Today, I announce the leadership team that will oversee, coordinate and champion the work ahead of us to form a new university in the Lake Winnebago region of Wisconsin. I charge this team to work collaboratively and swiftly to meet the major milestones needed for our three campuses to successfully come together as a single institution.

A great deal of direction and leadership will stem from the University of Wisconsin System Restructuring Steering Committee, and our team will adapt and localize system-wide guidance to facilitate our region’s work.

I would like to first thank UW Colleges Regional Executive Officer and Dean
Martin Rudd for taking on a leadership role on our local team while also serving on the UW System Restructuring Steering Committee. Dr. Rudd will serve as the strategy officer for the Lake Winnebago Region Team and represent our three-campus restructure for UW System.

I would also like to thank Assistant Chancellor and Chief Information Officer Anne Milkovich for taking on the role of planning officer for the Lake Winnebago Region Team. Dr. Milkovich will also be working directly with the UW System Restructuring Steering Committee to ensure strong collaboration and communication.

We have established eight working teams with sub-committees that will carry out the discovery, planning and implementation work:
Academics – John Koker, Interim Provost at UW Oshkosh
Administration – James Fletcher, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at UW Oshkosh
Student Affairs – Dr. Cheryl Green, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UW Oshkosh
Information and Technology – Laura Knaapen, Director of User Services at UW Oshkosh
Governance – Steve Bentivenga, Faculty Senate President at UW Oshkosh, and Ane Carriveau, Senior Academic Librarian at UW-Fox Valley
Culture and Identity – Laurie Krasin, Regional Director of Communications at UW-Fox Valley and UW-Fond du Lac
Marketing and Branding, also the project communications officer – Jamie Ceman, Assistant Chancellor and Chief Communications Officer at UW Oshkosh
External Affairs – Bob Roberts, Director Grants and Faculty Development and Interim Executive Director of Advancement at UW Oshkosh
Higher Learning Commission Liaison – Charlie Hill, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UW Oshkosh

I recognize that this project must remain nimble and responsive therefore more teams could be formed as the work progresses.

In order to keep communication to our three campuses accessible and timely, we’ve established this website for the Lake Winnebago Region Team.

Additionally, UW System has a robust website for system-wide messaging accessible at https://www.wisconsin.edu/uw-restructure/

There is a great deal to be accomplished over the coming months but I am confident we are up for the challenge. The outcome will be a stronger university for our region providing accessible and responsive education to Northeast Wisconsin and beyond.

Thank you for the work already in progress and for the work ahead. While I recognize this restructuring will not be an easy road, I am excited about the opportunities it brings. I look forward to working with people on all three campuses to make this vision a reality.

Thank you,
Chancellor Andy Leavitt