The UW System Board of Regents decided Tuesday to freeze its proposed pay range increase for top UW System officials after widespread criticism from Gov. Jim Doyle and the state Legislature.
Board President Toby Marcovich and UW System President Katherine Lyall announced in a press release they would look for recommendations on changing the salary range from university consulting firms before making any final decisions. Until then, they will not implement the new ranges.
The debate over the ranges began a week ago Tuesday when the Board of Regents convened a teleconference meeting. They agreed to raise the salary range of top UW System officials to attract more qualified candidates to open positions. Many were outraged, citing the covert nature of the meeting and the decision to raise the scale during a budget crunch.
According to Erik Christianson, a UW System spokesperson, the public and political concern over the pay scale increases influenced Marcovich and Lyall to seek outside help.
\President Marcovich and President Lyall decided that it would be useful and helpful to seek some additional outside analysis on this particular issue to help guide the process,"" he said.
Christianson added the Regents had not decided what firms to consult about the scale increases, but they hoped to work with them at no charge to the UW System.
Steve Creezer, chief of staff for state Senator Tom Reynolds, R-West Allis, who had called for an investigation into the Regents' meeting, said he thinks going back and revisiting the decision was the correct thing to do.
""We certainly think that that's probably an advisable thing to do,"" he said. ""I think that the decision that was engaged in previously was hasty, and it makes sense for them to go back and revisit it.""
According to Christianson, the Regents will take up the issue again at their Oct. 9-10 meeting at UW-Oshkosh, when they consider the proposed pay plan for all faculty and staff.
