By Kim McDarison
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has announced that it will be hosting two listening sessions to facilitate a search for its next chancellor.
The sessions, which will be held Monday, Sept. 12, and Tuesday, Sept. 13, are open to the public.
According to information released by UW-Whitewater, the Chancellor Search Committee would like the public’s opinion about “key characteristics for a new campus leader, university strengths that a prospective candidate should know, and challenges facing a new chancellor.”
As earlier reported by Fort Atkinson Online, former interim Chancellor Jim Henderson resigned from his position in April, saying in his resignation statement: “One of my three goals for my time as interim chancellor has been to help this campus hire the best chancellor possible who will be here for the long term. Over the past few days it has become clear to me that I cannot make progress on that goal. Given that, I feel that it is in both the best interest of UW-Whitewater and me personally that I resign my position as interim chancellor.”
An earlier story about Henderson’s decision to resign is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/uw-whitewater-interim-chancellor-resigns-effective-monday/.
Following Henderson’s resignation, the teachers’ union on campus began a petition which, union representatives told Fort Atkinson Online in April, was designed to stop what they perceived as political interference on campus from state lawmakers. Several student organizations across the UW System voiced similar concerns. Among concerns cited was a free speech survey proposed for systemwide distribution, with those critical of the survey suggesting it used methodology that “raised concerns about intent.”
Students, in a statement sent to UW System leadership, noted: “The topic of free speech at our universities has been used in the political arena to divide our students, create unwarranted resentment towards public higher education, and pass unjust laws limiting educational freedoms and the ability to have an honest conversation in the classroom. While we clearly support academic freedom and free speech rights, student perceptions of these complex topics must be studied in an academically rigorous manner for the results to be effective. This starts with engaging stakeholders from across the UW System.”
A story about the survey and alleged political interference is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/uw-whitewater-teachers-union-circulates-petition-against-political-interference/.
Others on the UW-Whitewater campus told Fort Atkinson Online in April that they felt they were not being given the same rights to free speech as their more liberal-leaning contemporaries.
In April, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student and chairman of the UW-Whitewater chapter of the Wisconsin College Republicans John Beauchamp took the podium in advance of a presentation made on campus by former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager Kellyanne Conway.
As he introduced Conway, Beauchamp included within his comments concerns about what he said was “an ever-increasing blockage” when it came to free speech associated with he and his club members getting their message heard.
“We find ourselves shouted down, and shut up, but we will not be silenced,” he told the 200 or so audience members assembled in the Timmerman Auditorium on campus.
A story from Beauchamp’s perspective about free speech on campus is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/differing-perspectives-a-view-of-free-speech-on-campus/.
Henderson was hired as interim chancellor in June of 2021, after then-Chancellor Dwight Watson resigned. Watson tendered his resignation after receiving a diagnosis of cancer.
An earlier story about Watson’s decision to resign is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/uw-whitewater-chancellor-resigns-after-cancer-diagnosis/.
After Henderson resigned, John Chenoweth, who then served as UW-Whitewater provost, was named interim chancellor at UW-Whitewater by then-UW System Interim President Michael Falbo. Falbo has since completed his service as interim president. UW System President Jay O. Rothman was named president by the UW System Board of Regents in June of this year.
An earlier story about Chenoweth’s installment as interim chancellor is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/chenoweth-named-interim-uw-w-chancellor/.
An earlier story about Rothman’s appointment is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/uw-w-chancellor-congratulates-rothman-as-uw-system-president/.
A 12-member Search and Screen Committee to help identify a new UW-Whitewater chancellor was formed in May.
A story about the committee is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/system-names-members-of-uw-whitewater-chancellor-search-screen-committee/.
Upcoming listening sessions
Information released by the university notes that upcoming listening sessions may be attended both in-person and virtually.
Those interested in attending Monday’s session are invited to arrive at Hyland Hall, for a session that will take place between 2 and 3 p.m. The session will be held in Room 1000, also known as Timmerman Auditorium.
Those interested in attending Monday’s session virtually are invited to use the Webex platform. Registration is required. To register, visit:
https://wisconsin.webex.com/wisconsin/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4e055f51c171128262af129019590d05.
Those interested in attending Tuesday’s session are invited to arrive at Timmerman Auditorium at 5 p.m. to participate in the hour-long session.
A registration link for Tuesday’s session is here:
https://wisconsin.webex.com/wisconsin/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4053105e4924a3e4dd7f14984791c996.
Parking for those attending in person will be provided on campus in lots 7 and 9.
More information about the search for a chancellor as provided by the university is here: https://www.uww.edu/chancellor-search.
According to information provided by the university, those with questions are encouraged to contact the Search and Screen Committee Chair Regent Amy Bogost by email: abogost@uwsa.edu, or Vice Chair Lynn Gilbertson, associate professor and department chair in the College of Education and Professional Studies, by email: gilbertl@uww.edu or phone: 262-472-5203.
UW-Whitewater. file photo/Kim McDarison.
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