Dr. James Beeby, former Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Keene State College in New Hampshire was named the new chancellor of UW-La Crosse following the firing of previous chancellor Dr. Joe Gow. Gow was removed from his position after it was revealed he produced and starred in pornographic videos with his wife.
The Universities of Wisconsin System Board of Regents unanimously approved Beeby’s appointment on March 13. He will assume the position starting on July 1, with Betsy Morgan continuing to serve as interim chancellor.
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman stated following Beeby’s acceptance as chancellor that the former Keene State provost would be a great asset to UW-La Crosse. “He had a proven record in student success and collaboration that will be extraordinarily valuable for the entire campus and its community.”
Rothman additionally extended his gratitude to Morgan for serving as interim chancellor following Gow’s absence.
Before being accepted as chancellor at UW-La Crosse, Beeby served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Southern Indiana, as well as a professor and chair in the Department of History at Middle Tennessee State University.
Rothman and the special regent committee for the UW-Lacrosse Chancellor Search recommended Beeby to the full board of regents.
Following his hiring, Beeby held a press conference in which he said, “I am very excited to join UW-La Crosse.” “I am drawn to this opportunity because of the university’s public mission and fine reputation. During my visit to this beautiful campus, I was impressed with the dedication of the faculty and staff to student success and transforming lives through excellent academic programs. I was also pleased to see the strong relationship with the city and local community, and I look forward to strengthening those ties as UW-La Crosse continues to serve the needs of the region and the state.”
