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Campus prepares for OpenBook website

August 6, 2013 By Greg Bump

UW–Madison is continuing to gather information for the state’s upcoming OpenBook Wisconsin website, which will provide a searchable database of expenditures exceeding $100 from all state agencies, including UW–Madison and the UW System.

The database will eventually include all state and UW salaries and fringe benefits, grants paid by state agencies, and all contract payments made by any agency or UW institution. This data will not be on the website initially, but will be added in later phases.

For ease of administration, all expenditures — regardless of amount — will be included.

The site is a requirement under 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, s.16.413 of the Wisconsin Statues.

Martha Kerner, UW–Madison’s assistant vice chancellor for business services, says university legal and business services officials and the Office of Human Resources have been working with System and the state Department of Administration to make sure confidential and proprietary information is not released.

“What will be available is the same information that is releasable under the state’s open records law, though a searchable website will certainly make it easier to obtain,” Kerner says. “While we are committed to openness, we also take very seriously the important research mission of our university and the need to maintain the appropriate level of confidentiality for our employees.”

According to a memo from David Miller, UW System senior vice president for administration and fiscal affairs, UW data on the site will differ from other state agencies.

While other agencies’ information will contain non-payroll transactions through the 2008 fiscal year, UW System data will be complete through the 2013 fiscal year.

The UW System provided the following Q&A about the program:

Q: Will individual employees be listed, if they receive payments for travel expenses or other reimbursable expenses?

A: Yes. Those payments will be included and the employee will be listed as the “vendor” in this case.

Q: Will private information be released?

A: In accordance with the statutes, DOA’s database will exclude aids, local assistance, and transfers. UW System does not maintain Social Security Numbers in our payment data, so that will not be provided. DOA will take steps to redact other personal information, but individual agencies are responsible for requesting specific exemptions. For example, UW System will exclude payments to people who receive stipends for participating in scientific research studies. When a subsequent phase is launched to provide payroll-related data, details about individual benefit elections, such as health insurance, will not be provided.

Q: Who can people contact for more information?

A: Each entry in the OpenBook database will feature a “contact” button where people can request more detail. Since UW transactions will not identify the specific institution, all inquiries will be directed to a UW System Administration mailbox designated for OpenBook. UW System Administration will determine the applicable institution and forward the request to the person each institution has identified as its point person for these inquiries.

Q: Have launch dates been set for subsequent phases of OpenBook, which will include payroll-related data and contract/grant data?

A: No. At this time, DOA has not provided any dates or suggested timelines for subsequent phases.