Under a proposed plan from the University of Wisconsin System president, chancellors and administrators from individual campuses across the state would have more influence in financial and operating decisions for their respective institutions.
The plan is a product of a committee assembled by UW System President Kevin Reilly with the purpose of reevaluating the roles of the UW System and the institutions within it.
Chancellors would have a greater leadership role within the System, the responsibility of maintaining degree programs would shift and the type of audits the system conducts would narrow, according to a statement from UW System.
The plan looks to speed up the rate at which new degree programs are approved, the statement said. Under it, the System would make sure the variety of degrees is preserved, and maintaining academic standards would fall to the leaders at the campus.
The System would also scale back what kinds of audits it performs, UW System spokesperson David Giroux said.
Currently, audits are conducted to make sure the System is spending its resources and money in accordance with the state and federal government, Giroux said.
A second type of audit ensures institutions are following the best academic and administrative practices. Giroux said this more objective audit will now be conducted by each campus.
The plan will go before the Board of Regents during their Sept. 8 meeting.
The UW System received more flexibility from the state when the 2011-13 biennial budget was passed in areas including budgeting, financial management and tuition, according to a statement from the UW System.
Throughout the next two years, the System will have to work with a $250 million budget cut from the state. One immediate cut laid out in the plan shaves down administrators who work directly within the System. According to the plan, 51 administrative positions will be cut.
As those positions are eliminated, the plan creates a space for chancellors from System institutions to take a more hands-on role in administration, including serving on the UW System president’s cabinet and making policy presentations for regent meetings.
Giroux said the plan marks more of a cultural shift in the System’s structure than any real policy change. The policy changes were granted when the budget was passed this summer and Gov. Scott Walker approved greater flexibility for the system.
The plan, Giroux said, is more of a way to acclimate leaders both in the System administration and on each campus with the new flexibilities.
He said some chancellors have already acted on the new flexibilities and are serving on the UW System President’s Board.
Earlier this year, discussions on greater flexibility for UW and the System came to a boil.
With budget cuts on the horizon, former Chancellor Biddy Martin pushed for the New Badger Partnership, which would have spun the flagship campus off from the rest of the system.
Leaders in the System proposed a rivaling plan: the Wisconsin Idea Partnership. While the plan contained some similar flexibility, it ultimately kept the Madison campus within the system.
The clashing agendas were a point of contention, and the New Badger Partnership ultimately failed in the Legislature.
