University of Wisconsin Chancellor John Wiley signed a new Limited Term Employee policy into effect Tuesday, what he called a "milestone" for the university.
The new policy has several components, which Wiley said would be achieved over the next six years. The plan aims to convert the majority of LTE positions to Full Time Employee positions so LTEs are not used as inexpensive labor in full-time positions.
In addition, LTE wages increased to the living wage — defined by the city of Madison as the rate needed to support a family of four — of $10.23 per hour.
Wiley said LTEs have been taken advantage of for too many years, and now UW has addressed the situation with immediate and long-term goals.
LTE positions are intended for "seasonal or sporadic" jobs that are inappropriate for year-round hire, Wiley said.
"There is no doubt in my mind that over the years, many units of the UW-Madison have strayed from that definition and have abused the assistance of LTE positions," he added. "Any organization is only as good as its employees, and UW-Madison is committed to being a good employer both now and in the future."
Wiley said the Wisconsin Union and University Housing addressed LTE payment concerns by instituting the living wage rate before the implementation of the new policy Tuesday.
Mark Walters, UW director of classified human resources, said a committee — which he co-chaired with Vice Chancellor Darrell Bazzell — met regularly for the last two and a half months to put together a plan that was "positive for everyone."
However, Walters noted the university still has to a lot of work to do in order to meet its expectations.
"We're really changing the way we're using LTEs now," Walters said. "No longer are we going to be using LTEs to really perform permanent functions … This is a time for a celebration."
Bazzell said paying LTEs living wage and reallocating their employment would cost UW $750,000 over time. The money, Bazzell said, would primarily come from UW athletics and the Wisconsin Union, with a smaller portion coming from Wisconsin taxpayers.
Wiley said the university would adhere to the criteria of the new policy very strictly when considering whether a position may be filled by an LTE.
"If they can't justify it, they can't justify it, and they won't get it," Wiley said. "It's as simple as that."
UW graduate student Sarah Turner — who was a member of the Student Labor Action Coalition when the issue of fair treatment for LTEs was brought to the forefront in 2001 — said the university administration has made a "complete 180" in the last five years. According to Turner, the UW administration originally denied the existence of an LTE problem. She said that to see Wiley — who was vice chancellor in 2001 — advocating a living wage and better treatment for LTEs was fulfilling.
"It's a very sweet victory," Turner said, adding that the university had a pessimistic attitude toward SLAC's efforts in its early stages. "To have them turn around and say to me everything we were saying to them — it's great."