MADISON, Wis.—Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman has named Michael Carney as interim chancellor of UW-Eau Claire effective July 1.
Carney, currently the interim provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs, will replace Chancellor Jim Schmidt, who was announced today as president of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.
“Michael Carney is a terrific scientist and leader who has been integral in overseeing critical partnerships with industry,” Rothman said. “He knows UW-Eau Claire and will keep the university moving forward.”
Rothman and Regent President Amy B. Bogost praised Schmidt, who took office in July 2013, for his tenure leading UW-Eau Claire.
“The UWs greatly appreciate Chancellor Schmidt’s tenure at UW-Eau Claire. In the community, his emphasis on partnerships positioned the university for success. On campus, he maintained his focus on enriching the student academic experience. He was an active champion of higher education in the region, and it served that campus community extraordinarily well.”
“Chancellor Schmidt has been a tireless advocate for UW-Eau Claire, his communities, and the Universities of Wisconsin,” Bogost said. “We thank him for his work and commitment as UW-Eau Claire’s leader for well over a decade.”
Carney is a UW-Eau Claire alumnus who earned a bachelor’s degree from the university in 1983. He earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Harvard University and returned to UW-Eau Claire as a professor in the chemistry department in 2000. Prior to his role as provost, he served as Assistant Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships and Program Development, during which he managed the university’s partnerships with Mayo Clinic Health System and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He also helped develop several new degree programs in STEM and biohealth-related fields. He was Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs from 2013-2021, Chemistry Department chair from 2010-2013 and professor. He spent 10 years in research and development in petrochemical and polymer industries.
“I am honored to serve as interim chancellor at the university that has had such a profound impact on my career,” Carney said. “I’ve appreciated Chancellor Schmidt’s visionary leadership, especially his commitment to forging mutually beneficial partnerships with our community. With the remarkable team we’ve assembled on our campus, UW-Eau Claire will continue to build on that foundation and strive for excellence in all we do.”
The Universities of Wisconsin serve approximately 164,400 students. Awarding nearly 36,000 degrees annually, these 13 public universities are Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates stay in the state five years after earning a degree. The universities provide a 23:1 return on state investment. The Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy. Learn more at wisconsin.edu.