Dr. Renée Wachter has been named the Chancellor Designate for the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

On Fri., March 25, the remaining three chancellor candidates interviewed with the Special Regents Committee in Madison. The Special Regents Committee consists of four regents: Regent Mark Bradley, who serves as chair; Regent Stan Davis, Regent Edmund Manydeeds III, and Regent Brent Smith. Dr. Martha Einerson, who is the chair of the Chancellor Search and Screen Committee, has described these men as “hardworking” in their assistance to UW-Superior in finding its new chancellor.

After the chancellor finalists visited campus in the beginning of March, the Search and Screen Committee gathered feedback about each candidate from students, staff, and faculty. Dr. Einerson said that many people approved of Dr. Wachter’s choice to wear black and gold throughout the process, a sign of her support to the university.

Dr. Wachter is currently the Dean of the School of Business at Truman University in Kirksville, Mo., where she is also a professor of business administration. Truman University is a COPLAC school, which stands for Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. UW-Superior is also a COPLAC school. Dr. Einerson said that because of this, Dr. Wachter has a strong connection, as well as a committed background, to the liberal arts.

Dr. Wachter will be formally appointed as UW-Superior’s new Chancellor by the Board of Regents at their regular meeting on April 8 at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

In the current climate of events at a state and educational level, Dr. Einerson says that it is important that people feel that there is leadership on campus, and is excited that we will have someone with a business background to guide us through the times ahead.

Dr. Einerson says there are many people to thank for helping in this process.

“I give a tremendous amount of credit to the UW-System administration,” Dr. Einerson said. Two major players in this search are UW-System President Kevin Reilly and Al Crist, who is the Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Work Force Diversity for the UW-System.

“I [also] give them a ton of credit for their support and help, and…appreciation for helping us keep on track,” Einerson said. “They never dismissed what UW-Superior wanted or needed, although they’re under fire.”

Dr. Einerson also recognizes the Search and Screen Committee for doing “an amazing job through a long, complex, and time-consuming process.”