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Chancellor search & screen

Chancellor's Office

The cover of the prospectus book

About UW-La Crosse

Established in 1909, UW-La Crosse is a public university enrolling approximately 10,300 undergraduate and graduate students within a vibrant community in one of the most beautiful regions of Wisconsin. UWL is part of the Universities of Wisconsin, a constellation of 13 universities and 26 campuses that promote the Wisconsin Idea in all corners of the state.

UWL offers 102 undergraduate programs in 30 disciplines, 30 graduate programs and two doctoral programs. Long recognized as a top mid-sized university in the Midwest, UWL is the No. 1 public university in Wisconsin with fewer than 25,000 students, according to U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News & World Report Top Midwest Regional Public University ranking

About the position

Chancellor search & screen

The Universities of Wisconsin invite applications and nominations for the position of chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL). This leader will succeed Dr. Joe Gow, who served as chancellor from 2007 to 2023.

The new chancellor will be tasked with sustaining and building upon UWL’s strong reputation for academic excellence, inclusive student success, recruitment and retention, and community engagement.

Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited and can be directed to Storbeck Search at UWLChancellor@storbecksearch.com.

Search & screen timeline

Late December/Early January
Review applications

Mid-February
Interview semi-finalists

March 4-6
Host finalists on campus

Late March
Interview finalists, appoint candidate

Other finalists

Christopher Olsen

Christopher Olsen

Résumé for Christopher

Christopher Olsen is provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Indiana State University, where he has been on faculty since 1999. In this role, he oversees the academic enterprise, strategic enrollment management, marketing and communication; diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; faculty research; assessment; information technology; university websites; global engagement; and accreditation. Previously, he was dean of Indiana State’s College of Arts and Sciences for five years and chair of its Department of History for 15 years.

Olsen’s academic work examines the history of the antebellum United States, focusing on politics and political culture, gender, and race, and he remains active in his scholarly work. He has published two books, including “Political Culture and Secession in Mississippi,” with Oxford University Press, which was nominated for The Frederick Jackson Turner Prize, among others, and various articles and book chapters. In addition to his appointment as professor of history, he is an affiliated faculty member in African and African American studies and continues to teach. Olsen holds a bachelor’s degree in history from North Dakota State University, a master’s degree in United States history from the University of Nebraska and a Ph.D. in United States history from the University of Florida.

Betsy Morgan

Betsy Morgan

Résumé for Betsy

Betsy Morgan arrived at UWL in 1993. Within the Psychology Department, she was tenured, promoted to full professor, taught psychology courses for over 20 years, and served as chair for 12 years. In 2015, she became provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. Morgan was named interim chancellor of UWL in December 2023. Her provost work centered on faculty and department chair development and the consistent and effective review of teaching, scholarship and service. She has spearheaded initiatives around improved advising and reducing policy barriers to student progress, as well as a public health orientation to student mental wellness.

Morgan is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and served as president of the Psi Chi International Honor Society. She has authored two textbooks and several peer-reviewed journal articles and has presented at over 50 conferences nationwide. Much of her scholarship has involved undergraduate student collaborators. Morgan’s teaching includes general education, major requirements, seminar, online and international courses. Her community service includes work with the APA and Psi Chi, and membership on the boards of Options Clinic and the United Way. Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and women’s studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and both a master’s in social ecology and a Ph.D. in social and gender psychology from the University of California, Irvine.

Search committee

  • Ashok Rai, Regent (committee chair)
  • Enilda Delgado, Professor of Sociology & Criminal Justice (committee vice chair)
  • Angela Adams, Regent
  • Evan Brenkus, Regent
  • Jim Kreuser, Regent
  • Emma Latus, President, Student Association
  • Kelly Nowicki, Associate Teaching Professor, College of Business Administration
  • Joan Prince, Regent
  • Kimberly Schliebe, Administrative Assistant, Administration & Finance
  • Todd Taylor, Chair, UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation Board
  • Lisa Weston, Associate Director, Residence Life