MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A group with the University of Wisconsin System is planning to recommend ways to hire more university chancellors from outside of higher education.
John Behling, the new head of the university’s Board of Regents, said the system should hire more university leaders from the private sector or the government instead of focusing on candidates who have doctorates or are tenured professors, the Wisconsin State Journal reported .
“As the responsibilities of university leaders continue to evolve, universities across the country have benefited from being open to hiring individuals from non-academic backgrounds,” Behling said.
University officials said the group will review hiring policies for campus level chancellors, provosts and vice chancellors and consider how to increase the number of applicants with non-academic backgrounds. They’ll also review hiring practices for system presidents and vice presidents.
Regent Vice President Drew Petersen will lead the group, which includes eight other members.
Some University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty members have noted that the group doesn’t include a representative from the system’s flagship campus. They’ve also questioned the push to seek leaders from outside academia and wonder if private sector leaders would respect university traditions.
The group is expected to make recommendations for policy changes this fall, a system spokeswoman said.
Behling and system leaders said they also want to streamline the hiring process, which can take as long as a year.
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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, https://www.madison.com/wsj
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