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Sapiro, associate vice chancellor for teaching and learning at UW in Madison, has worked in Wisconsin for 30 years and considers UW-L to be a high-quality institution.
“I see an opportunity to serve a great institution and the state,” she said after a forum Thursday. “If I can make a difference in the quality of life, even beyond the campus, I would feel like I did good work in my life.”
Sapiro, 55, was the last of four chancellor candidates to visit campus this week to meet with campus constituents and community leaders as the UW System looks for UW-L’s 10th leader.
She said she would lead by being inclusive, get feedback from all parties when starting new projects and respect people’s time. She would assemble a management team that is passionate about higher education, has a team mentality and diverse backgrounds to help lead the university.
A chancellor needs to be “the chief mouthpiece out there” in terms of a capital fundraising campaign, build relationships and be the one to close deals when needed, Sapiro said.
“My eyes have to sparkle and I have to be passionate” about it, she added.
She would balance the off-campus duties by being a presence at campus events and having both formal and informal encounters with students, faculty and staff. And she would help foster diversity on campus through a more inclusive admissions process as well as by reaching out to Wisconsin residents who are afraid to apply because they think they can’t afford or get into the school.
The other candidates are: Beverly Schmoll, dean of the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Wayne State University in Detroit since 2001; Royce C. Engstrom, provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of South Dakota; and Joe Gow, interim president of Nebraska Wesleyan University.
A special committee of the UW Board of Regents will interview the finalists Nov. 1, and the full board is expected to name its choice Nov. 10. The new chancellor could be in place by January.
Kate Schott can be reached at Kate.Schott@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8226.
