• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

UW-Rock County names interim dean

JANESVILLE — James F. Veninga will take over the leadership of UW-Rock County beginning July 1.

Veninga, a professor of religious studies at UW-Marathon County, will serve while a national search is conducted for a successor to Campus Executive Officer/Dean Diane Pillard.

The announcement comes in a news release from Ray Cross, chancellor of UW Colleges.

Pillard announced in January that she will step down after six years in that post.

The CEO/dean is the chief operating officer and chief academic officer of the campus and represents the campus in the community.

Veninga was CEO/dean at UW-Marathon County in Wausau from 2000 through June 2007. His accomplishments include laying the groundwork for the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service.

After Veninga stepped down, he resumed his academic position on the campus. Veninga will remain a member of the WIPPS Advisory Board while at UW-Rock.

Veninga is a nationally known author and educator, according to the news release. Before coming to Wisconsin, he directed the Texas Council for the Humanities for 23 years. The James F. Veninga Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award is named in his honor.

“We are fortunate to be able to call upon such an outstanding administrator and educator to keep UW-Rock County moving forward during this transition period,” Cross said.