A member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents raised concerns on April 10 about the number of employees at the Universities of Wisconsin System headquarters, which he said stands at 579 for a system comprising 13 schools. Regent Timothy Nixon questioned why this figure is much higher than that of the state’s technical college system, which reportedly has only 50 employees for its 16-school network.
Nixon said during a public hearing in the state Senate that he believes resources could be better used if more staff were reassigned to campuses where students are taught directly. “Why does the University of Wisconsin system bureaucracy have 579 employees for a 13-school system when the technical college (system) has 50, for a 16-school system,” Nixon said. “That’s a great question.”
He added, “They are better off reassigned, where the resources are used at campuses where we actually educate people.” Nixon noted that he serves on both boards and described the technical college board as having staffing that is “really lean.”
The remarks came in connection with discussions about former System President Jay Rothman’s termination. Rothman has publicly stated he was let go without being given a reason, but Nixon and Regent President Amy Bogost disagreed with his characterization.
Nixon emphasized his ongoing efforts to seek justification for staffing levels since November and said other university systems do not employ as many people at their headquarters. He clarified his comments were not meant to disparage staff: “I don’t want to insinuate that they’re lazy or that they don’t do good work.”
Republican state Senator Rob Hutton responded by saying he was surprised but pleased to hear a Regent support such reform, noting Regents have typically been seen as “gatekeepers of the status quo.”
Looking ahead, Nixon expressed concern over what he perceives as slow movement on these issues under Rothman’s leadership: “President Rothman moves methodically. He moves deliberately. And part of that is, he’s a corporate lawyer,” Nixon said.
