On July 1, 2021 Jim Henderson was appointed as the interim chancellor here at UW-W.  The contract he signed will keep him in the position indefinitely, aiming to provide stability to the position after unexpected departures by the two most recent chancellors. Former Chancellor Dwight Watson announced his resignation following a diagnosis of stomach and intestinal cancer in a letter to the campus Thursday, June 17. In November, Watson will become a tenured faculty member in the university’s College of Education and Professional Studies. 

Interim Chancellor Henderson started his role July 1, bringing 40 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator, having served in the cabinet of four different presidents or chancellors.

“We are incredibly fortunate that Jim Henderson has agreed to lead the university at this challenging time. He is a personable and thoughtful academic leader with exceptional experience that will benefit UW-Whitewater greatly,” said Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson.

These promising words from such a prominent figure in Wisconsin are backed up by Henderson’s lengthy resume of experience. Most recently that list has consisted of being the interim provost at UW-Madison in the summer of 2019, vice president for academic and student affairs for the UW System, and vice president of academic affairs at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Henderson graduated with a bachelor’s fegree and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas-Austin. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics at UW-Madison.

In a campus meet and greet July 1, Henderson shared his fundamental beliefs that will guide how he operates in his new role:

• We are here primarily to support teaching, learning and student development
• ALL of us play a crucial role in that mission
• When we admit students to our community, we have an obligation to provide them with the support needed for their success
• Students have an obligation to dedicate themselves to the hard work of learning, broadening their horizons and contributing to our community
• We owe it to each other to operate in an ethical manner that rewards collaboration, transparency and achievement in service to our community

Visit https://announcements.uww.edu/Announcement/Details/17252 to read or watch Interim Chancellor Henderson’s Welcome message to campus.