Gary L. Miller

Dr. Gary L. Miller

MADISON, Wis. – Dr. Gary L. Miller, chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, has been named the next chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents today approved Miller’s appointment, following the recommendation made by a selection committee.  Miller will step into his new leadership post on Aug. 1, 2014.

Miller has served as chancellor at University of North Carolina Wilmington since 2011. He spearheaded the university’s focus on three core values: a commitment to the journey of learning, a deep love of place, and dedication to the power of ideas and innovation to change lives. His initiatives have included forming the Chancellor’s Office for Community Partnerships, supporting a number of programs focused on applied learning and the undergraduate academic experience, developing the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, establishing the University Innovation Council, and guiding the growth of the CREST Research Park. During his tenure, the university launched an innovative online nursing program, opened a $30-million marine biotechnology business development and research building, and received reaccreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Miller serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), a national higher education organization consisting of public and private colleges across the country that value the importance of teaching, research and service to their communities. He also serves on the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Committee for Economic and Workforce Development, and he is a member of a collaborative steering committee focused on a post-collegiate outcomes initiative funded by the Gates Foundation.

Miller previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs and research at Wichita State University (2006-2011) and was dean of the college of arts and sciences at the University of the Pacific (2002-2006). He was previously a faculty member at the University of Mississippi, Weber State University, and Mississippi State University.

“Dr. Miller is a very impressive educational leader, and he is clearly enthusiastic about UW-Green Bay and all of its strengths and potential,” said UW System President Ray Cross. “His outstanding record of university leadership and his vision for quality higher education will be significant contributions to the university’s success in a complex and changing world. I am confident Dr. Miller has the vision, talent and experience to guide UW-Green Bay as it enters a new era.”

“The opportunity at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is one of the most exciting and important in American higher education today,” Miller said. “With its tradition of innovation, a deep commitment to access and academic quality and enormous community support, UW-Green Bay is creating models for how to prepare students for citizenship and careers in an interdependent global economy. Clearly, this is a university on the move, and I am honored to have been chosen as its next leader.

“My wife, Georgia, and I are thrilled to be joining the UW-Green Bay and the Green Bay community. During our visit we met so many people who are passionate about their university, their city and education at all levels,” Miller said. “Green Bay struck Georgia and me as a place that will very quickly feel like home.”

Miller holds a Ph.D. in biological sciences from Mississippi State University. He earned his Master’s and a bachelor of science degree, both in biology, from the College of William and Mary.

“Dr. Miller’s vision aligns with UW-Green Bay’s core values and the mission of the institution and UW System,” said Dr. Cheryl Grosso, from UW-Green Bay’s Music Department, who chaired the 23-member search-and-screen committee. “The campus and greater community are poised to fully exploit the possibilities that will continue to position UW-Green Bay as an innovative institution, a cultural leader in the region, and a developer of new partnerships with businesses and community organizations. Dr. Miller has the knowledge, experience, energy, and creativity to lead UW-Green Bay and the community into the future within the rapidly changing landscape of higher education. I am very excited about the ideas and perspectives Dr. Miller will bring to the position of chancellor.”

“This campus plays such a key role in the vitality of our community and the strength of our regional economy,” said Regent Tim Higgins of Appleton, chair of the Board of Regents committee that interviewed all of the finalists with Cross.  “Dr. Miller brings a deep understanding of what it takes for a university like UW-Green Bay to succeed, and how important that success is for students, northeast Wisconsin, and the state.”

Other members of the committee included Regent Mark Bradley of Wausau, Regent Janice Mueller of Madison, and Regent Charles Pruitt of Milwaukee.

Miller will be the UW-Green Bay’s sixth chancellor, succeeding Tom Harden, who announced last December that he will step down in August 2014. Harden has served as the university’s top administrator since June 1, 2009.

In line with market-based compensation guidelines approved by the Board of Regents last October, Miller will earn $230,000 as chancellor.

Miller and his wife, Georgia Nix Miller, have three adult children and five grandchildren.

UW-Green Bay is a comprehensive public institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,600 students, exceptional facilities and affordable, high-quality programs. The university’s 360° of Learning brand is a promise that UW-Green Bay students will learn to examine and solve problems from multiple perspectives. Founded in 1965 and a member institution of the tradition-rich University of Wisconsin System, UW-Green Bay boasts more than 32,000 alumni.

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Media contacts:

John N. Diamond
UW System
(608) 263-7962
johndiamond@uwsa.edu

Kelly McBride Moore
UW-Green Bay
(920) 265-2526
moorek@uwgb.edu