Universities of Wisconsin Oshkosh Chancellor Andrew Leavitt announced on Oct. 16 that he will not be returning to his position next year. This makes Leavitt the 4th chancellor in the Universities of Wisconsin system to either announce plans to resign or be fired since Dec. 2023.
The announcement came nearly six months after the UW-Oshkosh faculty voted they had no confidence in Leavitt following the chancellor discontinuing over 200 non-faculty positions, including 140 layoffs, 76 retirements and approximately 35 open positions being eliminated in an attempt to solve the school’s budget deficit.
Leavitt, who was appointed chancellor in the fall of 2014, said he plans to resign at the end of June 2025. He said the decision stems from his “unwavering commitment to do what is best” for the university.
In his first public announcement following his resignation, Leavitt spoke about how institutions need to change their leader to replenish their energy and their vision for the future. He went on to talk about how he believed ten years was enough time for him to accomplish what he could, and he was excited to see how UW-Oshkosh will improve in the future.
Following Leavitt’s announcement, Universities of Wisconsin president, Jay Rothman, stated, “Since his first day as chancellor, Chancellor Leavitt has embraced the challenges that come with leadership. He is passionate about ensuring UW-Oshkosh is positioned for a vibrant future, knowing its success is vital to the region and our state.”
Leavitt plans on continuing to work at UW-Oshkosh as a chemistry professor.
