Sapiro named interim provost

Virginia Sapiro, associate vice chancellor for teaching and learning at UW–Madison, will become interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs when Provost Peter Spear retires in late October, Chancellor John D. Wiley announced today (Wednesday, Aug. 17).

“This position is a vital one for the university, and Gina is a seasoned leader with a wide range of administrative experiences. Her knowledge of the campus will be valuable in making the transition to a new provost upon Peter’s retirement,” Wiley says.

In June, Wiley appointed a search and screen committee to help find Spear’s successor. Leading that effort is Mary Behan, professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences.

Sapiro, a political scientist and former chair of the Department of Political Science and the Women’s Studies Program, has been on the faculty since 1976. She has served as associate vice chancellor since 2002; in that post, she assists the provost and works with deans, directors and campuswide groups to carry out UW–Madison’s teaching and learning missions. Her associate vice chancellor position will not be filled during her interim appointment.

“I’m happy to be able to assist the university make a smooth transition to a new provost. I look forward to working on the numerous responsibilities and initiatives of the provost’s office while the search and screen committee works to identify a successor to Peter,” Sapiro says.

Spear announced his retirement in April. He recently moved up the timing of his departure from the end of December to the end of October. “Our timetable for moving from Madison to Tucson has changed for a variety of reasons,” Spear says. “Our house here sold quickly, and our Tucson home is ready. In addition, living accommodations for my mother in Tucson will be available sooner than expected.”

Spear has served on the faculty since 1976, except for a five-year period as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He returned to UW–Madison in 2001 to assume his current position as provost and vice chancellor. He will continue to handle all of the duties of this position until his departure.