With final exams less than a week away, UW-Madison?s Faculty Senate held its last meeting of the 2011-12 academic year Monday afternoon at Bascom Hall. Following are some highlights: Robert Lavigna, the university?s director of human resources, gave faculty senators an update on UW-Madison?s efforts to construct a new human resources system and personnel policies to govern the work lives of about 16,000 people.
Following Lavigna?s presentation, faculty senator John Sharpless expressed annoyance that few appear to be talking about ?education, instruction or teaching? in relation to the HR Design Project. The history professor says it?s important to find ways to financially reward and retain professors who are top-notch teachers. Sara Goldrick-Rab, an expert on educational policy studies, echoed those comments, adding that the proposed market-based approach to determining a professor’s value isn?t optimal because the current market doesn?t demand good teaching from faculty at top-notch research universities.