Senate Bill 590 aims to restore the faculty tenure and probationary appointment provisions for the University of Wisconsin System that were in place before the enactment of the 2015-17 biennial budget act (2015 Act 55). The bill introduces a new section, 36.13, which defines "probationary appointment" and "tenure appointment," and outlines the conditions under which tenure can be granted. Specifically, tenure appointments require the affirmative recommendation of both the appropriate chancellor and the relevant academic department, although exceptions are made if the department's negative recommendation is found to be based on impermissible factors. The bill also stipulates that probationary appointments cannot exceed seven consecutive academic years and establishes procedural guarantees for dismissals, ensuring that tenured faculty can only be dismissed for just cause.

In addition to creating section 36.13, the bill amends several existing statutes to align with the restored tenure provisions. Notably, it modifies sections 36.17, 36.19, and 36.21 to clarify that tenured faculty and academic staff appointments are not lost by accepting limited appointments, and it specifies that certain appointments are not subject to the new tenure provisions. Furthermore, it amends sections 111.81 (7) (ar) and (at) to exclude faculty under the new section from specific employment classifications. Overall, the bill seeks to reinforce job security for faculty members within the University of Wisconsin System by reinstating previously established tenure protections.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 36.17(1), 36.17, 36.19, 36.21, 111.81(7)(ar), 111.81, 111.81(7)(at)