Martin to hire vice chancellor

by Elizabeth Mathie

Tuesday, November 11, 2008 02:03

Chancellor Biddy Martin is planning to create a vice chancellor for university relations position as part of the University of Wisconsin staff.

Martin said the purpose of the position would be to develop “the relationship strategy” of the university and to “make sure that strategy is implemented.” This position presents UW with a great opportunity, she added.

“I think that we have an opportunity to enhance the coherence and the clarity of our communications, internally and externally, and to coordinate our messages across the university and between the university and outside the university,” Martin said.

UW currently has four vice chancellors, something Martin previously remarked seemed to be a low number compared to UW-Milwaukee, which has eight such positions. Martin said she does not currently have plans to add more positions after this one, and the compensation for this new position would be “cost neutral.”

“There are a couple of … budgeted positions that we won’t fill, and we’ll use those resources for the compensation of the vice chancellor,” Martin said.

Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, who has been a public critic of overspending in the chancellor’s office, has some concerns about the addition of the position.

Nass’ spokesperson, Mike Mikalsen, said adding this new position is “simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” in terms of administrative issues.

“This unfortunately is concerning to Rep. Nass because it’s kind of going back to the old-fashioned mentality of, ‘simply create another highly paid administrative position and everything will be fine,’” Mikalsen said.

Mikalsen also said Nass believes Martin’s staff is already sufficient.

“His argument is that, frankly, there are plenty of highly paid administrators — even below the vice chancellor level — that are there,” he added. “They’re paid to do a job, and Chancellor Martin can certainly rely on those individuals to assist with her administration,” he added.

Mikalsen said the current economic crisis means faculty and staff may not be receiving a significant pay increase and there is a “high probability” the state will have to consider layoffs in the public employee sector.

But Nass does not necessarily disagree with the new position entirely, Mikalsen said.

“(It’s) not that the concept is a bad idea, but the timing for this is just inappropriate,” he added.

Former Chancellor John Wiley said he supports Martin’s decision.

“I think every chancellor has the right and the responsibility to decide how they organize their office,” Wiley said.

As chancellor, Wiley said he too noticed the university’s lack of vice chancellors.

“Some universities have a ridiculously large number, and I tried to keep us sort of near the bottom of the list, which I think is the right place to be, and I think we’ll still be there, even with one or two more,” he said.

Wiley stressed although he served as chancellor with only four vice chancellors, “everybody has a different style.”

“Everyone has to decide for themselves how much they want to take on personally, how much they want to … delegate,” Wiley said.