October 13, 2006
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT BUREAU RELEASES AUDIT ON SICK LEAVE, VACATION REPORTING AND USE
The Legislative Audit Bureau released its review today of a variety of personnel matters in the University of Wisconsin System, including sick leave reporting and conversion, vacation reporting and usage, backup and consultant positions and sabbaticals. UW System President Kevin Reilly’s audit response letter provides important context on the issues.
Areas highlighted in the audit include figures that show the average value of sick leave at retirement and the variation across different employment groups ($222,000 on average for UW System faculty compared to $48,000 on average for classified staff). The audit also shows that sick leave reporting reveals that 41 percent of unclassified employees used no sick leave over a three-year period. The response from President Reilly puts these findings into context.
The Legislature Joint Audit Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the audit’s finding on Wednesday, November 29th.
The complete audit, including President Reilly’s response is available at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/LAB/reports/06-12full.pdf.
GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES JOBS FOR THE FUTURE INITIATIVE
Governor Doyle recently announced that the state is working UW-Madison and other Wisconsin universities to launch a new initiative to recruit and train the next generation of Wisconsin entrepreneurs - and give them access to needed capital. The state will leverage $20 million in private investment to be matched with $5 million in state support to teach entrepreneurship in medical schools, engineering schools and life sciences programs. The goal will be to develop the management talent needed to start-up businesses in Wisconsin.
The initiative also includes an effort to capitalize on Wisconsin’s leadership in embryonic stem cell research - setting a goal for our state to capture 10 percent of the stem cell market by 2015. The plan calls for the Department of Commerce to dedicate $5 million to find, fund and recruit stem cell companies to Wisconsin.
More information about this initiative is available at: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=2366
GOVERNOR TO ATTEND SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADDITION CEREMONY
The School of Business will hold a kickoff ceremony to celebrate the start of the construction of a $40.5 million addition to Grainger Hall. The event is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, at the business school's annual Homecoming Bash for alumni in the Grainger Hall atrium.
The Governor, Chancellor John D. Wiley and Board of Regents' President David Walsh are expected to attend. The marching band, spirit squad and Bucky Badger will perform at the event.
The 131,416-square-foot addition will house the MBA programs of the School of Business and will include state-of-the-art classrooms, the MBA Program Office and Career Center, and homes for the MBA specializations. The addition, which is set to open in fall 2008, will also include a new dining facility, an undergraduate computer lab and student organization offices.
For more information on state related issues contact,
Kristi Thorson or Don Nelson
Assistant Directors, State Relations
608/262-8967