Gary L. Miller named new UW-Green Bay Chancellor; will assume role Aug. 1

Gary L. Miller

Gary L. Miller, chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, has been named the sixth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Miller’s appointment was confirmed today (Monday, June 2) by the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, following the recommendation of a selection committee. He will begin his new role Aug. 1.

“The opportunity at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is one of the most exciting and important in American higher education today,” Miller said. “With its tradition of innovation, a deep commitment to access and academic quality and enormous community support, UW-Green Bay is creating models for how to prepare students for citizenship and careers in an interdependent global economy. Clearly, this is a university on the move, and I am honored to have been chosen as its next leader.

“My wife, Georgia, and I are thrilled to be joining the UW-Green Bay and the Green Bay community. During our visit we met so many people who are passionate about their university, their city and education at all levels,” Miller said. “Green Bay struck Georgia and me as a place that will very quickly feel like home.”

Miller is a great fit for UW-Green Bay, as well as the larger community, said UW-Green Bay Prof. Cheryl Grosso, who chaired the UW-Green Bay Chancellor Search and Screen Committee.

“Dr. Miller’s vision aligns with UW Green Bay’s core values and the mission of the institution and UW System,” Grosso said. “The campus and greater community are poised to fully exploit the possibilities that will continue to position UW-Green Bay as an innovative institution and a cultural leader in the region, and develop new partnerships with businesses and community organizations. Dr. Miller has the knowledge, experience, energy and creativity to lead UW-Green Bay and the community into the future within the rapidly changing landscape of higher education. I am very excited about the ideas and perspectives Dr. Miller will bring to the position of Chancellor.”

Miller has served as chancellor at University of North Carolina Wilmington since 2011. He spearheaded the university’s focus on three core values: a commitment to the journey of learning, a deep love of place and dedication to the power of ideas and innovation to change lives. His initiatives have included forming the Chancellor’s Office for Community Partnerships, supporting a number of programs focused on applied learning and the undergraduate academic experience, developing the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, establishing the University Innovation Council, and guiding the growth of the CREST Research Park. During his tenure, the university launched an innovative online nursing program, opened a $30-million marine biotechnology business development and research building, and received reaccreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Miller serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), a national higher education organization consisting of public and private colleges across the country that value the importance of teaching, research and service to their communities. He also serves on the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Committee for Economic and Workforce Development, and he is a member of a collaborative steering committee focused on a post-collegiate outcomes initiative funded by the Gates Foundation.

Miller previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs and research at Wichita State University (2006-2011) and was dean of the college of arts and sciences at the University of the Pacific (2002-2006). He was previously a faculty member at the University of Mississippi, Weber State University, and Mississippi State University.

“Dr. Miller is a very impressive educational leader, and he is clearly enthusiastic about UW-Green Bay and all of its strengths and potential,” said UW System President Ray Cross. “His outstanding record of university leadership and his vision for quality higher education will be significant contributions to the university’s success in a complex and changing world. I am confident Dr. Miller has the vision, talent and experience to guide UW-Green Bay as it enters a new era.”

Added Regent Tim Higgins of Appleton, chair of the Board of Regents committee that interviewed all of the finalists with Cross: “This campus plays such a key role in the vitality of our community and the strength of our regional economy. Dr. Miller brings a deep understanding of what it takes for a university like UW-Green Bay to succeed, and how important that success is for students, northeast Wisconsin, and the state.”

Other members of the committee included Regent Mark Bradley of Wausau, Regent Janice Mueller of Madison, and Regent Charles Pruitt of Milwaukee.

Miller holds a Ph.D. in biological sciences from Mississippi State University. He earned his Master’s and a bachelor of science degree, both in biology, from the College of William and Mary.

Miller will be the UW-Green Bay’s sixth chancellor, succeeding Tom Harden, who announced last December that he will step down in August 2014. Harden has served as the university’s top administrator since June 1, 2009.

In line with market-based compensation guidelines approved by the Board of Regents last October, Miller will earn $230,000 as chancellor.

Miller and his wife, Georgia Nix Miller, have three adult children and five grandchildren.

Miller’s selection follows a nationwide search conducted by the 23-member UW-Green Bay Chancellor Search and Screen committee, working in conjunction with Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates. Chaired by Grosso, the committee consisted of 12 UW-Green Bay faculty members, two academic staff members, two classified staff members and two students, as well as two administrators and three community representatives. The search and screen committee recommended semi-finalists and later finalists to Cross and the special Board of Regents Committee, chaired by Higgins. Cross and the committee approved the list of five finalists who visited campus in early May for a series of interviews and activities with campus and community members, including a public forum. The group interviewed each finalist on May 28 before forwarding its recommendation to the full Board of Regents.

UW-Green Bay is a comprehensive public institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,600 students, exceptional facilities and affordable, high-quality programs. The University’s 360° of Learning brand is a promise that UW-Green Bay students will learn to examine and solve problems from multiple perspectives. Founded in 1965 and a member institution of the tradition-rich University of Wisconsin System, UW-Green Bay boasts more than 32,000 alumni.