Peter Spear named provost

Nationally recognized neuroscientist Peter Spear will return to the university this fall as provost, Chancellor John Wiley announced Friday, July 6.

“We had a terrific pool of candidates,” Wiley says. “All four finalists were very strong, but Peter’s experience makes him the right fit for this campus at this time.”

Spear has served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of psychology at the University of Colorado-Boulder since 1996. He also held various leadership positions during his 20 years as a professor of psychology at UW–Madison, including Department of Psychology chair from 1990-94 and associate dean for the social sciences in the College of Letters and Science from 1994-96.

“I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students at UW–Madison,” Spear says. “In addition, it has a wonderful administrative team. I have worked with Chancellor Wiley in the past and look forward to doing so again.”

Along with administrative experience, Spear brings with him a long list of academic and research accomplishments. He has written more than 90 publications, including a textbook, “Psychology: Perspectives on Behavior.” His research focuses on how brain mechanisms of vision change during development, aging and while recovering from brain damage.

Spear is excited to be returning to UW–Madison. “Without question, it is one of the top public research universities in the country,” Spear says. “This is really a wonderful opportunity to come back and work to make it even better.”

Spear will take over for interim Provost Gary Sandefur, professor of sociology and American Indian studies. Sandefur has served in the position since Wiley, UW–Madison’s former provost, became chancellor Jan. 1.

The provost is the university’s chief operating officer and deputy to the chancellor in overall academic and administrative management. The provost also serves as acting chancellor in the chancellor’s absence.

Among the provost’s many responsibilities are academic program planning involving 12 schools and colleges; faculty and staff development, and personnel oversight; the General Library System; information technology; diversity initiatives; outreach and extension programming; as well as collaboration with other vice chancellors in the areas of facilities planning and management, budget planning and management, human resources, student affairs, and law and policy administration.

Other finalists for the position were Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, associate dean for the social sciences in the College of Letters and Science and professor of communications arts at UW–Madison; Virginia Sapiro, Sophonisba P. Breckinridge professor of political science and women’s studies at UW–Madison; and Ellen Wartella, dean of the College of Communication, Walter Cronkite Regents Chair in Communication and Mrs. Mary Gibbs Jones Centennial Chair in Communication at the University of Texas-Austin.

Spear is targeting Oct. 1 to begin his duties at UW–Madison. His salary will be $220,000, contingent upon approval by the UW System Board of Regents and passage of the state budget.