UWS 12.01UWS 12.01 General. Notwithstanding s. 36.15, Stats., and chs. UWS 10 and 11, the chancellor of each institution or designee may layoff a member of the academic staff holding an indefinite appointment, or may layoff a member of the academic staff holding either a fixed term or a probationary appointment prior to the end of the appointment period, when such action is deemed necessary due to budget or program decision requiring program discontinuance, curtailment, modification, or redirection. Consistent with the limitation of academic staff appointments to an operational area, each institution shall establish policies and procedures which will ensure careful consideration of layoff decisions for reasons of budget or program. The institutional policies and procedures should recognize the constraints imposed on institutional response to an unanticipated cancellation of a contract or grant or to an unanticipated decline in an income account supporting a particular activity. The institution should take such constraints into account in designing the nature and timing of the consultation appropriate to such circumstances. The institution’s policies and procedures may provide as needed the alternative forms of consultation appropriate to differences in the sources of funds for various programs or activities, or differences in the timing of information concerning a decline in resources for particular programs or activities. Program decisions made pursuant to a change in the level of resources available for a particular project shall be discussed by the chancellor or designee with such committee, committees, or committee representatives as may be specified by institutional policies and procedures as appropriate for such purposes. Decisions affecting individuals shall be communicated to the affected persons by the chancellor or designee together with a description of the change in available resources which has required the layoff decision. Nonrenewal of a probationary academic staff appointment under s. UWS 10.04, or a fixed term appointment, even if for financial reasons, is not a layoff for reasons of program or budget.

UWS 12.02UWS 12.02 Layoff. For the purpose of this chapter, “layoff” is the suspension of an academic staff member’s employment by the University of Wisconsin System during the appointment period, for reasons of budget or program. A laid-off academic staff member retains the rights specified in ss. UWS 12.07 through 12.11, inclusive. For the purposes of s. 36.21, Stats., termination occurs at the time of layoff.

UWS 12.03UWS 12.03 Individual layoff decision. When a reduction in program of a particular operational area is required, layoffs of academic staff members with indefinite, fixed term, or probationary appointments should normally follow seniority. This presumption in favor of seniority may be overcome where program needs dictate other considerations (e.g., the need to maintain specific expertise within the program or operational area). The standard notice periods specified in s. UWS 10.05 should be used, unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary (e.g., almost immediate cutoff of funds), for layoff of probationary and fixed term appointments under this chapter. Indefinite appointees shall have 12 months’ notice of layoff for reasons of budget or program, unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary.

UWS 12.04UWS 12.04 Hearing body. The chancellor of each institution shall provide for a hearing body for the purposes of this chapter. Throughout this chapter the term “hearing body” is used to indicate either a hearing committee or a hearing examiner as designated in the institutional procedures. This hearing body shall operate as the hearing agent for the chancellor pursuant to s. 227.46 (4), Stats., and conduct the hearing, make a verbatim record of the hearing, prepare a summary of the evidence and transmit such record and summary along with findings of fact and decision to the chancellor.

UWS 12.05UWS 12.05 Review and hearing for indefinite appointments.

UWS 12.05(1)(1) An academic staff member with an indefinite appointment whose position is to be eliminated shall be notified in writing and shall, upon request made within 20 days after such notification, be given a written statement of the reasons for the decision within 15 days, including a statement of the reasons for the determination that the budgetary or program needs should be met by curtailing or discontinuing the program in which the individual concerned works. If the academic staff member requests in writing within 20 days after receipt of said statement, he or she shall be entitled to a hearing before the hearing body. However, such a request for hearing shall not forestall a layoff under this section.