Following the announcement of the four finalists for the next University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor Thursday, student leaders emphasized the importance for the next chancellor to understand the university’s unique culture, including its commitment to shared governance, diversity and equity.
The four finalists are Dr. Rebecca Blank, Acting Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce; Dr. Nicholas Jones, dean of the school of engineering at Johns Hopkins University; Dr. Michael Schill, dean of the University of Chicago Law School; and Dr. Kim Wilcox, former Provost at Michigan State University.
Associated Students of Madison Chair Andrew Bulovsky said it is important for the next chancellor to be transparent and open to discussion and collaboration with students on campus issues.
Bulovsky said he is impressed with the finalists and feels they are “a diverse group in terms of qualifications and credentials.”
According to Bulovsky, ASM leadership plans to reach out to the finalists and will meet with the new chancellor in August.
“We want to make sure they begin work on understanding and appreciating the culture that comes with shared governance,” Bulovsky said.
Graduate student Ryan Adserias, who sits on the committee currently drafting the next campus diversity plan, said the next chancellor should be able to engage with faculty, staff and students and hold campus accountable to the new plan.
According to Adserias, past diversity initiatives have not always worked and he hopes the university’s next leader will “reinvent the way the university views diversity.”
However, Adserias said he was not entirely impressed with the group of finalists.
“When I saw their names I had to Google them,” Adserias said. “I was really hoping we would get a group of higher-ed leaders who were immediately well-known.”
Still, Adserias said he was impressed with Blank and felt her government connections and work on economic diversity could contribute well to the university.
Sarah Mathews, president of the Wisconsin Union Council, agreed with Adserias, saying Blank’s prestige and network make her an “interesting” candidate. She also said Schill stood out because of his commitment to college accessibility.
Mathews said she hopes the next chancellor will actively engage with students, who are often seen by the university merely as “data points,” and will be committed to fully integrating themselves into the university.
Mathews encouraged students, especially upperclassmen who have experienced multiple chancellors, to engage with the candidates at upcoming public forums and let the student voice be heard as the process continues.
