State lawmakers grilled UW- System President Kevin Reilly on employment practices and policies Tuesday at a public hearing of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee.
In testimony to the committee, Reilly addressed the UW System's practice of granting backup jobs to 1,092 UW System employees saying that while the program can be improved, it still serves a purpose.
\Such actions are intended to deploy and engage the best leadership and talent and expertise university leaders have available at the particular time,"" Reilly said.
State Senator Carol Roessler, R-Oshkosh, said she was skeptical of the backup system, pointing out that contracts with employees would be a ""cleaner, clearer arrangement.""
Reilly also fielded questions about granting employees paid leave after being convicted of a felony in reference to former UW-Madison professor Roberto Coronado, who was convicted of three felony accounts of repeated sexual contact with a child and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Reilly said Coronado is not being paid a salary for teaching but the university must legally pay all employees for any unused vacation time.
The committee suggested the contracts be amended to prevent paying convicted felons, but UW System General Counsel Patricia Brady said such a move would be ""difficult legally"" and that Regents are exploring other options.
Though the Committee questioned the actions of Reilly and the Regents, several members expressed optimism. State Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, said he believes Reilly wants to clear up the issues as soon as possible and that he looks forward to working with the university to find solutions.
""President Reilly has a complicated situation on his hands,"" Cowles said. ""But he and the Board are moving in the right direction.""
Regents voted to make changes and improvements to the UW System employment policies, including suspending the practice of granting administrative backup appointments for new employees and increasing investigatory and disciplinary action for employees charged with a felony.
In a statement released yesterday, Rep. Rob Kreibich, Rep. Scott Suder, Rep. Frank Lassee and Sen. Cowles raised further questions about UW System employment policies, questioning the validity of 160 system employees who are termed ""consultants,"" and called on the university to examine the workload of employees who have backup jobs.
