MADISON – Dr. John Keating, provost at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, was today named the fifth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The announcement was made by UW System President Katharine Lyall. Action on the appointment was taken earlier today by the Board of Regents.
Keating, 59, succeeds Dr. Eleanor Smith, who retired last year after having served as chancellor since July 1994. Keating will start his new duties on July 1. His salary was set at $125,500.
The regents also approved the appointment of John Ostheimer, UW-Parkside provost and vice chancellor, as interim chancellor from April 1 until Keating’s arrival on campus. Ostheimer replaces Dr. Gordon Lamb, former president of Northeastern Illinois University, whose term as interim chancellor at UW-Parkside runs from May 1997 through the end of this month.
Of Keating, President Lyall said: “We looked for someone with the skills to help UW-Parkside grow in enrollment, academic distinction and service to southeastern Wisconsin. Dr. Keating has excellent academic credentials, a record of successful institutional leadership, and a strong desire to lead UW-Parkside into the 21st Century. He is committed to working with faculty, staff and students to extend UW-Parkside as a resource for teaching and service throughout Kenosha, Racine and the surrounding region. He will be a strong advocate for UW-Parkside. I look forward to working with him.”
Since 1994, Keating has been provost at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks – a land-, sea-, and space-grant doctoral institution with annual expenditures of approximately $180 million. While there, he has faced the challenges brought about by large budget shortfalls throughout the state, resulting in large-scale institutional reorganization that he oversaw in creative and constructive ways. Through the reorganization the University maintained quality educational programs, launched new instructional initiatives, modernized classrooms with instructional learning technologies, and increased its research revenue in a time a flat and reduced support from the state legislature.
Keating received his Ph.D. degree in social psychology in 1972 from Ohio State University, and then joined the faculty at the University of Washington in Seattle. While there, he moved up through the academic ranks to become full professor. In 1990, he began his administrative career when he was appointed vice-provost and dean of two new branch campuses for the University of Washington. In that position he planned and opened upper division and graduate campuses in Tacoma and Bothell, Washington.
The branch campuses were designed to reach out to a diverse group of students not well represented on the main campus in Seattle. This effort required Keating to develop community support and to tailor quality academic programs to nontraditional groups of students, and attract a faculty that reflected the student body by race and gender.
Keating also holds an M.S. degree in theology from the University of Santa Clara (Calif.), and a B.A. degree in classics/philosophy and an M.A. degree in philosophy from Gonzaga University, Spokane, Wash. He and his wife, Pamela, have one son.
Keating was recommended to the Board of Regents by a special committee chaired by Regent JoAnne Brandes and including Regents Brad DeBraska, Milwaukee and Al De Simone, Kenosha; and Regent Vice President San Orr, Jr., Wausau.
Contact:
Peter D. Fox
(608) 262-6448