Statement by President Katharine Lyall

March 17, 2000

I want to begin by simply thanking David for all that he has done to advance UW-Madison and the UW System during his tenure as chancellor. He has been remarkably effective and successful in that role. His nearly 40 years of service to the university reflects his dedication to this institution and everything it stands for.

He and his wife, Judith, have devoted enormous energy to serving their alma mater and its students, faculty and staff, alumni, and friends. The Board of Regents joins me in expressing gratitude for the many positive achievements of the past seven years.

When I announced David's appointment in 1993, I said he was "the right person for the right job at the right time." He has not disappointed us.

Chancellors must be both academicians and acrobats: juggling campus concerns with external demands, balancing the conflicting needs of stakeholders, and finding the resources to advance the mission of the university. David has done all that, and much more.

The many campus building projects of the past seven years, the successful adoption of the first phase of the "Madison Initiative" by the legislature, and the highly successful Sesquicentennial celebration are among his legacies -- as is the nearly $740 million in private funds raised on his watch and with his active support.

David also provided a clear and concise vision for undergraduate teaching and learning, and fostered a "coherent campus culture" for undergraduates in a major research university setting. An example is Chadbourne Residential College and the other living and learning communities that have emerged at UW-Madison in the past few years.

Some of you will remember that David also arranged for the football team to win three Rose Bowls, and for other men's and women's teams to have unparalleled success during his tenure!

Bowl games may be fun, but the day-to-day work of managing a major, national, research university is not easy. When he steps down, David will be the longest serving Big Ten president. That stability of leadership is what has enabled UW-Madison to grow in excellence and to focus and position itself for the new century.

I wish David all the best as he resumes his faculty position. Teaching was his first job at UW-Madison back in 1960, so perhaps it's only fitting that he conclude his career where he began it: teaching students, in a geography classroom, on Bascom Hill.

The search for David's successor will begin shortly, following close consultation with Regents and the campus community. We will seek candidates with strong academic credentials and proven leadership ability, just as we did when we hired David in 1993.

The Board of Regents has an established policy that governs chancellor searches. Regent President Orr will designate a Special Regent Committee and appoint its chair. I will appoint a campus search and screen committee, which will include faculty members, academic staff, students, administrators and community representatives.

This committee typically has 17 members, a majority of whom are faculty members.

The campus/community committee may work with an executive search consultant in soliciting and evaluating candidates. It will eventually provide me with a short list of at least five individuals for further consideration. The Special Regent Committee and I will then interview these finalists and make a recommendation to the full Board of Regents, which has responsibility for final approval of the appointment.

I hope that this process can be completed by the end of the year, so that the next chancellor might be in place in January. At this time, I do not anticipate naming an interim chancellor.

Our goal is to hire the very best person we can find to succeed David Ward, so that this great university can continue as Wisconsin's cornerstone of scholarship and service. I am confident that outstanding men and women will be drawn to this challenge -- and inspired by the opportunity to work with the unique community of faculty, staff, and students that UW-Madison is famous for the world over.