Kate Burns named UW-Green Bay Provost
Green Bay, Wis.—For the past 18 months, UW-Green Bay Interim Provost Kate Burns has successfully managed two years of enrollment growth in arguably the most complicated circumstances higher education has ever seen. For her efforts, she has been named to the permanent position of provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.
The announcement was made to the University community on Oct. 5, 2021 by Chancellor Michael Alexander, following a national search to fill the role.
“Kate has guided Academic Affairs through massive shifts in modality during every semester she has been in the role,” Alexander said. “She has gained the trust of her colleagues across the state and at UW System. She has led the effort to overhaul our advising system and has built consensus around important issues regarding how we are developing as an access institution.”
Kate Burns
Burns, also a tenured faculty member (Psychology) accepted the interim role when Alexander (formerly the UW-Green Bay Provost) was named chancellor in Spring of 2020. Previously, she served as the associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, providing analytical, budgeting and faculty and curriculum development support and leadership for the University’s largest academic unit.
“I am excited to serve as the next provost for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay,” she said. “Our mission puts student success at the center of all that we do. I am proud to be a part of a university that is on the rise and that is making a difference for our students and our region. It has been a privilege to work with our incredible faculty, staff and students over the past year and a half as interim provost and I am looking forward to this next chapter.”
The provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs is the University’s second highest administrative officer and senior academic officer. The provost oversees programming and leadership of the four academic colleges; the Division of Continuing Education and Community Engagement; Graduate Studies; the UW-Green Bay Libraries, and Enrollment Services. The provost consults with the chancellor on all aspects of the University and speaks for the University in the chancellor’s absence.
Besides being the most experienced person in the pool, Alexander cited Burns’ “tremendous character and integrity.”
“It is vital to me and to the whole university that we have someone in the role whose judgment is always sound and student-centered. Kate is an exceptional listener and has the inner strength and courage that is required in the role. She will work collaboratively, but also quickly and decisively to move Academic Affairs ahead. Finally, Kate fully understands our missionand knows how to help us move towards it. This is essential for us to continue the momentum we have.”
Burns came to UW-Green Bay in 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grinnell College and a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts. Her primary field is Psychology with research focused on stereotypes, emotion and self-regulation.
About the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Established in 1965, UW-Green Bay is a public institution serving 8,970 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students and 79,604 continuing education enrollees each year across all campus locations. We educate students from pre-college through retirement and offer 200+ degrees, programs and certificates. UW-Green Bay graduates are resilient, inclusive, sustaining and engaged members of their communities, ready to rise to fearlessly face challenges, solve problems and embrace diverse ideas and people. With four campus locations, the University welcomes students from every corner of the world. In 2020, UW-Green Bay was the fastest growing UW school in Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
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