About the chancellor
A page within Chancellor
Dr. James M. Beeby became the 11th leader of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on July 1, 2024.
Prior to his appointment as chancellor, Dr. Beeby served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Keene State College in New Hampshire. He has also held faculty and leadership positions at the University of Southern Indiana and Middle Tennessee State University.
Hailing from a small village in eastern England, Chancellor Beeby was the first member of his family to attend college, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wales (United Kingdom), and both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in American culture studies from Bowling Green State University. His academic specialty is in U.S. history, particularly American political history, the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, African American history and Southern history, populism, the rise of Jim Crow and segregation, and American cultural history. He has written extensively and published two university press books and several articles.
An inclusive leader committed to engaging all members of the campus and community, Chancellor Beeby’s priorities include focusing on student success, expanding community partnerships, strengthening workforce development, providing high-impact learning and research opportunities, and building upon UWL’s longstanding reputation for excellence. He is a champion of public higher education and telling the positive story of the transformative impact of a high-quality education on individuals, their local communities, and the state.