Gilman, Walker and Arpaci-Dusseau to assume new leadership roles

As the new academic year begins, Provost Charles Isbell is announcing several key leadership changes within the Provost’s Office reporting structure.

Amy Gilman, director of the Chazen Museum of Art, will assume new administrative duties as the senior director for the arts and media, providing supervision to the staff in the Division of the Arts, as well as working more closely on behalf of the provost with the University of Wisconsin Press and Wisconsin Public Media. Gilman will also continue as director of the Chazen Museum.

Professor of dance Christopher Walker has been appointed to a new position as the provost’s special advisor on the arts, in a role that will focus on external connections with peer institutions and the development of new initiatives to enhance the arts and arts education at UW–Madison. He will also continue his appointment as professor of dance.

“The breadth and depth of scholarship, creativity, and engagement across the arts here at UW–Madison is truly astounding, and I am looking forward to working with Amy and Chris in their new roles,” said Isbell.

“I expect they will consult with campus partners to shape a number of efforts in the arts landscape, with a goal of raising the profile of UW–Madison arts and related disciplines across campus, throughout Wisconsin, and nationally,” says Isbell, who joined UW–Madison in August 2023.

Separately, Isbell has appointed Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau, the Grace Wahba and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Computer Sciences, to a new role as special advisor to the provost for computing.

“This role will advance our institutional planning to ensure that we remain on the forefront in the rapidly advancing research and education areas associated with computing writ large, including artificial intelligence, data and information sciences in the coming decades,” says Isbell.

“Remzi’s deep experience and consultative approach will help us take a bold and thoughtful look at how to further develop UW–Madison’s excellence in computing and AI, through our existing structures as well as examining whether there might be alternative institutional ways to support the broad use of computing and AI across the entire university,” he adds.

These administrative changes made by Provost Isbell are in addition to his appointment last year of Hadley Family Professor for Teaching and Learning Excellence John Zumbrunnen as senior vice provost for academic affairs, complementing his ongoing work as vice provost for teaching and learning. In his senior vice provost role, Zumbrunnen oversees a wide range of academic initiatives, including the Wisconsin RISE initiative.