 "Photo: James Gill")
In its first meeting on the UW-Whitewater campus since 2002, the UW System Board of Regents last week reaffirmed the controversial overhaul of a statewide computer system.
The 18-member board, governing body for the UW System, approved a $33.5 million budget for the first year of a designed computer system and technology revamp, and voted to move forward with an $81.4 million payroll and benefits computer system in spite of unease concerning the contractor for the project, Chicago-based Huron Consulting Group.
Huron is under investigation by the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission after announcing July 31 that it had overstated its earnings for the past three years and will need to adjust its financial results for those years.
Huron's new cheif executive officer, James Roth, told regents Thursday that accounting irregularities wouldn't effect the firm's work. Roth replaced Gary Holdren, who resigned due to the overstated earnings.
Roth said he believed Huron would maintain clients and staff and wouldn't be found innocent of 'accounting issues.'Roth agreed to a new set of contract provisions that offer the UW System supplementary safeguards if the company fails.
"You have my word that we will do everything within our power to make this entirely seamless," Roth said. "Such that if nobody ever read the paper, you should never even know that there was an issue with Huron as you go forward with this project. That is my goal; that is my objective."
Huron would get approximately $46 million of the $81.4 million contract. UW System officials said it would be risky to reverse their stance on the contract now, deciding to implement the safeguards instead.
"I think we're addressing it. I think we're dealing with it. I think we're doing everything we can do and I trust the assurances we've gotten from the company," said regent and finance committee member David Walsh.
This marks the second attempt at a statewide technology overhaul. UW System officials said lessons were learned from a failed attempt in 2006 with a company that filed for bankruptcy.
Also during the first day of the two-day meeting in the James R. Connor University Center, UW-Whitewater Chancellor Richard Telfer's presented the university's master plan and academic program.
"We've made significant strides in our strategic plan," Telfer said. "The first area is programs and learning; the second area is creating an educator community; third is diversity and global perspectives; the fourth is regional engagement and the final one is personal and professional integrity."
Telfer's presentation highlighted the university's accomplishments, focusing how UW-Whitewater students are engaged, relevant, hands-on and entrepreneurial.
Accompanying the speech was a video called 'Proud to be Purple," showing the new freshmen class during the university's fall orientation.
On Friday the board's Research to Jobs Task Force presented recommendations on creating jobs and increasing the capability of technology transfer to Wisconsin companies.
Also, Telfer announced a $4.7 million federal Economic Development Administration grant awarded to the Whitewater University Technology Park. The grant permits the Technology Park board to begin construction of an Innovation Center later this year.
Regents toured the new $41 million Timothy J. Hyland Hall, and approved a new degree, a bachelor of business administration in entrepreneurship, in the College of Business and Economics.
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