NOTE: The following items are not part of any controlled document (SOP's and BPP's). Those continue to be housed in OnBase.
Admin Policies and Procedures
Authorship
As part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the WSLH understands the importance of publishing new findings. Publishing may be part of an employee’s defined responsibilities and is not necessarily an “exceptional’ assignment. Employees should clarify and communicate authorship issues surrounding professional publications, presentations, and posters with potential UW/WSLH and external authors before they write the product, and before they begin the research. The person who originates the idea, concept, methodology, or research study is usually, but not always, designated as the corresponding author. The person who performs central experiments or data analysis for the project and prepares the first draft of the manuscript is usually, but not always, designated as the first author. Since others may have been involved or invited to assist in the development of the work, it is essential to reach an agreement before writing begins as to who will be the primary author, who will be co-authors, author order, and who will receive acknowledgments for their assistance. In instances where the intellectual contribution of two or three researchers was comparable, it is entirely appropriate to explicitly state and indicate in the author list, that the contributions of these researchers was equivalent. In instances where the publication, presentation, or poster is a summation of a group effort performed as part of the mission of the WSLH, the Division Director(s) must approve the use of the WSLH data and resolve any issues related to authorship. Bear in mind amidst the experimental and manuscript drafting efforts that many journals require a CRediT author statement where the specific categories of contribution of each author are listed. Division Direct(s) or the corresponding author, where appropriate, will assure compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Institutional Review Board (IRB) issues as they relate to both the research effort and the publication. Authors must acknowledge the contribution of the WSLH in all publications that are based on WSLH data or written while an author is an employee of the WSLH.
Building Use
Agriculture Drive
For information on Agriculture Drive building use, please visit the State of Wisconsin Use of State Building and Facilities website
Henry Mall
For information on Henry Mall building use, please visit the University of Wisconsin Facility Use Policies and Guidelines and the State of Wisconsin Use of University Facilities website
Human Research Protection Program
For information on the University’s Human Research Protection Program, please visit: https://research.wisc.edu/compliance-policy/human-research-protection-program/
Letterhead
Letterhead must be used only in the performance of official WSLH business and only by authorized WSLH personnel. WSLH letterhead may not be used for personal correspondence or non-laboratory business.
Copies of all correspondence must be maintained by the creator according to the appropriate records disposition authorization (RDA).
Approved Letterhead templates can be found in: O:\Forms\Shared Templates\Letterhead Templates
News and Media
All WSLH employees must refer requests for news media (including newspaper, radio, television, online/web) interviews, news conferences, or written statements to the WSLH Communications Manager. WSLH staff must not issue any information on behalf of or concerning the business of the WSLH without prior notification to and approval of the Communications Manager or the WSLH Director or their designee. In specific cases, the WSLH Communications Manager can give dispensation to specific WSLH staff members to participate in news interviews without informing the WSLH Communications Manager beforehand. A dispensation is generally given when the WSLH staff member has demonstrated experience in appropriately working with the media. In these instances, the WSLH staff person must information the WSLH Communications Manager immediately after the interview concludes. WSLH employees must report all press contacts to the WSLH Communications Manager.
Open Records Requests
Routine records requests may be dealt with internally at the departmental level (e.g. patient or provider requests for patient result reports). The Forensic Toxicology unit of WSLH handles all requests for Forensic Toxicology. Non-routine open records requests and legal requests must be routed through the WSLH Director’s Office. For information on Open Records Requests document control, please see the UW-M Administrative Related Records Schedules.
Reporting Outside Activities
For information on the University’s outside activities reporting requirements, please visit UW-Madison’s Outside Activities Reporting website.
Presentations
Any staff member who will be presenting a poster or giving a presentation, talk, speech, program, or training session to an outside group must provide a copy or notification to the WSLH Communications Manager after the presentation, etc. for WSLH historical records. When using Microsoft PowerPoint for a presentation, one of the following templates must be used: O:\Forms\Shared Templates\PowerPoint Templates. When creating a poster for a presentation, one of the following templates must be used: O:\Forms\Shared Templates\Poster Templates (Revised 8/26/24 JMK)
Professional Organizations Service
Consistent with the University policy of cooperation with outside professional and research organizations, it may be appropriate for WSLH employees to use work time in support of professional organizations whose work is directly related to the mission of the WSLH. WSLH employees must first seek approval of their supervisor and division director.
Records Management
The Federal Government, State of Wisconsin, UW-Madison, WSLH, and specific units with WSLH all have established guidelines, policies and procedures for records management. Please contact your supervisor for guidance in this area as specific Laboratory policies exist for each area of the lab or review the UW Archives.
State Laws
All WSLH employees must follow applicable state laws, some of which are documented in the following sources:
State of Wisconsin Administrative Code, table of contents
State of Wisconsin Statutes, table of contents
Wisconsin State Legislature website
Committees, Teams, & Clubs
Background: WSLH has many groups of staff who routinely meet to support operations initiatives and address current or ongoing issues. These groups are vital to the missions of WSLH and there is clear recognition of the importance and role of these groups. The groups are very diverse in terms of representation, authority, and duration of assembly. Through the years, these groups have developed individual guidelines for membership and reporting, and have been indiscriminately classified as teams of committees. To provide better clarity on the membership and role of these groups, WSLH leadership feels that a consistent framework for naming of these groups is needed that clarifies the nature of the membership of the groups, the reporting of the groups and authority of the groups. The following guidelines will better define Standing Committees, Sub-Committees, Teams, and Clubs at WSLH.
Standing Committee
WSLH Standing Committees will designate formal groups with authority to establish policies and guidelines within the scope of the committee as outlined in the Standing Committee Charter and approved by the WSLH Director. Standing Committees will have representation that covers the entire WSLH enterprise but might not necessarily have a member from every department or unit. The WSLH Director appoints committee chairperson(s) and members. Committee chairs or designees will directly report to the WSLH Director or a formal Standing Committee Sponsor appointed by the WSLH Director. Committee members will receive an appointment letter stating the expectations of serving on the committee, the need for committed attendance, and a pledge by management to provide time to serve on the committee.
Sub-Committees
WSLH Sub-Committees will designate formal groups that report to a Standing Committee. The Standing Committee that oversees the Sub-Committee will provide direction and oversight of the Sub-Committee or a designee, will be the sponsor of the Sub-Committee. Committee members will receive an appointment letter stating the expectations of serving on the Sub-Committee, the need for committed attendance, and a pledge by management to provide time to serve on the committee.
Teams
WSLH Teams will designate formal working groups that have memberships defined by duties at WSLH. Each Team will have a sponsor appointed by the WSLH Director. The team charters should define the role of the committee, membership, and the process for appointing a chairperson(s) for the team. Teams may include membership from across the lab or within a unit. Team leadership may be determined by appointment, vote or consensus on who will represent the team as chairperson(s). Team membership is based on the needs of the team purpose, mission, or task. Teams may be long-standing or short-lived.
Clubs
WSLH Clubs are information groups of staff that meet to share technical expertise on specific scientific or academic activities at the WSLH. The WSLH Director will formally create WSLH Clubs and will appoint the chairperson(s) of the clubs. Membership will be decided by the club but is intended to be fluid and flexible to advance scientific and academic exchange within the WSLH. All staff whose work activities align with the club mission are encouraged to be members.