University of Wisconsin Eau Claire - Periscope Yearbook (Eau Claire, WI)

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Hannah re-emphasizes scholastics by Deb Bluem Her face is no longer the new one on campus. Her name is easily recognized in the university community. Her job is a demanding one. Her first year as UWEC chancellor is over. Mary Emily Hannah became UWEC's fourth chancellor on January 2, 1981, when Leonard Haas retired after 21 years as chief administrator. With Hannah's inauguration, April 24,1981, she became the first woman to serve as chancellor in the UW system. It my be easier for a woman than a man to take over as chancellor after 21 years of Haas' dedicated leadership, Hannah said. A 50-year-old man would have been expected to step right into Haas' footsteps, she said. Hannah added that this would be an impossible task for a man or a woman but that people didn't expect her to fit his footsteps because she looks different and talks different. Because UWEC is a very male-dominated institution, everyone worked a bit harder in making the necessary adjustments during the transition period, Hannah said. People were very apprehensive in the beginning because I was a woman, she said. Some people still are apprehensive. There are lots of suspicions because there are not many women in this job. When Hannah took over as chancellor, she said her administration would probably differ from the previous one in style rather than educational philosophy. A year later, Hannah's first academic priority still is to continue high quality academic programs, but to limit the number of such programs. This implies high quality instruction, the right equipment and a first class library, she said. It includes all things that make high quality programs. Hannah's second priority was to accurately assess the future needs of students both to function as leaders of tomorrow and to have an economically productive livelihood. She hopes to balance these two concerns when evaluating, modifying or developing new programs. As chancellor, one of Hannah's first official acts was to appoint Sara Chapman, who had been her assistant in Minnesota, as a full-time executive assistant. Hannah called her appointment a revamping of a former executive position. In the past, the position had gone from a full to a part-time position. With Hannah's administration came a tendency to see deans as academic leaders rather than just administrators. This is a significant change over the past administration's expectations of deans, Hannah said. Also with Hannah has come a re-emphasis on scholarly activity among professors. This is characteristic of the times, she said. Teachers in the past have tended to be promoted automatically. Hannah doesn't regard tenure as automatic. Tenure in the future will require more evidence in teaching and scholarly activity, she said. This emphasis (on scholarly activity) will only increase, Hannah said. Fewer tenured positions will be available, making the process more discriminatory. Hannah also brought with her a tendency to use task forces to study university questions rather than giving the questions directly to the faculty senate. A task force is created only to study a question. It then takes its results suggestions to the faculty senate which makes a final decision. This is a time saving device, Hannah said. Last spring, Hannah created three new task forces dealing with graduate studies, international studies and student support services. The task forces are made up entirely of faculty members. Hannah's first year has seen the announcement of resignation by Vice Chancellor John Morris. Morris, after seven years as vice chancellor, announced his resignation in October, 1981, effective June 30,1982. After that time, he will teach in the English department. I realize that Dr. Morris has planned this change for several months, but I greatly appreciate his willingness to continue through this first full year of a new administra-