or research institution, establishment, agency or system that is supported in whole or in part by a state or political subdivision, or by a recognized religious, philanthropic or cultural organization. Thus, employees of the UW System are not subject to the Hatch Act.

Even when a state agency administers programs receiving federal financial assistance, however, employees of that agency are subject to Hatch Act coverage only when their “principal employment” is in connection with a program receiving federal financial assistance. Employees whose principal employment is not connected with a federally supported program are subject only to the relevant state statutes.

Also, from a practical standpoint, there is now only one significant difference between the provisions of the Hatch Act and the state statutes: Employees subject to the Hatch Act are still prohibited from running for partisan political office, while those subject to the state statutes may do so if they take a leave of absence. The Hatch Act prohibition applies whether the covered employees are on annual leave, on leave of absence, or in work status. NOTE: the attorney general issued an opinion [73 Op. Atty. Gen. 131 (12/13/84)] that concluded that classified state employees whose positions are federally funded in whole or in part, and who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, are entitled to leaves of absence in order to run for partisan political office and cannot be compelled to resign. The attorney general further stated that leaves of absences for represented employees are governed by the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, in a letter opinion to the secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, dated April 30, 2001, the attorney general concluded that “an employee in the classified service, after declaring an intent to run for partisan political office, may run for such office on a leave of absence composed fully or partially of paid annual leave and sabbatical leave, if he (/she) is otherwise eligible to take such leave.” The attorney general has defined “partisan political office” at 80 Op. Atty Gen. (5/30/91) and “declares an intention to run” at 81 Op. Atty. Gen. 135 (6/2/94). Absent collective bargaining agreement language that may provide a greater benefit, the Department of Employment Relations recommends that leaves of absence requested by represented employees who declare an intent to run for partisan political office be treated in the same fashion as a request from a non-represented employee in the classified service.

The following political activities are permissible for state employees subject to the state statutes or the federal Hatch Act:
1. Making voluntary contributions for political purposes.

2. Participating as a candidate for a non-partisan part-time office (e.g., City Alderperson, County Board, School Board, etc.), provided such service will not conflict or interfere with employee’s performance of state position duties.

3. Expressing opinions as an individual privately or publicly on political subjects and candidates.

4. Participation as a candidate for a partisan political office providing a leave of absence is taken from state position (still prohibited for Hatch Act employees as noted above).

5. Being a member of a political party and participating in party affairs. The following are some of the political activities that an employee may participate in providing he or she is off duty and not on state property.

a. Soliciting votes in support of or in opposition to a partisan candidate for public office or political party office.

b. Serving as an officer of a political party, a member of a national, state or local committee of a political party; an officer or member of a committee of a partisan political club; or being a candidate for any of these positions.

c. Directly or indirectly soliciting, receiving, collecting, handling, disbursing or accounting for assessments, contributions or other funds for a partisan political purpose.

d. Taking an active part in managing the political campaign of a partisan candidate for public office or political party office.

e. Acting as recorder, watcher, challenger or similar office at the polls on behalf of a political party or partisan candidate.

f. Organizing, selling tickets to, promoting or actively participating in a fund-raising activity of a partisan candidate, political party, or club.

g. Driving voters to polls on behalf of a political party or partisan candidate.

h. Serving as a delegate, alternate or proxy to a political convention.

i. Addressing a convention, caucus, rally or similar gathering of a political party in support of or in opposition to a partisan candidate for public office or political party office.

j. Initiating or circulating a partisan nominating petition.

k. Endorsing or opposing a partisan candidate for public office or political party office in a political advertisement, a broadcast, campaign literature or similar material.

1. Organizing or reorganizing a partisan political party organization or political club.

6. Parking an automobile bearing partisan political signs and/or stickers in state parking area while on duty at state workstation.

In general, the following political activities are prohibited:
1. Using governmental authority to interfere or effect nomination or election for any public office or position within any political party.

2. Using governmental authority or influence to intimidate, threaten or coerce any person to vote contrary to his/her own voluntary choosing.

3. Using governmental authority to directly or indirectly intimidate, threaten or coerce any person to pay, lend or contribute anything of value, including services, to any party, organization, group or individual for political purposes.

4. Using any official authority or influence to coerce any individual or group for political action or to confer benefits or effect reprisals to secure desired political action or inaction.

5. Offering to pay or accept benefits in return for desired political action or inaction.

6. Engaging in political activity on state-owned property including, but not limited to, the wearing of a political identification while on duty where it could impair the effectiveness of the state agency operation.

7. Engaging in any political activity when not on duty to such an extent that efficiency during working hours is impaired or that the employee is tardy or absent from work.

8. Becoming a candidate for partisan public office when in work status.

9. Directly or indirectly soliciting or receiving subscriptions or contributions for any partisan political party or any political purpose while on state time or engaged in official duties or while in a building, office or room occupied for any purpose by the state.

10. Orally soliciting or by letter or by electronic mail transmitting any solicitation to a state office or be in any manner concerned in soliciting any assistance, subscription, or support for any partisan, political party or purpose from any person holding any position in the classified service while on state time or engaged in official duties.

11. During the hours when on official duty engaging in any form of political activity calculated to favor or improve the chances of any political party or any person seeking or attempting to hold partisan political office.

12. Use of state property, materials, supplies or equipment in connection with political activity.

Questions relating to the political activities of classified state employees should be directed to Michael Soehner, 267-9462, fax 267-1000, michael.soehner@der.state.wi.us.

Faculty Senate Calendar
The Faculty Senate meets in 272 Bascom Hall at 3:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month, except September and January, during the academic year. The following schedule provides information relevant to these meetings.

Date of regulare senate meeting	Last day of accepting documents for agenda	Last day of adding items of business; agenda is fixed
Oct. 7	Sept. 18	Sept. 20
Nov. 4	Oct. 16	Oct. 18
Dec. 2	Nov. 13	Nov. 15
Feb. 3	Jan. 15	Jan. 17
March 3	Feb. 12	Feb. 14
April 7	March 19	March 21
May 5	April 16	April 18

Lengthy or complex reports must be delivered electronically to the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty no later than the date indicated (earlier if possible).

Faculty Senate Meetings Procedures
Registration: Senators (or alternates attending as voting members for absent senators) and University Committee members should complete registration forms at the door. Tellers will be present to collect the completed attendance forms.

Seating: Senators (or alternates attending as voting members) and University Committee members sit in the section designated for members of the senate. Tellers will only count votes from this section. When a senator is present, her or his alternate should not sit in the members’ section.

Absence/Alternates: A senator may only be represented by his/her named alternate; another individual or alternate from a district cannot represent a senator. A senate seat becomes vacant if a senator is absent from four consecutive regular meetings of the senate.

Speaking/Motions: Members of the faculty and full-time members of the academic staff may speak at meetings of the senate, but only senators may offer motions, second motions or vote. When an individual rises to speak at a meeting or to make a motion from the floor, he/she should state name and department. Lengthy motions should be given to the secretary in writing so the presiding officer can repeat the motion if necessary during debate.