Wisconsin UW Regents disregard for civility, the law - Beneath Contempt

Subject: Public Policy - DUE PROCESS

Group: Wisconsin UW Board of Regents, President of Regent and Chancellor of UWM
Local-State

Milwaukee, WI - June 9, 2011, Mary Glass, Protagonist, ALL Hands on Deck, WE, Not Me Initiative released the first report on the Code of Conduct of the UW Regents over the last year.

One year ago, on June 10-11, 2010, Mary Glass, Chair/CEO. Milwaukee Professionals Association, delivered to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union Building, 2nd Floor, of University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, to the UW Board of Regents, a copy of the Enduring Challenge of Concentrated Poverty in America – Case Studies for Communities across the U.S. for each member of the Board of Regents at their annual meeting in Milwaukee. No response has been received from the UW Regents.

The 220-page case study was prepared by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Brookings Institution. It identified “Spatial Mismatch” as a contributing culprit in the high levels of People of Color “under-the-water” in employment opportunities. It also talked about the microcosm at the neighborhood level that goes deeper and explains “5 times” higher unemployment.

Since then, many contacts to the Chairman Charles Pruitt, President Kevin Reilly have also gone unanswered or denied in some way by the senior legal counsel of the UW System, Jennifer Sloan Lattis; or recently in Milwaukee, Director of Legal Affairs, Robin Van Harpin sent a Cease-and-Desist Gag order/request.

Why you ask?
Since the responses were so far a part and the information from Ms. Lattis was mumbo gumbo and plain denied information, I think it is to not provide the requested information because it is damaging and/or there isn't information to give. Either way, they come out being obstructionists and not being truthful.

As for Ms. Van Harpin, she misrepresented my office efforts by stating I had a law suit. What I asked for was a thorough investigation of conduct of the 18-member Board of Regents, the 5-member special chancellor committee from the board and the 25-member UW-Milwaukee search committee.

Today's report gives a summarized view of how the Board of Regents have shown a disregard and lack of reverence for protocol, professionalism, state statute, select mission, and 1956 reason for being.

How our many, many requests have not garnered one response from Chairman Charles Pruitt and President Kevin Reilly. They even refused to respond to an inquiry for speaking to and presenting at the 2011 Board of Regent visit at the UW-Milwaukee campus, June 9-10, 2011.

We see how conflict of interest, cronyism and discrimination have parked front and center in the day-to-day behavior of the group. I would think, even though I do not know for certain, every one on the Board of Regents are not happy about the way things have been run and the precarious situation the board finds itself; however, they have remained silent with NO change.

Our research shows that there are smoking guns that point to malfeasance in conducting the 2010-2011 search for the 8th Chancellor - whether intended by all or not.

In addition to the widespread segregation and discrimination of City of Milwaukee stakeholders, especially African American, other People of Color and the Work-Challenged; the board (made-up of 7 attorneys) have remained "lock-step" in a behavior that violates confidence in the Board.

The procurement and goods and service seemingly only have Caucasians around the partnership table or at the special functions for the chancellor visits.

If you would like a copy of the 10-page summary, email us at:
mpapublicpolicyreview@gmail.com