In addition to serving as UW-Madison’s dean of students and vice provost for student life, Lori Berquam will take on an additional role as the interim vice chancellor for student affairs, a new position within campus administration.
The aim of the new office will be to make sure students have the “best experience they possibly could get here at the UW.” Berquam said she hopes to set up the office so when the vice chancellor of student affairs position is permanently filled, the person can “hit the ground running.”
UW-Madison is the only Wisconsin state school and Big Ten school that does not yet have this office. The office will not differ significantly from those at other Big Ten and UW state schools and Berquam said she hopes it will offer more consistency.
“Having the vice chancellor oversee other aspects of student life helps provide a comprehensive out-of-the classroom experience for students, so it’s a way in which we’ll all be on the same page about the Wisconsin experience,” Berquam said.
Shared governance partners will have a seat at the table in finding the permanent vice chancellor, Berquam said. Chancellor Rebecca Blank has already reached out to some student groups, such as the Associated Students of Madison and Union Council.
“I know that [Chancellor Blank] is committed to making sure there are seats on the search committee for students and certainly looking to continue to partner with our student government and other student groups so they have a hand in shaping both whom the person is and what direction they would like to take the office of the Vice Chancellor in,” Berquam said.
The permanent vice chancellor of student affairs will be hired by July 1, 2018.
