In light of the recent 250 million-dollar cut to the University of Wisconsin System budget and subsequent tuition increases, students at the University of Wisconsin have a right to be concerned with the way money is allocated within the UW System.
These budget cuts inevitably lead to fewer classes and a smaller UW faculty-both of which students will feel this fall. Yet on Tuesday the UW System Board of Regents met in what was essentially a secret phone meeting and voted to increase the salary ranges of several system administrators to better reflect the market value of their positions. This type of decision-making process is unacceptable.
The Board's decision was controversial, but provided it does not grant any frivolous raises based on the new salary ranges, it was necessary. The problem lies in that the Board came to its decision outside the public view, just two days before a regularly scheduled meeting open to the press and the public.
While it technically gave proper notification of the Tuesday meeting, posting written notices about it at two Madison locations as well as a legal notice in the Wisconsin State Journal, it is clear that the Board wanted the vote on such a heated issue to remain in the shadows. Nothing was posted on the UW System Web site regarding the vote, either before or after it took place. Furthermore, only 11 of the 17 members of the board were present at the meeting, and three of those who were present chose to abstain. In the end, only eight of the members voted at all.
The reasons Board President Toby Marcovich gave for not dealing with the issue during the regular Regents meeting, just days later, were, \I wasn't even thinking when the next Regents meeting was,"" he said, noting that he called for the vote on the earliest day he was available.
We suggest that Mr. Marcovich get a day planner to avoid similar confusion in the future. As for the secret vote, it has become a disturbing trend of the Board to hold phone meetings under the public radar when making controversial decisions. In the summer of 2002, the Board also held teleconferences to raise tuition and discuss the proposed UW-Madison power plant.
The Board of Regents needs to be more open when making unpopular decisions if it wants to retain the trust of students and faculty. Board members cannot pretend they are not holding votes by simply sweeping the outcome out of the public view. Though many involved with the System may not be happy with the outcome of some votes, it is essential that the Board keep its decision-making process out in the open.
