Vice chancellor retires after 35 years in UW-system
Vice Chancellor of Administrative Affairs Jeff Arnold retired on Friday, March 31 after a 35-year career in the University of Wisconsin system. Arnold spent 6 years working on University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus. photo by Sierra High / Photo Editor
April 24, 2017
Retirement comes with many luxuries that working people are un- able to enjoy. For Jeff Arnold, vice chancellor of Administrative Affairs, these luxuries are about to become a reality, as he will retire from almost 35 years working in the University of Wisconsin system.
“I’m really excited,” Arnold said. “I’m excited about the prospect of having the summer off to do what- ever I want to do.”
Arnold’s decision to retire came about because he was eligible and he felt that it was time after spending most of his career working within the same university system.
“It’s unusual for a person to work for the same employer for 35 years,” Arnold said. “I’m looking forward to retiring, and I’m in a good position to do that.”
Looking back on his last six years at UW-Whitewater, Arnold is proud of the efforts he has been involved in to improve campus, as well as the student accomplishments.
Many of the campus efforts that Arnold has been involved in focus on new construction, such as the new student success center that broke ground in spring of 2016 and a new residence hall that is currently in the design phase. Arnold also has been involved in creating a campus master plan.
“We’ve made Whitewater the best value in Wisconsin, in the UW-sys- tem,” Arnold said. “I’m very proud of the national championships in football, basketball, gymnastics and wheelchair basketball. I didn’t par- ticipate in any of those things, but I’m proud to watch those accom- plishments.”
Arnold came to UW-W in 2011, and was his first time working on
a university campus. Since then,
he has enjoyed being able to inter- act with students in the different seasons of campus, as well as watch many students succeed during the course of his career.
“Being able to help financially challenged students graduate and finish their degrees,” Arnold said. “I feel like we’ve done some really good things in the last six years since I’ve been here.”
Arnold says he is also proud of the current standing UW-Whitewater has in the system, and is optimistic and hopeful that will continue in the future.
“Whitewater’s in a good place financially. Some of our sister institutions have struggled a little bit,” Arnold said. “Our enrollments have been strong and growing. Our campus has done well.”
Arnold has very few regrets about his career. He mostly believes he will miss the projects that he is leaving behind unfinished.
“There’s probably a lot of things that you would like to do, that you won’t be able to,” Arnold said. “[A lot] on the administrative side that the next person in this position will be lucky enough to take on.”
Going into retirement, Arnold says he is looking forward to having free time that he has not been able to take advantage of during his career, as he has taken very few vacations throughout his career. Although he hasn’t made any specific plans for the entirety of his retirement, Ar- nold will be taking a trip out of the country in April, as well as enjoying the upcoming nice weather with his family.
“I’m looking forward to golfing a little bit during the week, working on my house. I’m going to workout everyday and take my dogs to the dog park,” Arnold said. “Whatever I want to do, I think I’ll be very good at retirement.”
Arnold’s family is supportive of his retirement and excited to spend more time with him.
Campus administrators say that Arnold will be sorely missed.
“I want to thank Jeff Arnold for his six years of service at UW-White- water and more than 25 years to the UW-system,” Chancellor Beverly Kopper said in a campus wide email announcing Arnold’s retirement. “Jeff is a valued member of the War- hawk family and we wish him well on his retirement.”
The position of interim Vice Chan- cellor of Administrative Affairs will be filled by both Paige Reed, Chief of Institutional Policy and Compli- ance, and Randy Marnocha, Interim Athletic Director.
