MADISON — University of Wisconsin System President Katharine C. Lyall today announced the names of the five finalists for the position of chancellor of UW-River Falls.

The names have been forwarded to the Board of Regents’ Special Committee for the UW-River Falls Chancellor Search, chaired by Regent Toby Marcovich, which will interview the finalists on February 22. Other committee members are Regents Jonathan Barry, Ruth Marcene James and Jose Olivieri. The full Board of Regents will take final action once it receives a recommendation from the Special Committee.

The finalists, their titles and current institutions are as follows:

  • Frederick J. Dobney
    Executive Vice President and Provost
    Michigan Technological University (Houghton, Michigan)
  • Kurt F. Geisinger
    Academic Vice President
    Le Moyne College (Syracuse, New York)
  • Leah S. Harvey
    Vice President for Student and Academic Affairs
    Metropolitan State University (St. Paul, Minnesota)
  • Ann M. Lydecker
    Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Bridgewater State College (Bridgewater, Massachusetts)
  • Suzanne Williams
    Interim President
    St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, Minnesota)

A 17-member campus/community search and screen committee, chaired by Suzanne Hagen, professor of speech communications and theatre arts, submitted its recommendations to President Lyall on February 3.

The person chosen by the Regents will become UW-River Falls’ 14th chancellor, succeeding Dr. Gary Thibodeau. Chancellor Thibodeau announced last August that he would retire for medical reasons. He has served as UW-River Falls chancellor since 1985.

Contact:

Sharyn Wisniewski, UW System
(608) 262-6448

Mark Kinders, UW-River Falls
(715) 425-3771