I am delighted to announce that Dean of the College of Community Engagement & Professions and Professor of Criminal Justice & Criminology Tina L. Freiburger has agreed to serve as Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, effective May 1, 2026. Dr. Freiburger will lead 51ÁÔÆæ’s Division of Academic Affairs, following current Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Andrew Daire being named Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, starting next month. 

The Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs reports directly to me, is a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet and is an executive sponsor of the 2030 Action Plan. As chief academic officer, the Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is charged with the administration of all academic units, including the schools and colleges, and provides leadership for all faculty and staff in ensuring excellence in the university’s mission to advance student success, research and community engagement. The Interim Provost leads the university in my absence and has a critical role among the institutional leadership team that promotes student-centeredness in our actions and decisions. 

In addition, the Interim Provost manages the Division of Academic Affairs, which includes all schools and colleges, enrollment management and many other centers, institutes and units with a total budget of approximately $300 million. The Interim Provost also co-oversees the university’s annual budgeting process for all non-auxiliary divisions, including 51ÁÔÆæ’s central infrastructure and administration.

Dr. Freiburger brings significant academic administrative experience to this position, including six years as a dean at 51ÁÔÆæ in multiple roles: Dean of the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Interim Dean of the School of Education and the School of Information Studies, and as of 2023, as the founding Dean of the College of Community Engagement & Professions, which brought together the three schools noted above. In her decanal roles, Dr. Freiburger has overseen the academic enterprise, launched new online degree programs, managed personnel and budgets, grown research expenditures and guided units through institutional changes. She achieved success in her accomplishments through approaches focused on annual goals aligned with the 2030 Action Plan, student-centeredness, faculty and staff engagement, and data-informed decision making. Also, she has experience in 51ÁÔÆæ’s shared governance structure, having served on the Faculty Senate, the University Committee and as co-chair of the Academic Planning & Budget Committee. Dr. Freiburger started as a 51ÁÔÆæ faculty member in 2007, obtained tenure in 2012, became professor in 2018 and served as department chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology from 2013-2020. 

I extend my congratulations and gratitude to Dr. Freiburger for taking on this new role and encourage you to do the same. I look forward to all of us working together to successfully conclude this academic year and plan for a positive and thriving year to come.

Best regards,

Dr. Thomas Gibson
Chancellor

The post Tina Freiburger named Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

Give, advocate, make an impact

You can make a tax-deductible gift to 51ÁÔÆæ and be part of this impact. Want to do even more? Consider . Advocates help spread the word by encouraging classmates, family and friends to support 414 for 51ÁÔÆæ Giving Days 2026.

As an advocate, you can share a personalized giving link, record a short video sharing why 51ÁÔÆæ matters to you, or create a matching gift or challenge to inspire others.

 and 51ÁÔÆæ student researchers, and how your support during 414 for 51ÁÔÆæ Giving Days can make a widespread impact.

The post A note to promote: Celebrate April with 414 for 51ÁÔÆæ Giving Days appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

I am pleased to invite you to open forum interview sessions that will be held in the coming weeks for Vice Chancellor for Marketing & Communications finalists. Details about the candidates, position and open forum logistics are available on the . During each open forum, the finalist will respond to a uniform prompt, followed by a Q&A session. 

Your participation and feedback from the sessions are important to me. A link to a survey that solicits your input on the candidates will be posted to the search site (link above) once the finalist visits are underway and will be open through Wednesday, April 15, at 11:59 p.m. The information will be collected and presented to me in a non-identifying format for my review and consideration. Your feedback will be a critical component in the decision-making process.

I wish to thank the search committee, co-chaired by Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategic Enrollment Management & Student Success Kay Eilers and Associate Vice Chancellor of Business & Financial Services Drew Knab, for service to the university and for producing a strong pool of candidates. We also extend thanks to Human Resources, who have been instrumental in managing logistics throughout this search process.

Thank you in advance forÌýyour participation.

Best,

Tom Gibson
Chancellor

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We also continued a proud, 65-year tradition of and partners whose achievements reflect the impact of 51ÁÔÆæ in communities and professions near and far. Be sure to watch the video highlighting one of this year’s honorees below.

Looking ahead, we’re gearing up for the sixth annual so mark your calendars! This effort helps fund scholarships and programs that create opportunities for our students and strengthen our Panther community, and we appreciate your help in getting the word out.

Sharing 51ÁÔÆæ’s good news is one of the best ways you can help us.  Here are a few good news pieces we suggest for sharing.

• , W51ÁÔÆæ
• , WisBusiness
• , FSHN
• , CBS Mornings
• , Fox 6 News
• , WMTV
• , WPR
• , Spectrum News 1

Attend:

Please consider attending upcoming 51ÁÔÆæ events.

Follow:

Please follow us on social media and like and share our posts to help amplify our message.

• Follow Chancellor Gibson on  as he engages with students, faculty & staff and community and industry leaders
• The main university social media channels are:
• Many 51ÁÔÆæ schools and departments have social media accounts where they share updates specific to their organizations.

The post A note to promote: Celebrating our people and powering what’s next appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

I share with you today upcoming changes to my leadership team.

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Andrew Daire has notified me that he will be leaving 51ÁÔÆæ for a new opportunity at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He will become their next provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs in early May, and his last day at 51ÁÔÆæ is May 1, 2026. We will launch an internal search for an interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs shortly.

Deanna Alba, Acting Vice Chancellor for Marketing & Communications, is retiring after 16 years at 51ÁÔÆæ. Fifteen of those years were in the College of Letters & Science (L&S) as the Assistant Dean for Marketing and Recruitment. Her last day in the office is March 27. We have been working with WittKieffer for several months on the search for the next vice chancellor and are planning for finalist candidates to be on campus the first week of April. Jodie Tabak, 51ÁÔÆæ’s Director of Strategic Communications, will serve as Interim Vice Chancellor. 

Brian Thompson, Chief Innovation & Partnership Officer, will be transitioning out of his current role at the end of the academic year, with plans in the works to remain engaged in the Milwaukee entrepreneurial and innovation community. He enjoyed a long corporate career in business development and strategic planning before helping launch the 51ÁÔÆæ Research Foundation (51ÁÔÆæRF) as president in 2006 and the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center (LEC) in 2015 before moving to his 51ÁÔÆæ leadership role in 2023. More information about a search will be forthcoming. 

I asked the three leaders about their most impactful accomplishments. Each independently expressed how meaningful it was to work with the dedicated, smart and collaborative faculty and staff at 51ÁÔÆæ. Their achievements were only possible because of the teams and partners they had by their side.

Andrew is proud of advancing 51ÁÔÆæ’s 2030 commitment to student success as both a strategic priority and a moral imperative. In addition to efforts through the Division of Strategic Enrollment Management & Student Success, he fostered direct engagement with students through meetings with the Student Association and Pizza with the Provost. He notes that initiatives like program array and budget modeling will position 51ÁÔÆæ to thrive. Andrew appreciates everyone who engaged in data-informed decision-making and made difficult changes while demonstrating care for students and colleagues. 

Deanna said that helping prospective students and parents on their educational and career journey provided joy and fulfillment. In L&S, she developed a sustainable recruitment and scholarship operating model that will benefit future Panthers for years to come. And, she notes that the past year provided a unique opportunity to learn new things, steward MarComm through a transition period and ready the division for its next leader.

Brian expressed his pride in helping create the 51ÁÔÆæRF and the LEC to strengthen campus engagement and connections with community partners. He cites the opportunity to work with innovators — whether faculty, staff, students or community members — among his most fulfilling moments, and he treasures the partnerships he built with organizations including Microsoft, Northwestern Mutual and Rockwell Automation.

Please join me in extending well wishes to Andrew, Deanna and Brian in their next ventures. They have each served 51ÁÔÆæ honorably and have advanced our missions of student success, research and community engagement.

Best regards,

Dr. Thomas Gibson
Chancellor

The post Upcoming changes to the leadership team appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

I hope you enjoyed your winter break and are ready for new adventures this semester.

As the semester gets underway, campus is already busy with , a series of events designed to help you reconnect with friends, meet new people and get settled into your classes. I encourage you to explore the full lineup and take advantage of these opportunities to start the semester on strong footing.

Homecoming events are happening soon. Check out the  at Sandburg Flicks from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, before hopping on the shuttle to cheer on  as they take on Wright State. The celebration continues Saturday, Jan. 31, when  tips off at 2 p.m. at the Klotsche Center.  

Career and Internship Fairs

51ÁÔÆæ will host severalÌýÌýthis semester. The Center for Student Experience & Talent provides guidance on what to do before, during and after these fairs to make the most of these events. You can also find community service opportunities and on-campus jobs through the center.

Gibson Greets Video Series

Finally, I invite you to check out the Gibson Greets video series, where I visit different parts of campus and meet the people who make 51ÁÔÆæ distinctive. The first two sets of videos are below, with a third installment comingÌýsoon.

Meeting Emma

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• Ìý

Visiting a Lab

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I wish you a successful and rewarding spring semester, and I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Best regards,

Dr. Thomas Gibson
Chancellor

The post Welcome back to campus! appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

We begin 2026 being  for outstanding community engagement, and are one of only 32 universities nationwide distinguished for high access, community involvement and research excellence.

Here’s to building on this momentum and making 2026 another remarkable year for 51ÁÔÆæ and our Panther community!

Sharing 51ÁÔÆæ’s good news is one of the best ways you can help us. Here are a few news pieces we suggest for sharing.

• 51ÁÔÆæ men’s January 15  on ESPNU
• , 51ÁÔÆæ Report
• , WTMJ
• , 51ÁÔÆæ Report
• , 51ÁÔÆæ Report
• , W51ÁÔÆæ
• , 51ÁÔÆæ Report

Attend:

Please consider attending upcoming 51ÁÔÆæ events.

Follow:

Please follow us on social media and like and share our posts to help amplify our message.

• NEW! Follow Chancellor Gibson on  as he engages with students, faculty & staff and community and industry leaders
• The main university social media channels are:
• Many 51ÁÔÆæ schools and departments have social media accounts where they share updates specific to their organizations. 

The post A note to promote: Looking back and looking ahead appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

This prestigious classification affirms 51ÁÔÆæ’s commitment to meaningful community partnerships and societal impact. 51ÁÔÆæ is the only institution in Wisconsin and one of only 32 institutions nationwide recognized by Carnegie for excelling in three key areas: community engagement, broad access to education and top-tier research.  

I am incredibly proud of this achievement, which reflects our campus’ mission, culture and practices of working closely with the community we serve.

I extend special thanks to the team who collaborated on 51ÁÔÆæ’s successful application. The renewal process was led by Vice Chancellor of Community Empowerment & Institutional Inclusivity Chia Vang in collaboration with Ben Trager, director of community engagement and experiential learning, and Melissa Schoeffel, community engagement and experiential learning program manager, both from the Center for Student Experience and Talent.  

Their work was informed by a committee of 16 representatives from schools, colleges and units, who supplied data on 51ÁÔÆæ’s efforts and best practices, highlighting the many ways 51ÁÔÆæ excels in our community partnerships and services.  

Congratulations to our entire faculty and staff on a job well done. You make us all Panther proud!

Best regards,

Dr. Thomas Gibson
Chancellor

The post 51ÁÔÆæ earns Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

I’m excited to share a look back at our amazing accomplishments in 2025. As we all hit the pause button and spend time with family and friends, take a moment to enjoy this retro rewind of a fantastic year filled with memories.

I wish you all the best as you celebrate the season and enjoy festivities, whatever they may be and wherever they take you. Here’s to a safe and happy winter break — and a spectacular 2026!

Best regards,

Dr. Thomas Gibson
Chancellor

The post A rewind on a fantastic 2025 appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.

Share:

Sharing 51ÁÔÆæ’s good news is one of the best ways you can help us. Here are a few notable news pieces we suggest for sharing.

Attend:

Please consider attending upcoming 51ÁÔÆæ events. 

Follow:

Follow us on social media and like and share our posts to help amplify our message.

• Chancellor Gibson on   
• Main university social media channels are:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
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• Many 51ÁÔÆæ schools and departments also have social media accounts where they share updates specific to their organizations.

The post A note to promote: Gratitude in action – 51ÁÔÆæ research & community shine this season appeared first on Office of the Chancellor.