By SUSAN JONES
Provost Ann Cudd as been named as one of five finalists for the job of chancellor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, according to the school’s website.
Each finalist will participate in a moderated Q&A session open to the public between May 2 to 6. Cudd’s session will be in person at the Memorial Union on May 4.
A statement for Pitt said, “It is certainly not unusual for outstanding individuals within our community to be approached for open leadership positions at other institutions.”
Rebecca Blank, the second-longest serving chancellor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, announced in October 2021 that she would step down this May to become the first female president of Northwestern University in Illinois. She has been at the school since 2013.
The Wisconsin website says a search committee was named in December and the search officially closed on March 11. An announcement of a chancellor-designate is expected in May with that person starting this summer or fall.
This is a shorter timeline than Pitt is expecting to replace Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, who announced on April 7 that he will step down next year after his replacement is found. Gallagher said at last week’s Senate Council meeting that it is unlikely a search committee will be fully formed until this fall, particularly since the Board of Trustees is in the middle of finding a new chair to replace Tom Richards, who died last year.
Cudd came to Pitt in September 2018 as senior vice chancellor and provost. She replaced her former professor Patty Beeson, who returned to Pitt’s economics faculty. Cudd has three degrees from Pitt — master’s in philosophy and economics and a Ph.D. in philosophy.
Before taking the provost job at Pitt, Cudd was dean of arts and sciences at Boston University from 2015 to 2018, and held various positions from 1994 to 2015 at the University of Kansas, including vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies.
The other finalists for the Wisconsin job include the current UW-Madison Provost John Karl Scholz; former Notre Dame Provost Marie Lynn Miranda; dean of the UCLA law school, Jennifer Mnookin; and former provost of the University of Utah, Daniel Reed.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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