Certain to retire after 34-year career

Phillip R. Certain, dean of the College of Letters and Science since 1993, announced Wednesday that he will retire on June 30.

“I spent time with my family over the holidays, and realized I would like to spend more time with them, and since the college is in good shape with a great staff, it seemed to be an ideal time to step back,” Certain says.

Chancellor John Wiley says Certain’s administrative experience and problem-solving abilities will be sorely missed.

“As our senior dean, there are few who possess Phil’s institutional knowledge and historical perspective on the past, present and future of this university,” Wiley says. “His commitment to UW–Madison and those who work and learn here, as well as his advocacy for his college, the university and higher education, will be difficult to replace.”

Certain is highly respected by the entire campus community, Wiley says, in part because of his ability to address difficult and contentious issues in a way that is thoughtful and respectful.

“Phil is a great problem-solver,” Wiley says. “Even in tough times, when Phil is forced to make difficult decisions, he does so collegially and respectfully, which has gained him the respect of his fellow administrators and members of the faculty and staff.”

Certain, 60, is the fifth-longest-serving dean of the university’s largest academic unit, one which enrolls more than half of all UW–Madison students in its 39 departments and five professional schools.

Trained as a theoretical chemist, Certain has earned a reputation for his well-read background on the arts, humanities and social sciences.

He has also been active in community, arts and educational affairs, serving on the boards of the Overture Foundation, Madison Repertory Theatre and Edgewood College. Certain was also a member of former Madison Mayor Sue Bauman’s Task Force on Race Relations.

Within the college, Certain has been a leading advocate for the creation of the Center for Humanities, the Arts Institute and the International Institute, and he helped guide building projects such as construction of a major addition to the Chemistry Building and renovations of Chamberlin Hall and Ingraham Hall.

He also pushed for bringing more information technology to campus classrooms and was instrumental in developing the innovative Freedom Ride course that took students on a bus tour of historic civil-rights sites throughout the South in 2001.

“When I took the job, I said that this was the best academic job in America, and I still believe it,” Certain says. “I said we would be open, face reality and work hard. And I feel we’ve done a good job with that.”

Prior to becoming dean of the college, Certain served as chair of the chemistry department and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. He holds a 1969 doctorate in theoretical chemistry from UW–Madison, and joined the faculty in 1970.

Certain administers a college that teaches almost 90 percent of freshman-sophomore credit hours and whose living alumni number more than 170,000. But Certain says the research mission of the college is also strong, with competitive federal research grants totaling $120 million coming into the college last year.

Two years ago, Certain created the Office of Research and Outreach – combining and coordinating those functions in the college.

“I think it’s one of the smartest things we did, because it has enhanced our research capabilities by facilitating grant requests and helping to secure funding for the humanities and for interdisciplinary activities,” Certain says.

A search and screen committee will soon be formed to begin the task of naming Certain’s successor.