Sapiro named associate vice chancellor

Provost Peter Spear has chosen an award-winning scholar with broad administrative experience to become the new associate vice chancellor for teaching and learning.

Virginia Sapiro, Sophonisba P. Breckinridge Professor of Political Science and Women’s Studies at UW–Madison, replaces Robert Skloot, professor of theatre and drama and professor of Jewish Studies.

Skloot, who has already served a year longer than most associate vice chancellors, plans to return to full-time faculty work when Sapiro begins at the start of the fall semester. He will be teaching overseas in the university’s London program this fall.

“I am grateful for Bob’s deep commitment to teaching and undergraduate education,” Spear says. “He has provided important leadership during an exciting period of growth for our programs for undergraduates.”

The associate vice chancellor for teaching and learning assists the provost and works with campus deans, directors and campus-wide groups to carry out UW–Madison’s teaching and learning missions. The associate vice chancellor focuses on collaborative learning activities, the integration of academics with co-curricular and student affairs activities, campus diversity goals, and other campus-wide academic issues, in addition to serving as the provost’s representative on a number of committees.

Spear says there was a very strong pool of internal candidates seeking the position, but Sapiro was the best fit for the job.

“Gina epitomizes the synergy between the research and teaching missions of UW–Madison,” Spear says. “She is a smart and creative thinker who will bring energy and new perspectives to campus-wide teaching and learning activities.”

Sapiro, who has chaired the Women’s Studies Program, the Social Science Data and Computation Center and the Department of Political Science at UW–Madison, has also served as director of the National Election Studies at the University of Michigan and serves on the board of trustees at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. She says she is looking forward to her next challenge.

“UW-Madison has worked hard in recent years to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning on this campus beginning with our work with prospective students, and carrying on long after graduation, with continuing education and alumni programs.” Sapiro says. “It will be exciting to help further that mission.”

The position is a 75 percent appointment, which allows Sapiro to continue some teaching duties, including the course “Women and Leadership” this fall. The position carries a 10 percent administrative supplement to the $125,000 base salary she receives for holding a named professorship, bringing her total salary to $137,500.
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–Kent Barrett, (608) 262-0930, kentbarrett@facstaff.wisc.edu