The Necropolitan Sentinel

Sorry for stepping on Meep’s toes, because she does a great job with this stuff, but yesterday I mentioned in passing this article:

A second administrator from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay rejoined the university after retiring last spring, and is now collecting a six-figure salary along with a $44,000 pension, according to a report on the website of the Green Bay Press Gazette.

The paper says Associate Provost Timothy Sewall retired from his job in March — when the Legislature was reducing benefits for public employees — and was hired back a month later to his $110,000 position.

Officials say it’s legal for a state retiree to take another job or to be rehired by his or her former employer — though state regulations require they be gone at least 30 days, and prohibits reaching a rehiring deal before leaving the position, The Associated Press has reported.

The Press Gazette quotes an aide to state Rep. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) as saying messages from co-workers indicated they expected him back soon.

But the paper quoted Sewall as saying, “There is no evidence I did not follow state policy. I retired because I thought my benefits would be at risk. No one was sure what was going to happen under the governor’s budget-repair bill.”

The AP has been reporting about the departure of UWGB Vice Chancellor Tom Maki, who retired in mid-March and was hired back a month later. Documents obtained by the AP indicate officials had a contract ready to rehire him days before he officially announced his resignation, the news service reported.

I believe that the count is now up to four at that particular UW extension. I’m one of those folks who thinks that the out-of-control multiplication of administrative positions concerning Liaisons to Student Worshippers of Quetzalcoatl and the like is one of the primary causes of out-of-control tuition and fees at our colleges and universities, and I don’t recall the Provost at Dartmouth having a six-figure-paid assistant, though the student body is smaller there.

Meanwhile, the UW system is shocked! shocked! that there may be another round of cuts required to get their fiscal houses in order. And now ultra-divisive Governor Scott Walker is considering introducing legislation to proscribe double dipping, ZOMG!

Governor Walker announced today that he supports measures to curb “double-dipping”, a practice that allows some government employees to collect a pension and a paycheck at the same time. The Governor supports provisions in AB 318, introduced by Representative Duey Stroebel, that would prevent “double-dipping” by government employees.

Under AB 318 as currently drafted, future rehired annuitants who work at least half-time would stop receiving an annuity until they terminate employment but current rehired annuitants would be unaffected. AB 318 would allow rehired state annuitants to receive group insurance coverage the same as other state employees. Under AB 318, as drafted, rehired annuitants who work less than half-time would be treated the same as under current law.

Governor Walker supports applying the same policy for administration appointees.

But, you know, it’s a public employee’s right to collect a paycheck and a pension at the same time, because that’s what the union movement was all about. And this is why Walker is dangerous, and must be recalled. For the children.

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