Sincerely,
Katharine C. Lyall
President
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
August 12, 1998
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a review of administrative salaries and staffing within the Wisconsin Technical College System, as directed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. In fiscal year (FY) 1996-97, the 16 districts, which are governed by local boards, spent $63.4 million on salaries and fringe benefits for 787.4 administrative positions.
Salaries paid to senior-level Wisconsin technical college administrators - the president and the chief academic, business, and student affairs officers in each district - vary substantially throughout the Wisconsin technical college system. However, they were lower, on average, than salaries paid for similar positions at 56 midwestern two-year public colleges.
In addition to reviewing salaries for four senior-level positions, we reviewed total administrative salaries and staffing levels in FY 1996-97, as well as changes over a five-year period. From FY 1991-92 through FY 1996-97, when salaries at public colleges and universities nationwide increased 17.1 percent, the average hourly rate of administrative salaries within the Wisconsin technical college system increased 22.3 percent, although there were substantial variations in rates among the technical college districts. Three districts had increases exceeding 30 percent.
During this period, the number of administrative staff increased 4.5 percent overall, although changes in individual districts ranged from an increase of 56.2 percent to a decrease of 28.2 percent. While the number of administrative staff increased overall, the number of full-time equivalent students decreased 10.5 percent, and the number of faculty declined by 2.1 percent.
Because of the substantial differences in administrative salaries and staffing levels among the districts, the Wisconsin Technical College System Board could help local district boards analyze their decisions relative to those of other districts by providing salary and staffing information for each district on an ongoing basis.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the staff of the technical college districts who assisted us during the course of this review, as well as by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board. The Board's response is Appendix II.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
Relating to the community-based economic development program.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, August 18, 1998.
Referred to committee on Business, Economic Development and Urban Affairs, August 19, 1998
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__________________
The committee on Environment and Energy reports and recommends:
Relating to implementation of the automated license issuance system.
No action taken.
Robert Cowles
Chairperson
