1. Call to Order - Dean Richard Meadows called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. in CRT 175.
   1. Announcements - Dean Meadows reminded Faculty members that he had reported in November the expectation that the College would receive a net infusion of $3.5 million in marginal tuition revenue. The College has a deficit in the budget of about $2.5-3.0 million. The Dean indicated that he had received today a revised estimate for marginal tuition revenue receipts close to $3.5 million. The College is likely to end the year in balance.

      Concerning the overall State and campus budget, we do not know much more than we did at the time of the previous Faculty meeting. The State budget deficit now is estimated to be $650 million, perhaps more. The budget "lapse" prescribed to address this deficit in part currently is estimated to cost the College $300,000, but that too may be higher. The legislature does not appear close to agreement as yet concerning how to address the deficit. While both houses appear to agree on a hospital tax, the Senate also appears to support a one-time raid on the transportation fund, which the Assembly opposes. Dean Meadows indicated that he is concerned that the pay plan will be revised to help address the deficit problem. He stated that he would prefer a year's delay in DIN funding to a reduction in the pay plan. At this point, he indicated that we do not know what will survive in the current climate.

      Bill Holahan then asked where the money will be found to fund the 40 new engineering positions that have been discussed during the campus interviews of CEAS dean candidates. Dean Meadows responded that engineering has been awarded 14 of the 20 recent cluster hire positions. Chancellor Santiago plans to make related DIN requests for the next two biennia, and those requests will include funds for the remaining 26 positions.

      In addition to the State budget deficits affect on the campus budget, Dean Meadows stated that changing demographics may have an impact. The number of high school graduates peaked this year, so we will begin to see a reduction in the number of students available as potential college students. Dean Meadows indicated that he is not too worried about this at the present time because L&S has seen a lot of growth in online enrollments and non-traditional-aged students.

      Dean Meadows spoke briefly about the campus master planning process. The presentation last week Friday included both local and national consultants. The planning group will return to UWM April 28-30. The Dean indicated that this would not be the usual large group, open forum meeting in the Fireside Lounge. Planning group members intend to spend intensive time with various campus groups, including separate three-hour meetings with representatives of each of the College's divisions (humanities, natural sciences, social sciences). The meeting plan calls for a campus tour of related facilities during each of these group meetings. This may be possible for the humanities and social sciences, where faculty members are more concentrated, but it will be difficult to cover all the natural sciences in the allotted time. The April 28-30 campus visit is the first of many interactions with campus groups. The planning committee expects to return to UWM in mid-to-late May.

   2. Question Period (10 minutes maximum) - Jay Moore stated that we are becoming more concerned about space shortage as we seek to restore the number of faculty members in departments to past levels. He stated that since the launch of the Milwaukee Idea, there has been a shift of a significant amount of space to non-instructional activities. He noted especially the loss of classrooms on the first floor of Bolton Hall. He asked how we will be able to accommodate new hires given the pressing space shortage. Dean Meadows responded that he is fairly certain that the programs now on the first floor of Bolton Hall have less space than they had previously. He noted that one of the first things that the consultants will do is to conduct a complete inventory of space. He added that those who attended the planning launch on Friday left with a strong sense that we need to do more than look at just the amount of space available; we also much consider the quality of space for both instruction and research. We have to try to imagine the needs we will have in five years. Dean Meadows emphasized that, for example, the current picture with regard to technology is dramatically altered from what we might have expected five years ago. He stated that he believes the consultants have considerable global experience that puts them in an ideal position to help us solve these issues.

      Bill Holahan asked how much of the plan already has been decided in secret. Dean Meadows responded that he believes the process is very open. He noted that the Chancellor has been discussing the west campus for some time with the idea that the engineering school would move there. However, there has been considerable "push-back" from the engineering faculty, with the result that the Chancellor now says that no one will be forced to move. Dean Meadows said that the potential west campus space is very good, but transportation issues are major concerns. He believes that the planners will come up with a variety of possible scenarios for the space that is available to UWM.

      Bill Holahan noted that the Milwaukee Common Council recently voted 13-0 in favor of trying to keep UWM within the city. He said that Milwaukee is a dying city, and UWM may be its last best hope for the city's revitalization. He noted the slowdown in development of the downtown and surrounding areas, and he said that he is not convinced that people in positions to make decisions are considering all the best options. He also indicated that he is concerned that the planning process will become a matter of "garbage in, garbage out." He cited a long past history of putting enormous amounts of time into reports that then are ignored. And, he added his concern that the Columbia Hospital property is not being pursued as diligently as it should be as a result of the west and downtown sites being available. Dean Meadows noted that the owners of Columbia and the State's Department of Administration, which is the body charged with negotiating on behalf of the university, are over $30 million apart on the purchase price. Because of this, Columbia has solicited proposals from private developers, all of whom see UWM as their primary client in any future development. Bill stated his belief that if the Chancellor would speak publically about the Columbia property as much as he talks about other potential sites, DOA might change its position on the importance of acquiring Columbia. Dean Meadows responded that we might need additional space even if we acquire Columbia. Bill said he doesn't believe that we use our current space as well as we could. Dean Meadows, referring to a map of the campus area that was presented at the planning launch last week, expressed his surprise in learning that the vast majority of properties south of campus no longer are owner-occupied. It might be possible to look into acquiring those properties to make room for expansion.

      Ed Mabry noted that it will be several years before anything coming out of the planning process can be put into effect. He asked what discretion, if any, the College has now to claim needed space and/or to temporarily remodel/upgrade existing space. The Dean responded that the College can allocate space only from that space already assigned to the College. The Provost controls space, and she has assigned primary responsibility for planning within our existing space to Ruth Williams and Dennis Stecker. Dean Meadows stated that the campus, for the first time, seriously is investigating what services might not have to be located at the Downer site. It might be possible to move some of the financial and/or IT offices to alternative space. He also noted that the College has done some remodeling to address space needs. With the awarding of new positions, the College is asking departments to develop their own proposals for how they could resolve space problems arising from a need to accommodate the new hires. The College does not want to micromanage departments in this respect.

      Chuck Schuster remarked that in addition to the first-floor Bolton Hall space we also have lost a considerable amount of space in Merrill Hall. Dean Meadows remarked that on the numerous occasions that he has walked through Merrill, he has seen little activity in the offices there and believes that this space in particular is not being put to best use. At the same time, he noted, Enderis is extremely crowded and does not appear able to accommodate the people now in Merrill. Dean Meadows stated his belief that the College will appear to advantage in the consultants' review of how we use our space.

      Tom O'Bryan remarked that the areas on the first floor of Bolton that report to the College all moved to less space than they previously occupied. The move was planned to give these advising support areas more visibility, and that seems to be working, as all of the L&S-affiliated offices there are reporting that they are seeing more students. After a brief discussion of what happened to space vacated by the offices that moved to Bolton, the Dean brought the question period to a close.

2. Automatic Consent Business - There was no objection to any of the automatic consent business; it stands approved.

   A.	Approval of Minutes #3 (January 31, 2008) (on web at www.uwm.edu/letsci/committees/)
   B.	Recommendation for Consideration of Candidates for Degrees and Honors for May, 2008		777
   C.	Annual Report
   	Center for Celtic Studies Annual Report, 2006-2007		778
   	Academic Planning and Governance Committee's Nominations Report		779

3. Old Business
4. New Business

   A.	Recommendation to Modify the Charter of the L&S Academic Planning and Governance Committee - It was moved, seconded, and approved to recommend to the Dean approval of the changes to the AP&GC charter proposed in Fac. Doc. 780.		780
   B.	Recommendation to Change the Name of UWM Film and Film Studies Programs - It was moved, seconded, and approved to recommend to the Dean approval of the name change for the Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies/Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film.		781
   C.	Nominations from the Floor - There were no additional nominations from the floor. Nominations were closed and the slate of nominees submitted by the AP&GC was approved.

5. Adjournment - There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:12 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Connie Jo, Assistant Dean
Secretary to the L&S Faculty