UW System to ring in new year with more thorough hiring process

Following the decision in June to implement a more cognizant hiring process, the UW System will require sexual harassment to be included in personnel files as soon as January 2019.

According to the reformed policy, hiring processes in campuses throughout the UW System are required to ask about sexual misconduct prior to employment. The personnel files will be only disclosed to Wisconsin employers, however relevant information must be shared during reference checks from out-of-state employers.

The Board of Regents stepped in after former UW-Stevens Point Assistant Dean Shawn Wilson, who assaulted a local campus vendor employee in 2015, obtained the same position at UW-Eau Claire. They were not aware of his misconduct prior to hiring him.

While at UWEC, two students filed similar complaints, which Wilson denied. He resigned in October 2017. Teresa O’Halloran, UWEC’s affirmative action officer and Title IX coordinator, found that he should be fired for his actions.

“I believe that the prior behavior along with the sensitive issues and vulnerable students that Wilson’s job here involves increases the potential liability UW-Eau Claire would carry by continuing to employ Wilson,” O’Halloran said in the statement of her findings.

Although revealing allegations and current statuses of investigations will be found within personnel files, investigation materials — like witness accounts — are not included. However, they can be used as evidence for Title IX investigations.

The UW System is taking steps forward to achieve clear and concise terms for employee misconduct to avoid any hidden accusations when seeking to work in other UW institutions, Regent Vice President Drew Petersen revealed in the press release.

The regents will vote on the hiring regulations Thursday, along with confirming to ask Gov. Scott Walker for $107 million in added state funds for the drafted 2019-’21 UW System budget.