A plan for big pay raises for chancellors in the UW System isn't playing well at the Capitol.
State Representative Steve Nass (R-Whitewater), who chairs the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, says increasing the pay range for the UW-Madison chancellor to nearly $450,000 is irresponsible. Nass says it's not something the state can afford at this time, when it's facing a possible $600 million budget shortfall.
UW officials say salary ranges for several top positions need to be increased to help with recruitment, since the UW System is far behind other states in terms of pay scale. Nass says they need to "get a grip" and realize now is not the time to consider pay raises.