“While the selection of University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Doug Hastad as the next president of Carroll College is a judicious choice for that highly regarded, private college, it is a tremendous loss for the La Crosse community and the UW System as a whole. Doug’s leadership has been vital in maintaining and strengthening UW-La Crosse as one of the premier comprehensive universities in the upper Midwest.
“Chancellor Hastad has positioned UW-La Crosse as a vibrant place to live and learn. Just a few of Doug’s accomplishments during his five years as La Crosse chancellor include enrollment growth, nationally recognized programs, outstanding student credentials, progress in diversity, and more than a dozen national athletic championships.
“Chancellor Hastad has skillfully balanced growth in enrollments and academic excellence with recent budget cuts as he and his UW-La Crosse colleagues prepared students for academic success. He also guided the development of a consortium among La Crosse’s higher education institutions and major health care organizations to bring cutting-edge health care to the region.
“I thank Doug for his leadership and contributions as chancellor, and as an integral part of the UW-La Crosse campus since 1989. We will miss his leadership, expertise, and vision, and I personally will miss his humor and friendship. We’re happy that he is staying in Wisconsin, however, and look forward to collaborating with Carroll College under his leadership. On behalf of the entire UW System, I wish Doug well as he begins his Carroll College presidency next July.
“The Board of Regents will likely authorize a search for a new UW-La Crosse chancellor shortly, and I anticipate naming an interim chancellor in the near future to ensure a smooth transition. We will do our best to fill Doug’s shoes as quickly as we can, and we won’t miss a beat in serving UW-La Crosse’s students, faculty, and stakeholders.”