Public listening sessions yielding input on UW-Green Bay’s chancellor search
The UW-Green Bay and larger communities are having their say on the University’s next leader, speaking up at a series of on- and off-campus public forums this week and next.
The public listening sessions, hosted by the 23-member Chancellor Search and Screen Committee, began Tuesday, Jan. 29 and will wrap up Thursday, Feb. 6. They are designed to let students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni and community members have a say in important considerations for hiring UW-Green Bay’s sixth chancellor, including background, personal characteristics, vision and more. The sessions also are being used to gauge input about what makes UW-Green Bay great, and also what attendees like best about living in Northeastern Wisconsin — important considerations for a candidate who might end up mulling a big move.
“Our goal is to seek as much input as possible from a diverse array of stakeholder groups, both on campus and in the community,” said UW-Green Bay Prof. Cheryl Grosso, who is chairing the search. “UW-Green Bay’s next chancellor will serve not only as the leader of this University, but also will be an important community figure. We want this process to be as open and welcoming as possible.”
Toward that end, committee members this week added the two off-campus sessions, which will be held at noon Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine St.; and 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 at the Neville Public Museum, 210 Museum Place. The four on-campus sessions wrapped up with a final forum at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30.
Opinions on what’s most critical in a new leader for UW-Green Bay have been varied, but some themes have emerged early on. Forum attendees said they want to ensure the new chancellor is engaged in the campus and larger community, effectively telling the story of the University and facing some of the budgetary, enrollment and other challenges common across higher education. Attendees also said the committee should emphasize what’s great about the University — including quality faculty and staff who work hard and really care about the institution — as well as Green Bay, a city with many of what one staff member termed “hidden gems” that should be noted in attracting quality candidates.
Working with search firm Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, the Search and Screen Committee will begin the recruiting process in February, selecting semi-finalists by April 11 and conducting interviews later that month. Finalists will be selected in early May, with Green Bay on-campus interviews expected to be complete by May 16. All finalists will be interviewed by UW System administrators and System Board of Regents members in late May, with a decision expected to be approved at the Regents meeting on June 6. Current Chancellor Tom Harden plans to be on the job until sometime in August.
More information on the Chancellor Search and Screen Committee, including a complete list of candidates, is available online.
