Overhaul Of Human Resources System Gives UW-Madison A Chance To Reorganize

For weeks, it's the topic that's drawn thousands of UW-Madison employees into meetings, late night forums and heated debates.

It's not politics. It's not a culture clash.

It's human resources.

Yes, human resources. Usually confined to first-day orientations and annual job reviews, the topic is getting top billing as UW-Madison overhauls its system of titles, compensation, benefits and employee categories for about 20,000 people, including student employees.

"This is really an unprecedented opportunity that we've had to have a campuswide conversation about how best to make sure we can attract, develop and maintain talent," said Robert Lavigna, director of UW-Madison's Office of Human Resources.