Choosing a chancellor:
Lawmakers offer their take on UW–Madison’s next leader

Rep. Stephen Nass, a Republican from Whitewater and chair of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee

“I am hopeful that the next chancellor will allocate resources and publicly re-commit UW–Madison to its primary mission of undergraduate education. Research is certainly important, but the over-emphasis on research has impacted undergraduate education. Additionally, the next chancellor needs to prioritize administrative efficiency in an effort to control rapidly rising tuition and fees on campus. Frankly, too many middle-class students are being priced out of attending Wisconsin’s flagship campus, and this trend must be reversed, if the people of this state are to remain connected to this public institution.

“I believe the next chancellor should be a person from outside the UW System. Someone brought in with the specific goal of shaking up the administrative malaise that has engulfed that campus for the last few years, bringing in new blood, new thinking and a recommitment to academics and sound educational policies.

“For the good of the university and the state, the next chancellor must be a person that promotes academics that are based in fact and truth, not in the creed of political correctness.”

Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, a Democrat from Alma and chair of the Senate Agriculture and Higher Education Committee

“The new chancellor is not only an administrator, but a leader. She or he, as the chief executive of our flagship university, sets forth a vision of our state’s future and the role higher education plays. We frequently talk of the UW System as the economic engine that drives our state. But higher education is about more than economic development. Through higher education we dream and acquire the knowledge and skills to achieve those dreams. This happens within the context of people’s everyday lives.

“These days our lives are tough. People work two jobs; their wages have stagnated as health care and fuel costs go through the roof. Our new chancellor must be sensitive to the world from which students come and to which they will return. She or he must help us rise above our struggles and envision our potential.

“To be effective as leader, our new chancellor must succeed in bringing a diverse group of people together and move forward by finding common ground and collective interest. This diverse group includes not only students, staff, faculty and alumni, but also elected leaders and citizens of our state. Too often, relationships between the Legislature and the university system have been contentious. Just as the chancellor must walk in the shoes of students to understand the struggles they face, so must the legislature appreciate the struggles of the chancellor and vice versa.

“The UW System and the Legislature share the same vision: a vibrant Wisconsin economy, an educated and growing workforce, a high quality of life for our residents and mission of public service that is true to our rich progressive history. I am confident the new chancellor will be eager to join hands with state leaders and provide the synergy to accomplish great deeds even in troubled times.”

Rep. Kitty Rhoades, a Republican from Hudson and co-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee

“I would expect that not only are they looking for the academic and professional accomplishments and achievements but that we also need to be exploring looking for someone who has the creativity to be able to find new workable solutions to our issues that are based off of the resources available.

“This is a partnership where we’re all working toward the greater good, maybe some new ideas on what the partnership could be like, how it could work, how we can do things differently than we have traditionally done them with the resources we have and accomplish the end goal that we’re all after.

“Whoever comes to the flagship of our system needs to be acutely aware of the environment in which we are operating; it’s a tough fiscal environment. I don’t know that the national economy is going to turn quickly, and so we need somebody who’s very aware of that and how you operate within that and how people outside of academia perceive the decisions that the system or the university makes in these tough times.”

Sen. Mark Miller, a Democrat from Madison and co-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee

“The chancellor is the champion for the university, the person who is primarily

responsible for creating and articulating a vision for the future of the university that builds on its status as a world-class educational and research institution.

“The chancellor must continue to build the Wisconsin Idea, engaging the university in Wisconsin’s economy and search for innovative public policy responses to health care, the natural environment, agriculture, human services and business.

“The chancellor should be a trusted leader and spokesperson for the university, for faculty and students, and with the Legislature and administration.”

Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, a Republican from West Salem

“The next chancellor of UW–Madison will have a broad responsibility to not only the students, employees, professors and researchers of the university, but to the taxpayers of Wisconsin. This person will need exceptional leadership skills to manage a multibillion-dollar public university at a time of economic uncertainty and public scrutiny. The chancellor’s mission — managing the organizational, financial and intellectual aspects of Wisconsin’s flagship public university — is a daunting task in and of itself, not to mention the school’s responsibility to its stakeholders and its critical value as an economic engine.

“Leading a world-class teaching and research institution will require the unique combination of business experience, strong academic credentials and political savvy. Wisconsin expects, and deserves, top value for their dollar, and the next chancellor will need to deliver this value in an increasingly costly and competitive world.”

Rep. Gordon Hintz, a Democrat from Oshkosh and a member of Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee

“When you’re talking about a place like UW–Madison, it’s important that we have someone who demonstrates the ability to work and communicate with multiple constituencies. This means someone who understands and can work with the Legislature and the governor, faculty and staff, as well as alumni, donors and, in a broader sense, the people of Wisconsin.

“There might be some who say ‘Oh gee, we should bring someone from outside academia.’ However, given the University of Wisconsin’s strength in research and academia, I think it’s important to have someone from an academic background who represents and understands faculty and staff effectively and promotes the mission of higher education.

“Another important part of the job is bringing in support and funding from a variety of different areas.

“The position has generally become more diverse based on what the needs are of the 21st-century university. When I say they need to work with multiple constituencies, the ones I listed are very different from each other. It needs to be a dynamic person that understands those things.

“I think, especially in the last budget, the university got some traction with the Legislature and the state, and this goes for the whole (UW) system, that they’re an integral part of our state in what our goals need to be in long-term economic development. The leader of UW–Madison can’t just do it as a Madison thing, but really has to carry the flag for UW–Madison statewide. And be someone who understands they’re more than just the university, but a broader part of what we’re trying to accomplish as a state and really be able to sell that to the state. I’m not sure the public always gets it.

“I am not sure I know who the next person should be, but I know that the position has become increasing more complicated, and will require someone with an array of talents.”

Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, a Republican from River Falls, member of Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education

“It needs to be someone obviously that’s a good communicator, a good listener, a people person.

“I think it should be someone who’s a visionary who can build on the university’s successes and yet lead them forward.

“I believe that all (UW) campuses play a significant role in enhancing our economic development … and I think each campus has its areas of strength.”

Harsdorf also said “economic development is an important part, in addition to that primary focus of higher education.

“I think the broader the depth of experience that an individual has obviously would be a tremendous asset.

“Education (is) not isolated from the business world, so I think the more experience that individuals can have, the better off we will be.”

Rep. Joan Ballweg, a Republican from Markesan and vice chair of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee

“I think we need someone that is not necessarily only from the standpoint or the background of academia.

“I think this needs to be a person that would be a CEO of any Fortune 500 company, with expertise in education of course, but someone who really can understand the business side and the real side of what a major company or major institution would be.

“We have — not just with the research foundation but within the colleges themselves — we have relationships that are trying to be built to bridge the gap between the university and businesses and do some of the partnering that’s necessary to not only move the university forward but Wisconsin as a whole. We come back to the whole Wisconsin idea and make sure UW–Madison is a true partner with business not only in the Madison community, but Wisconsin in general.

“They need to have the policy thoughts and ideas of how to work with their employees … a variety of staff and how to make sure that staff can be as productive as possible both from the research standpoint, the student education standpoint, the relationship standpoint.

“[The chancellor should be] someone who’s attuned to students and students’ needs — which is very unique and something that’s necessary in the college and university setting that wouldn’t be integral for a Fortune 500 company.

“(I am) looking for somebody who has a breadth of experience, but most of all, you need someone who understands these relationships are important and one of the relationships that is important with the community is the Legislature, so working with the Legislature, understanding there is a real need for accountability, but there’s also an interest of working together for the betterment of Wisconsin and the people of Wisconsin is what our true aim is.

“In general, the Legislature is looking for responsiveness in reacting to problems … We understand not everything works perfectly. There’s good and bad people in every type of organization and job description, but if there’s a problem we should just be attuned to that, take the steps to correct those issues and if there’s long-term change that needs to be made, be willing to … put policies in place to prevent future problems.”

Gov. Jim Doyle

“The University of Wisconsin is the envy of the nation, and this is a fact that makes all of us proud. To guide this world-class institution into a successful future, we need a unique and influential leader. The next UW–Madison chancellor must be able to effectively manage the complex functions of the university and guide its development as a place of learning, research and service.

“To ensure that Wisconsin students are prepared to succeed in the knowledge-based future economy, the new chancellor must support the growth and accessibility of higher education in the state. It is important to keep the university affordable and accessible to hard-working Wisconsin students.

“The new chancellor must also realize the importance of UW–Madison as an economic engine for the entire state. To maximize its potential, the chancellor must support the institution as a world-class research center and foster a collaborative environment for translating innovation and cutting-edge discoveries into successful Wisconsin businesses.

“Above all, the new chancellor must be a person who can project a positive image and cultivate constructive relationships not only with the community and the state, but with the global community as well.”