Administrative integration
About the administrative integration
UW System President Kevin Reilly advanced the idea of integrating the central administrative operations of the UW Colleges and UW-Extension to the Board of Regents in September 2004 as a way to cut costs given the state fiscal environment and, simply, because our institutions had at least three things in common: 1) both have headquarters in Madison; 2) both have access to the University of Wisconsin resources as their core mission; and 3) both are statewide institutions in terms of physical presence.
Appoint one chancellor
The UW System Board of Regents approved Kevin Reilly's request to appoint a single chancellor to lead both UW Colleges and UW-Extension in February 2005 -- the most significant structural change to the UW System since its creation in 1971. Beyond the chancellor's office, the Board of Regents also directed the two institutions to explore other opportunities for integrating specific administrative functions.
Integrated administrative functions
As of 2007, the following central departments/functions across the Colleges and Extension have been integrated and are expected to serve the administrative needs of both institutions:
- Chancellor's Office
- Administrative & Financial Services
- Government Relations
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- University Relations
- Workforce Equity & Diversity
The following units remain as Colleges-only or Extension-only units:
- Academic Affairs
- Academic Staff Governance
- Faculty Governance
Collaborations
Although the Board of Regents did not merge the academic programs and faculty of the Colleges with those of Extension-just our administrative operations-we are making some significant strides in developing more collaborative programs between the institutions. Collaborations are taking place between our faculties and staff around the state.
Shared vision
The UW Colleges and UW-Extension also have a shared vision for maximizing access to the University of Wisconsin educational resources and research for the benefit of Wisconsin's residents.