UW-Superior Chancellor Renée Wachter (Photo courtesy: Universities of Wisconsin)
SUPERIOR, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The search is on for the next leader of the Universities of Wisconsin.
It comes about one month after Jay Rothman, the system’s former president, was fired by the Board of Regents in a move that he claimed “blindsided” him.
On Friday, officials announced a 25-member Presidential Search Committee has been established to find Rothman’s replacement. The committee will be led by Ashok Rai, chair of the Board of Regents and the president and CEO of Prevea Health. Other local members include:
- Kate Burns, provost at UW-Green Bay
- Raffay Chaudhry, speaker of the Senate for the Student Government Association at UW-Green Bay
- Ed Martini, outgoing UW-Oshkosh provost and incoming UW-Eau Claire chancellor
“Without the Universities of Wisconsin, Wisconsin would be a very different state. It would be less competitive, less innovative and less prepared for the future,” Amy Bogost, president of the Board of Regents, said in a news release. “Our 13 public universities educate the next generation, power our workforce, sustain communities, support thousands of jobs, attract research and investment and produce discoveries that improve lives here in Wisconsin and far beyond.”
The next president must bring the courage, discipline and forward-looking leadership needed to guide the Universities of Wisconsin through one of the most consequential periods in higher education.
The committee is expected to convene in the coming weeks to receive its formal charge and review search procedures. A candidate will be selected later this year.
Until a new president is in place, UW-Superior Chancellor Renée Wachter will serve as the Universities of Wisconsin’s interim leader, effective May 18.
“Renée brings the experience, judgment and institutional understanding this moment requires,” Bogost said in the release. “As our longest-serving chancellor, she knows our universities, our communities and the challenges and opportunities facing public higher education in Wisconsin. She has earned the trust and respect of colleagues across the system through steady leadership and a collaborative approach. At a time when continuity, focus and forward momentum are essential, the Board is confident she understands what must be done to support our universities during this transition.”
The Universities of Wisconsin serves nearly 165,000 students across 13 colleges.
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