Search for graduate school dean begins

The university has started its search for a new Graduate School dean.

After receiving applications and nominations, the committee will review the candidates and narrow the field to a group of three to five unranked finalists. Chancellor John Wiley will make a final decision.

Martin Cadwallader has served as interim dean since Virginia Hinshaw stepped down earlier this year. After serving as dean for more than five years, Hinshaw was named provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of California-Davis.

The 17-member search and screen committee met for the first time Dec. 20 to receive its charge from Wiley. Jo Handelsman, professor of plant pathology, will chair the committee. Other members include:

Faculty
Anders Andren, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Aquatic Sciences Center; Patricia Brennan, professor of industrial engineering and nursing; Hannah Carey, professor of comparative biosciences; Jim Escalante, professor of art; Aaron Friedman, professor of pediatrics and University Committee representative; Mary Layoun, professor of comparative literature; Gary Sandefur, professor of sociology; Marsha Seltzer, professor of social work and acting director of the Waisman Center; and Hyuk Yu, professor of chemistry

Academic staff
Lawrence Casper, assistant dean in the College of Engineering and Academic Staff Executive Committee representative and Laurie Mayberry, senior student services coordinator in the Graduate School.

Students
Gwen Drury and Dinesh Rao, graduate students.

Other members include W. Charles Read, dean of the School of Education; Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation; and Paula Gates, program assistant advanced in student affairs and non-represented classified staff representative.

The dean, as the chief research officer and the principal advisor to the chancellor and the provost on research, is responsible for the instructional and research environment of more than 8,700 graduate students in 185 fields at the master’s level, 109 fields at the doctoral level, and six capstone certificates.

The dean administers the Graduate School $130 million budget and oversees a wide array of research programs with a total annual budget of more than $500 million.

The dean supervises the directors of 18 research centers, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, University-Industry Relations, accounting and personnel services, and graduate student academic services programs including admissions, minority programs, financial aid and degree certification.

Applications and nominations are due by March 4. The committee hopes to complete its work by the end of the spring semester.