Members of the UW-Madison Faculty Senate met Monday and debated varying levels of amendments to the draft of the 2009-2014 UW-Madison strategic framework.
Several members of the senate voiced their discontent with the draft, citing its redundancy and lack of measurability.
The draft commenced with comments from Julie Underwood, interim provost of UW-Madison.
Underwood described the draft as a strategic plan and a collaboration across campus,"" in which community members could take part in the future of the university.
""The goal here is to be, basically, aspirational as well as inspirational,"" she said.
Underwood said she wanted the plan ""to provide some type of long term guidance and put together a pathway to actually get to that aspirational goal.""
The draft quickly came under fire when English professor Richard Knowles satirically quoted the document and listed several reasons why it was redundant and too vague.
""I want to suggest that much of this, besides being vague, suggests that the writer, or writers, is simply too much in love with the sound of their own prose,"" he said.
Beverly Gordon, professor of Human Ecology, commented on the draft, citing the need for more transparency.
""I just wanted to say that it just seems almost ludicrously grandiose,"" she said. ""It just makes much more sense, in my opinion, that things be focused on a little bit more.""
In defense of the document, Underwood expressed it was simply a draft in need of revision.
Despite the 30 minute dispute, the Senate found time for important announcements, including a message from University Committee Chair Ann Hoyt.
Hoyt announced that close to $2.9 million in scholarship money had been contributed since last year's resolution to raise funds for students at UW-Madison.
The Senate's goal is to increase the average participation rate for contribution efforts on campus.
'""Chancellor Biddy Martin addressed President Obama's economic stimulus package upon request of faculty members.'""
Martin said it would be ""very helpful"" if Congress passes the package because it could provide UW-Madison with faculty grants, more money for research, renovation and repair and financial aid.
