University of Wisconsin–Madison Launches LinkUW Initiative for Enhanced Services

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has initiated a significant overhaul of its administrative services with the launch of the LinkUW initiative, which began delivering services on November 3, 2025. This program aims to enhance the delivery of human resources and finance services across campus, promoting consistency and efficiency.

LinkUW is designed to address the complexities and inconsistencies currently present in administrative processes, as noted by Robert Cramer, the university’s vice chancellor for finance and administration. “LinkUW builds on current strengths found across the university while creating consistency and becoming more efficient in service delivery,” he stated. This initiative is seen as a vital step toward achieving operational excellence and ensuring that faculty and staff receive quality support.

As the university strives to allocate resources effectively towards its core missions of teaching, research, and service, the LinkUW Operations Teams will provide high-volume, time-sensitive operational support to participating units. This approach is intended to alleviate the burden on administrative staff, allowing them to focus on their primary responsibilities, as highlighted by Patrick Sheehan, associate vice chancellor and chief human resources officer. He remarked, “LinkUW is strengthening the HR and finance experience across campus by pairing consistent, streamlined processes with expert operational support.”

The initial phase of LinkUW has already garnered positive feedback from users, with comments emphasizing the program’s effectiveness. One participant praised the service as “the best expense report experience I’ve EVER had,” while another noted the quick response times and hassle-free assistance provided by the Operations Team.

Key Objectives of the LinkUW Initiative

LinkUW aims to achieve several important objectives that will enhance the administrative experience for faculty and staff members. These include:

– **Empowering employees** within LinkUW to become experts in specific processes, ensuring a consistent quality of service.
– **Simplifying service experiences** for faculty and staff, making administrative tasks less cumbersome.
– **Streamlining operations** and standardizing processes tailored to the university’s unique needs.
– **Enhancing efficiency** and compliance in administrative services to better serve the university’s mission.

The goal is to develop a thoughtful service delivery model for UW–Madison, informed by continuous improvement and feedback from an engaged advisory council and the units participating in LinkUW. During this initial phase, the project team is actively collecting insights and lessons learned, which will facilitate smoother processes as additional units join the initiative.

In summary, the LinkUW initiative represents a strategic effort by the University of Wisconsin–Madison to modernize its administrative services, ultimately benefiting the faculty and staff. As the program expands, it is set to play a crucial role in fostering an efficient and supportive environment for the university’s mission.