The second phase of a University of Wisconsin effort to overhaul the university’s human resources system will kick off next week after legislation included in the Wisconsin budget last year gave UW the authority to create its own HR system outside of the state government.
Bob Lavigna, UW’s Director of Human Resources and the lead of the Human Resources Design Project, said the project is still in its beginning stages with multiple teams working to put together recommendations on various areas in human resources.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to develop a personnel system that will meet the unique means for our university,” Lavigna said. “In the past, we’ve been governed to a large extent by state government HR. Now, we can tailor the system to our needs and challenges.”
Lavigna said project leaders have put together 11 separate work teams, which focus on main HR areas like benefits, compensation and employee development. Seven of these teams are currently operating, while four will begin working next week.
These work teams will begin next week to develop recommendations on how to modify UW’s personnel system. Project leaders plan on having the work of the human resources work teams completed at the end of the spring semester, Vice Chancellor for Administration Darrell Bazzell said.
The teams have representatives from academic staff, classified employees, faculty and labor, Steve Lund, academic personnel office director, said in an email to The Badger Herald. Associated Students of Madison also appointed a student representative to each team.
“I can’t predict specifically how the university’s HR system will look at the end of this,” Lund said. “I can say that it will be more efficient, effective and have the flexibility to meet the changing needs of the university.”
Bazzell said while the project is just getting started, project leaders anticipate designing a new personnel system which will meet the needs of a large, public research university.
“We’re very excited,” Lavigna said. “I think it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to put together a human resources system that will meet our unique and specific needs.”
Lavigna added the work teams’ recommendations will then go to the project’s advisory committee, which is composed of Interim Chancellor David Ward, Provost Paul DeLuca and Bazzell, who will take the recommendations into consideration.
Letters and Science Dean Gary Sandefur chairs the Advisory Committee, and ASM representative Leland Pan also serves on the committee, Lund said.
According to a joint statement released by Ward, DeLuca and Bazzell, the HR Design Project will potentially reach employees throughout UW.
“We are considering this ambitious project in the context of ongoing financial challenges,” the statement said. “All of this uncertainty means that the scope of the project will continue to be developed and refined over several months.”
According to terms laid out in the state budget, the new UW human resources system must be in place by July 1, 2013. While work teams can not be expanded currently, Lund said any students interested in the project should contact ASM.
