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Regents want salaries to rise

With the University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor position up for grabs, the UW System Board of Regents will deliberate this week on a new plan to increase the salary range of several different leader positions systemwide.

Many UW chancellors currently earn salaries that are much lower than those of chancellors at other institutions in their respective peer groups.

UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley, who will be stepping down in September, currently earns a salary of $327,000. Compared to UW-Madison’s peer group, he makes 21 percent less than chancellors at comparable institutions.

The plan proposed by Board of Regents President Mark Bradley will increase the range of salaries at UW-Madison and 11 comprehensive colleges around the system, UW spokesperson David Giroux said.

“This is just routine maintenance,” Giroux said. “Most state employees’ salaries are increased every year, but chancellors are a different animal. Their salaries can only be adjusted by the Board of Regents.”

The chancellors in UW-Madison’s peer group make an average salary of $437,000 and the median is $416,000. This means UW is “on the low end,” Regent Vice President Chuck Pruitt said.

The Board of Regents plans to increase the salary range of UW’s next chancellor to between $369,000 and $452,000, putting the institution within the average salary range of its peers.

The search for three new chancellors in the system at UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater and UW-Parkside may be the catalyst for the changes to the salary ranges, because salaries need to be at market rate, Giroux said.

This adjustment will not have an affect on the salaries of the current chancellors, meaning Wiley will make the same tomorrow as he does today, Pruitt said, but the adjusted range will affect the new chancellors to be chosen by fall.

“The vote they take at the Board of Regents meeting will not change anyone’s salaries directly,” Giroux said. “However, when they come up for review in front of the board, the new ranges could have an affect then.”

The plan will be brought in front of the Business, Finance, and Audit Committee as a recommendation and then will be voted on by the entire Board of Regents. If they vote in favor of the plan, it will go into effect July 1.