Office of the President
University of Wisconsin System
February, 2004
Donald J. Mash, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
"Katharine Lyall has been an incredible leader during very difficult times. Difficult because recent and past state budget reductions have created real challenges for the UW System when measured against what it is expected to accomplish for the state. She has been a steady, stabilizing force dedicated to maintaining the high standards of the UW System and the stature of the UW System in higher education proves her efforts have been successful.
"I've always said Katharine Lyall possesses the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job. Being the president of a major university system is difficult even in the best of times. She has provided strong leadership at the UW System level while allowing campus leaders to do what is best at their individual institutions.
"I am hopeful there will be a smooth transition that Katharine's several months of notice will provide. My thoughts turn to the future and the important task of attracting a new leader of the same caliber as Katharine Lyall."
Bruce
Shepard, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
"Colleagues:
"At 1:00 p.m. this afternoon, President Katharine Lyall will announce her plans to retire. Those of us who have had the privilege of working closely with the President are saddened by the news.
"There are personal reasons: I could not have asked for a better colleague with whom to work. And, there are campus reasons: President Lyall has been a stalwart friend of and believer in UWGB, its special mission and its current strategic direction.
"I always have felt UWGB was her favorite campus but, I suspect, every other chancellor would say the same with regard to their own campus. And, that is testimony to her belief that the strength of the UW System is built campus by campus.
"There will be time to celebrate all that President Lyall has brought to Wisconsin and to American higher education. Katharine has agreed to serve until such time as a successor assumes the responsibilities and then she will continue her contributions through service at the Carnegie Foundation.
"My primary purpose in this brief note is simply to share with you the news of this change before you see it in tomorrow's paper. And, rather than dwell on the retirement of a fine leader, I would, instead, encourage you to join me in being thankful for the opportunity we have had to be part of a system led by one of America's truly preeminent academicians.
"The Regent's will, soon, be announcing search processes and plans. The strength and international reputation of our system is such that I have no doubt that we will be able to attract the very best leadership. Nevertheless, such transitions inevitably create anxieties. I would offer my own firm belief that UWGB's future is independent of particular individuals, that bright future resting as it does on the irresistible force of our current direction."
Bruce
Shepard, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Douglas
N. Hastad, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
"While the announcement of President Katharine Lyall's retirement is disappointing for those of us who have worked with her, we can all be proud of what has been accomplished under her leadership.
"Under her watch, the UW System has earned a worldwide reputation for excellence. Through a myriad of challenges including the state revenue shortfall, she maintained steely concentration on what matters most: meeting the needs of the students who attend the 26 UW System campuses. One would be hard pressed to find a leader who has demonstrated Katharine's competence, foresight and ability to consistently make the right decisions on behalf of her constituents.
"On a personal note, I am grateful for her friendship and counsel. And, on behalf of the UW-La Crosse family, we wish her the best as she enjoys her well-deserved retirement."
Douglas N. Hastad
Chancellor, UW-La Crosse
John
Wiley, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Read statement
Robert
Greenstreet, Interim Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
"President Lyall has always been a stalwart supporter of UW-Milwaukee, The Milwaukee Idea and all of UWM's community initiatives. We have benefited greatly from her commitment to public, urban education and will miss her leadership in this area and others.
"In the many years she has served as our system leader, she has been fair, open-minded and supportive and has never failed to see the humorous side of every situation. I think it is her keen sense of fun that I will miss most."
Richard
Wells, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
"President Katharine Lyall's honesty, devotion and loyalty to the University of Wisconsin System and its students, faculty and staff are unparalleled. Her concern for all our citizens and her dedication to the Wisconsin Idea should be greatly admired.
"Through one of the most demanding periods in the history of the UW System, Dr. Lyall has fostered collaboration and mutual respect among all chancellors in the state and her staff in Madison, a major reason our System is one of the most effective in the country. Her leadership and ability to get people to work together have prevented the divisiveness that hampers many other higher education systems in the country.
"Year after year, Katharine Lyall has taught an undergraduate class in economics at UW-Madison while she has led our great system. That experience has kept her focus on the importance of undergraduate education, and her leadership in that area is demonstrated every year in annual UW System accountability reports that show more of our students staying in college, getting degrees and getting good jobs after they graduate.
"The UW System will deeply miss the strong, steadfast leadership of Katharine Lyall."
John
Keating, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Read
statement
Ann
Lydecker, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
"For the past 11 years, we were fortunate to have had the voice of this exceptional public higher education leader speaking for us both in Wisconsin and nationally.
"During her time as president, Dr. Lyall has provided superb leadership in some very difficult economic conditions. She has led our System and our campus through these difficult times with vision and direction, and she is continuing that through the "Charting a New Course" review. That exercise has led to the formation of many future-oriented groups that will set the stage for her successor to take us into the future.
"All of our students, faculty and staff join me in extending our thanks and best wishes to Dr. Lyall as she heads on to her newest challenge."
Virginia
Helm, Interim Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
"President Lyall has provided firm and steady leadership to the UW System for over a decade. Her extensive knowledge and administrative skills are balanced by a warm personality and welcome sense of humor. I regret that I will have had so little time to work with her."
Julius
Erlenbach, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Chancellor Erlenbach offered these quotes from the road this afternoon in response to the announcement of UW-System President Katharine Lyall's retirement.
"President Lyall has been a very strong supporter of UW-Superior and a very strong believer in UW-Superior and the direction that it is taking. She has been very forthcoming to the Board in that support and that has helped us move along some of our recent projects more quickly than they may have otherwise advanced."
From a personal perspective,
Chancellor Erlenbach said:
"She has been very supportive of me all along. She's been helpful
and has been there for advice when I've needed it. From my perspective,
she is someone that I truly will miss."
William
Messner, Chancellor
University
of Wisconsin Colleges
"Upon President Lyall's retirement announcement, we find this day bittersweet for the UW Colleges. While Katharine Lyall richly deserves her retirement, having served the UW in different capacities since 1982—13 of those as president of the UW System—we will miss her leadership and her support of the UW Colleges.
"Over the course of Katharine's 13 years as UW System head, the university has faced many challenges. Katharine has effectively coalesced support from the System's 26 campuses to meet these challenges, and has made the UW System a vibrant force for the economic development of the state. She should be justifiably proud of her accomplishments.
"Despite her many and varied duties, she has made herself available to faculty, staff and students at many of our campuses, and has even taught on occasion at the UW Colleges. She is a fervent supporter of the institution and a believer in its mission of access
"We are happy for Katharine, but we regret seeing her go. She has been a stalwart leader for the entire UW System and we will miss her greatly. We wish her well on her impending departure from the UW System."
Kevin
P. Reilly, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Extension
"Colleagues,
"I want to be sure you have all heard that Katharine Lyall has announced her retirement as President of the University of Wisconsin System. The announcement was made at a 1:00 p.m. press conference today in Madison. A news release and other information about her announcement is available at http://www.uwsa.edu/presidnt/retirement.htm
"Those of you who know Katharine or have had an opportunity to interact with her will undoubtedly feel the same mix of emotions I do at this news. She has led the University for more than a decade, through good times and bad, with unparalleled intelligence, dignity, energy, honesty, humor, and commitment.
"We recognize and understand her desire to step down now from her administrative responsibilities and pursue interests at the Carnegie Foundation that she has long had in mind, and can feel happy for her in that. At the same time, the University is losing a person who has been the finest of leaders and a living symbol of its land-grant heritage and mission. Katharine was a strong, unwavering supporter of UW-Extension's niche in that land-grant mission, and we will miss her particularly for that.
"The Irish short story writer, Frank O'Connor, said of his relationship with the more senior Irish poet, William Butler Yeats: "I always felt good after I went to see the old man." Because I'd like to stay friends with Katharine after she leaves the University of Wisconsin, I won't characterize my relationship with her in precisely that way! But I will say that after my meetings with her, I always came away feeling empowered to lead UW-Extension in the special role it plays within the University, a role she understands and appreciates. I wish her only the best in the next steps of her career.
"Times of transition in leadership are bound to provoke a certain amount of uncertainty and anxiety. I am fully confident that the fine reputation of the University of Wisconsin, built on your work and that of your faculty and staff colleagues all across the System, will attract a highly qualified and exciting new leader to move the University into the future. I will do my best to keep you all posted on the search process as it moves along."
Kevin
P. Reilly, Chancellor
UW-Extension