WHITEWATER
The UW System on Monday released a work plan from former UW-Whitewater Chancellor Beverly Kopper, who is set to teach four classes each semester of the 2019-20 school year as a tenured psychology professor.
Kopper resigned from her post Dec. 31 after UW System President Ray Cross months before banned her husband, Alan 鈥淧ete鈥 Hill, from campus after repeated claims of sexual harassment.
Until next school year, Kopper is on paid administrative leave with her chancellor salary of $242,760. Then she will start receiving a nine-month salary of $118,308, according to a Dec. 6 letter from Cross to Kopper.
The former chancellor on Jan. 26 wrote to Cross about what she will be doing while on leave. The UW System shared that and her academic work plan in response to an open records request.
Kopper said in the letter that she called Interim Chancellor Cheryl Green to 鈥渓end her my full support.鈥 Kopper wrote that she tried to send Green some 鈥渢ime-sensitive emails,鈥 but her UW-W email account was deactivated鈥攁 problem she believes has since been resolved.
鈥淪ince I have not been in the classroom or lab in over a decade, I will be conducting an extensive review of the best practices and latest research in my discipline, higher education and leadership 鈥︹ Kopper wrote.
The four-class load for Kopper is 鈥渋n line with other faculty members,鈥 UW System spokesman Mark Pitsch said in a statement Monday.
Consistent with Board of Regents policy, Kopper in her new position 鈥渨ill be compensated at a salary rate that considers years of service, previous salary as a faculty member, length of time served as an administrator, and other factors normally considered when setting faculty salaries,鈥 according to the statement.
In his Dec. 6 letter, Cross did not explain how UW System officials reached Kopper鈥檚 new salary figure.
Monday鈥檚 statement, however, says they used the base for an average full psychology professor with equivalent degree and standing鈥攗sing the 鈥渁verage for Master鈥檚 Institutions per the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.鈥
The salary then gained annual base adjustments and $3,000 for each of her nine years as an administrator.
The UW System statement also says Kopper鈥檚 new salary is less than her salary as UW-W provost before she became chancellor.
Kopper submitted her work plan to Cross on Jan. 31. On Feb. 7, she accepted the plan 鈥渕ore fully presented鈥 by Cross, Pitsch said in the statement.
The plan has her teaching two sections of a general education course鈥擨ndividual & Society鈥攊n the fall semester as well as an introductory psychology class and an online class called Personality Theories.
In the spring semester, she is set to teach the introductory and personality classes along with a potential Positive Psychology or Psychology of Women class.
Her schedule plan could change depending on factors such as enrollment. The work plan also includes notes about other classes Kopper could teach, citing her background as a 鈥渃ounseling psychologist.鈥
Going forward, Kopper is required to prepare class syllabi, read assigned texts, create assignments and catch up on classroom technology, according to the statement on the work plan. In summer, she is supposed to complete two training programs.
Kopper, who said in the Jan. 26 letter that she has not taught at UW-Whitewater, also will have to 鈥渇amiliarize myself鈥 with university policies and procedures.
鈥淚 have devoted my life and career to teaching and learning and making a difference, and that will continue to be my passion and mission,鈥 she wrote.