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Following a failed chancellor search at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, a consultant released a range of suggestions Friday for the system to improve future searches.
After UW System officials discovered that Robert Felner, the candidate slated to be UW-Parkside’s new chancellor, was under federal investigation for allegedly misappropriating funds during his previous position at the University of Louisville, they decided it was time to investigate ways to prevent such issues from occurring again, said UW System spokesperson David Giroux.
“Over the past four years, we have hired nine chancellors,” Giroux said. “And that has largely been very successful. Overall, we came away with the conclusion that the policies and procedures we have in place are very sound. But, there is never a bad time to improve.”
Consultant Stephen Portch recommended more than two dozen ideas to improve future chancellor searches, including visiting the chancellor candidate’s home campus and conducting interviews, double-checking references and screening background information more closely.
According to Chuck Pruitt, UW System Board of Regents vice president, the report lists “reasonable and sound” recommendations.
“There are some that seem as if they would be able to be put into place pretty easily,” Pruitt said. “Some are technical, and some are a little more involved, and we will have to consider how and if we can do those.”
Pruitt added the biggest issues in moving forward with the various suggestions could be the costs.
“A couple of the recommendations Portch made of the search committee was traveling to the candidates’ campuses,” Pruitt said. “Whether or not we can afford to do that is a question we will need to ask and answer. ‘What are the expenses, and are those expenses justified?’”
Colleene Thomas, a UW-Madison graduate student and student regent, said it is necessary to review the new recommendations thoroughly before they are implemented.
“Like any sort of recommendations or guidelines, we will have to evaluate how they will fit into procedure,” Thomas said. “I think it was really good to have Portch do this review process because he has good insight on the system. I think some of the suggestions he’s made will help the clarity of the process.”
According to Giroux, the impact of the recommendations is twofold. First, they will produce more checks and balances. Second, there will be more explicit guidelines to follow for reference checks, assuring the information gathered is appropriately shared with all involved in the decision-making process.
“It’s like telling hockey players what to cover when playing defense. It’s making that explicit. You’re on this person, you guard him,” Giroux added. “This group does its references, checks, and then the next phase does its checks … At each level someone checks something.”
The UW System Board of Regents will determine Friday whether or not the recommendations will be implemented for the current chancellor searches at UW-Green Bay, UW-Parkside and UW-River Falls, Pruitt said.
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I applaud the speed at which UW has reported on this, compared to how UL is handling the situation—still in denial that Felner is a complete fraud.
I would comment that visiting the campus may not work since Felner meticulously developed a circle of minions, affectionately now called the “Leadershit Team”, who no doubt would be the ones who you would encounter in a site visit…lying their arses off.
It seems the best remedy is to pick up the phone and randomly call folks in the departments from which he came in his prior jobs.