As part of a much-publicized system audit, University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly disclosed the number of UW System employees who are provided with back-up appointments and acknowledged the completion of the Paul Barrows report during a Tuesday teleconference.

The UW System announced 3.3 percent of its employees — or 1,092 of the 33,063 total — have the right to return to a faculty or academic-staff position, or “back-up position,” at the end of a limited appointment. This privilege can be awarded either by contract or as required under Wisconsin statutes.

Reilly, who agreed to an audit on UW System employment practices, defended the practice of providing “back-up” positions, a policy which has launched the aforementioned investigation.

“It’s a pretty small number out of 30,000 employees that anybody’s raised questions about finally,” Reilly said during the teleconference.

Despite the small percentage, Reilly noted that the lack of an employee contract system may be to blame for the public outcry over back-up appointments, specifically in the Barrows situation.

In a contract system, employees can be removed before their contract expires, when the institution or organization involved buys out the rest of that contract as part of a settlement deal, he said.

“We haven’t had that kind of a system. We’ve had this kind of back-up system, and I think that’s created a lot of confusion and anxiety out there because people kind of feel like this is a golden parachute for people who don’t perform well,” he said. “That’s not what it’s intended to be.”

According to Reilly, back-up-positions are actually a product of laws which protect employees promoted to temporary positions. Under Wisconsin law, faculty and administrators assigned to limited appointments have the right to back-up positions.

Reilly added he is strongly considering recommendations to the Board of Regents to abandon the back-up positions in favor of a contract system that is “cleaner and clearer.”

Reilly also acknowledged that both he and UW-Madison Provost Peter Spear have read Susan Steingass’ report on Paul Barrows, discussed its contents-which remain confidential at this time, and are still considering what actions UW will take concerning the report.

“We have a little bit of time to do that because, legally, we are obligated before releasing it to notify everybody who’s mentioned in it that they’re mentioned and give those people an opportunity to go to court and have us not release it,” Reilly said.

Reilly and UW System Director of Communications Doug Bradley also discussed the state-budget situation and its effects on tuition, a sore spot for many students who bear rising costs.

“It’s a very interesting and fascinating journey to watch the budget process,” Bradley said. “Sometimes the reality of what you’re able to do and what the legislature and the governor make available for you to do … [can be] a lot different from what you originally proposed.”

Despite Gov. Jim Doyle using his veto power to restore $43 million to the UW budget this summer, the UW System still faces $90 million in cuts and allocations. In the face of this, Reilly said the UW System is continuing efforts to cut areas outside instruction.

“We’re committed, and it’s almost a triage situation at this point, trying to protect that instructional mission,” Reilly said.