The University of Wisconsin System may have violated its hiring policy earlier this summer with the interim appointment of a prominent fiscal administrator, according to a letter from Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.
Van Hollen said in the letter the Board of Regents did not follow its usual policies when Michael Morgan was hired as Senior Vice President for Administration and Fiscal Affairs in June.
Morgan, the state’s secretary of administration, accepted the three-year appointment with an annual salary of $245,000. The appointment began Tuesday.
However, Van Hollen said he does not have statutory authority to investigate the matter himself, so he would allow the Board of Regents to decide if they want to revisit the hiring process.
The statement was issued in response to allegations from Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, that Michael Morgan’s appointment to the position of senior vice president for administration and fiscal affairs did not follow proper UW System search and screen protocol and was driven by political motives.
UW System President Kevin Reilly appointed Morgan for the interim and does have the authority to do so, according to Van Hollen’s statement.
However, the Regents have had a long-standing policy of appointing search and screen committees for previous chancellors, vice presidents and senior vice presidents, and making interim appointments without forming search and screen committees.
No search and screen committee was appointed to find other potential candidates for the position and make recommendations to Reilly.
“It has been standard practice for the UW System President to make interim appointments…after consultation with Board leadership and without delay, which is what President Reilly did appropriately in this instance,” Regents President Chuck Pruitt said in a statement.
Nass’ spokesperson Mike Mikalsen, said Van Hollen’s decision to allow the Board of Regents to make the final call on Morgan’s appointment means Morgan would most likely keep his position.
“We’re very disappointed the attorney general is not taking the next step,” Mikalsen said.
