Latest News

The Joint Finance Committee of the Wisconsin Legislature recently passed an omnibus motion on UW System issues that, if adopted as part of the 2013-15 State of Wisconsin Budget, will revise the implementation date of the University Personnel System (UPS) and the HR Design project at UW-Madison. The language of the omnibus motion reads:

In addition, delay the effective date of provisions adopted under 2011 Act 32 related to the creation of personnel systems for UW employees that would be separate from the state personnel system until July 1, 2015.

The language of the motion needs to be reviewed, statutory language will need to be drafted and placed into the Legislature's budget proposal. The budget will need to be passed by the full Legislature and then sent to the Governor for action and approval.  However, assuming the intent of the omnibus motion remains intact, the implementation date of UPS and HR Design will be delayed by two years to July 1, 2015. Until that time, when the new personnel systems are passed, university personnel administration will follow the same practices and procedures that it has until this point. Unclassifed human resources will be administered according to chapter 36 of the Wisconsin Statutes, applicable Wisconsin Adminstrative Code and procedures established through shared governance. Classified human resources will be administered by chapter 230 of the Wisconsin Statutes, applicable Wisconsin Administrative Code and procedures established by the Office of State Employment Relations (OSER).

The Joint Finance Committee's action is not final, but it if it becomes so, it should be considered a change in the implementation date of the good work that's been done by employees all across UW System, and is not an end to this important project. The implementation date change will simply give UW System employees more time to contemplate and refine recommended personnel systems that will meet the diverse and unique needs of UW System universities, colleges, and extension.