Legal Affairs search seeks new vice chancellor

A search committee has been appointed to identify candidates to serve as the next vice chancellor for legal affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Raymond Taffora, UW–Madison’s vice chancellor for legal affairs, announced in January that he plans to retire later this summer. Taffora was appointed by Chancellor Rebecca Blank in September 2013.

The search committee is being chaired by Mark Sidel, Doyle-Bascom professor of law and public affairs in the UW Law School.

“The committee looks forward to finding superb candidates for this highly important position at UW–Madison,” Sidel says.

The vice chancellor for legal affairs is the chief legal officer of the university. Reporting to the chancellor, the vice chancellor serves as senior counselor to the chancellor and other senior university officials, and is a member of the chancellor’s executive leadership team.

The vice chancellor supervises UW–Madison’s Office of Legal Affairs and the Office of Compliance (OC).

The Office of Legal Affairs provides comprehensive legal services, including advice and counsel, risk and liability evaluation and prevention and representation in legal matters to the UW–Madison campus. The Office of Compliance oversees the university’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IX, HIPAA-Privacy regulations, and the Wisconsin Public Records Law. OC also conducts investigations into matters arising under the university’s obligations under Title IX and Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The vice chancellor for legal affairs also works closely with institutional partners, including the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and UW Hospital and Clinics.

Other search committee members include Stephanie Adamany, general counsel, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation; Eyad Afifi, graduate student, Urban and Regional Planning; Hope Broadus, associate dean for human resources, School of Medicine and Public Health; Jaimee Gilford, director, Office of Compliance; Ryan Jesberger, specialty services lieutenant, UW–Madison Police Department; Kim Moreland, associate vice chancellor for research administration and director, Research and Sponsored Programs; Tonya Schmidt, assistant dean of students and director, Student Conduct and Community Standards; Rebecca Scheller, associate dean, Admissions and Financial Aid, UW Law School; Howard Schweber, professor, Department of Political Science, College of Letters & Science; Linda D. Scott, dean and professor, School of Nursing; Dean Stensberg, interim chief of staff, Office of the President, UW System; Dan Uhlrich, professor, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health; Quinn Williams, general counsel, UW System; and Adam Kindschy, special assistant, Office of the Chancellor.

A full position description can be found here. The deadline for applications is March 26.

Nominations can be sent to Bill Howard at Academic Search, 410-805-5907, bill.howard@academicsearch.org.