Regents to discuss diversity plan

A progress report on Plan 2008, the UW System’s 10-year initiative to enhance diversity, will lead into a discussion of campus climate and retention issues at the UW System Board of Regents meeting Oct. 4-5 at UW-Eau Claire.

Dean of Students Alicia Chávez of UW–Madison will lead one of the discussions. Also featured will be a discussion of approaches the board may use to demonstrate UW System accountability for outcomes of the Economic Stimulus Package. Funding for the package was included in the state’s 2001-03 biennial budget.

In other board action this week:

• The Education Committee will discuss student retention issues, and will authorize the search for a new provost and vice chancellor at UW-Green Bay as well as new campus deans at UW-Baraboo/Sauk County, UW-Fond du Lac, and UW-Marshfield/Wood County.
• The Business and Finance Committee will receive the annual report on faculty and academic staff sick leave usage (Madison employees are average in terms of time used), and will authorize an additional 2.5 percent increase in tuition for nonresident, undergraduate students in response to a veto in the biennial budget bill.
• The Physical Planning and Funding Committee will receive design reports and/or approve construction projects or leases at six campuses: Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Platteville, River Falls and Stevens Point. The committee will also receive a gift of 205 acres of land from the UW Foundation, to be used for the expansion of the University Ridge Golf Course.
• UW-Eau Claire, as host of the meeting for the first time since 1995, will have several opportunities on Thursday to make special presentations to the board committees. Topics include the recent, successful North Central Association reaccredidation, faculty-student collaborative research, operating budget challenges, and the campus master plan and planning process.

The full agenda is available in PDF format.