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Martin to hire vice chancellor
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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.
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Just because Nass will say something colorful doesn’t mean it should be printed to achieve “balance.” He didn’t address at all Martin’s claim that this will be cost-neutral.
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I’d rather see two assistant professors instead of hiring a new vice chancellor. It sends the exact wrong message in a time of economic uncertainty.
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Let’s hire some TA’s that speak English clearly or prof’s.
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Nass is done and the UW can tell him to go pound sand. Good riddance too.
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Nass is a Hillbilly legislator that needs to come out of the sticks and realize what spending money on the University of Wisconsin does for this state.
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Nass isn’t done. He was re-elected with 67% of the vote in his district. Governor Doyle said today that the UW will take its fair share of cuts in the upcoming budget. That’s right —- cuts. Can’t blame the Republicans for another round of UW cuts proposed by none other than Governor Jim Doyle.
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FWIW, UW-Milwaukee has 7 vice chancellors and not 8. Still more than UW-Madison’s 4, of course, but not twice as many.
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Martin should NOT take advice from John Wiley. He was a total failure as UW-Madison Chancellor. She needs to go in a completely different direction, as soon as possible.