Posted 10 a.m. Friday, April 25, 2025
Ceremony and celebration set for Friday, May 2
James Beeby will be inaugurated as the 11th leader of UW-La Crosse during a campus and community celebration beginning 2:15 p.m. Friday, May 2.
Dr. Beeby, who began his role as chancellor July 1, 2024, will be recognized during an academic procession through campus, an investiture ceremony in The Bluffs Ballroom in the Student Union, and a community celebration on the first floor of the Union and adjoining lawn.
More information, including a full schedule of events, can be found online.
At UWL, an inauguration is traditionally held several months after the chancellor's official start date, with the investiture ceremony marking the official beginning of the chancellor’s tenure, as well as an important milestone in the history of the university.
The ceremony will include speeches from Dr. Beeby, university leadership and other dignitaries. The chancellor’s inaugural address will outline the vision, goals and priorities for the institution under Dr. Beeby’s leadership.
About Chancellor Beeby
Hailing from a small village in eastern England, Dr. 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.
Prior to his appointment as chancellor, Dr. Beeby enjoyed a 25-year career in higher education. He served most recently 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.
An inclusive leader committed to engaging all members of the campus and community, Dr. Beeby’s priorities include fostering 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.