The University of Wisconsin Faculty Senate voted unanimously Monday to accept a report on the merits of splitting job duties between two top level administrators in the area of research enterprise, meaning the Senate will continue conversations on the measure into May.
The senate’s working group on Leadership Changes in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Dean of the Graduate School proposed the new leadership structure in a meeting March 3. It involves the creation of two different positions: a Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies and a Dean of the Graduate School. Each position will also have a separate budget.
Currently, these two positions are one in the same. Martin Cadwaller currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate School.
Members will decide on the measure to add the new positions in their May 5 meeting.
Chancellor Rebecca Blank said she feels strongly about the graduate school and wants faculty members who will put a full-time focus on each of the positions and their respective responsibilities.
“I don’t think these are one job anymore,” Blank said.
Blank, along other faculty senators, said they agreed the positions should be separated.
The University Committee now plans to examine the working group’s recommendations, host a public forum on the issue and continue discussion before voting on the recommendations at the May 5 meeting.
Editor’s note: The original version of this story said the Faculty Senate voted in favor of the plan to split these two positions. The Senate only voted to accept a report on the positions and will continue discussions the merits of splitting the two. The Badger Herald regrets the error.
[Photo by Rachael Lallensack/The Badger Herald]
