UW-Green Bay announces timeline for vice chancellor search
Chancellor Thomas K. Harden said today (Friday, Sept. 16) the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will begin a comprehensive search for its next vice chancellor for business and finance as early as next week, with the intention of announcing a permanent appointment before the first of the year.
The University is seeking a successor to Tom Maki, who retired in March but returned as a rehired annuitant to fill the position on a temporary basis.
Harden said the timetable for the search and screen is influenced by Maki’s desire for a departure date later this calendar year.
Maki informed Harden on Friday that he would serve through Dec. 16 or until his replacement is hired.
“I came back in April out of a sense of obligation to the institution, to provide continuity during a period of uncertainty and serious budget cuts, and to allow more time for transition to new leadership in the Business and Finance area,” Maki said in a prepared statement.
Maki said his preference for a departure date at the close of the current semester is based on personal considerations and his desire to best serve the University.
By mid-December, the University will have completed much of its budget planning for the remainder of the biennium and the new state fiscal year that will begin July 1, 2012.
Harden said Maki deserves to be commended for his nearly 33 years of service to the state, his two decades as UW-Green Bay’s chief business officer and his willingness to return to the institution, when asked, last spring.
“UW-Green Bay has grown to become a tremendous resource for this state and community, and Tom’s contributions helped make that happen,” Harden said. “No one who knows him, on campus or in the community, would dispute his role in organizing our daily operations to best serve students and stakeholders. He is an excellent steward not only of taxpayer funds but also student tuition and private donations. I know he is respected at the UW System level as being one of the best CBOs in the state.
“When Tom agreed to come back this year to apply that expertise toward helping us manage an 11 percent cut in state funding, $2.5 million, it was a great service to this University’s 6,600 students. Whether they know it or not, they benefit from his work in minimizing the impact on classes and services.”
Maki joined UW-Green Bay in 1978 as an internal auditor. A CPA, he worked previously as a payroll supervisor for Fort Howard Paper Co.
He assumed his current duties as vice chancellor in 1991. In that role, Maki has had primary responsibility for managing finances and overseeing the expansion of campus facilities and the funding of academic offerings, Division I athletics, the launch of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts, and more. A notable accomplishment involved his work with University Village Housing Inc., a private nonprofit corporation that builds affordable, quality student housing for UW-Green Bay, without state funding
Maki filed for retirement in early March, but agreed to return after the 30-day break in service required by state statute. He did so at the request of Harden, who, given the circumstances, exercised his right as outlined in longstanding policy to waive the option of conducting a search.
UW-Green Bay officials say their actions in the rehiring followed applicable policies, saved thousands of dollars in employee benefits, made no additional draw on taxpayer resources, and facilitated what should be a more effective transition to the hiring of Maki’s successor.
The University is likely to initiate a search in the next two weeks. From there, the timetable is largely dictated by requirements for a thorough and complete search-and-screen process in accordance with state and UW System policies. Advertising of the position is likely to take place in October, with candidate reference checks and phone and onsite interviews extending into November.
The vice chancellor for business and finance reports directly to the chancellor and oversees a range of business operations and services, including buildings and grounds, facilities planning, budget, the controller’s office, purchasing, risk management, human resources, the campus bookstore, the student union, the campus golf course, motor pool, parking and public safety.
“If I am most proud of anything,” Maki said in his statement, “it is that I have had the opportunity to work with great people, not only in my area, but several different chancellors, university leaders and individuals across campus.
“There are wonderfully talented and dedicated employees at UW-Green Bay, and they have accomplished a great deal on behalf of this institution. I feel fortunate to have been part of that.”
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