PLATTEVILLE — UW-Platteville Chancellor Dennis Shields is fond of saying that “it’s a great day to be a Pioneer.”
Shields now will have to get used to replacing “Pioneer” with “Jaguar.”
Shields will be leaving to become the president-chancellor of the Southern University System in Louisiana, according to Louisiana media reports.
Shields, the chancellor at UW-Platteville since 2010, was the unanimous choice of Southern University’s Board of Supervisors to run the only historically black university system in the U.S.
“I think the selection of Dennis Shields represents our belief that he’s the best fit to lead the University following Dr. Belton,” said Edwin Shorty, chairman of the Southern University System Board. “We felt that Mr. Shields comes with the right mix of qualities to further advance the University.”
“There is one person, in my opinion, today who is the best fit for where Southern is today and where our strategic plan and master plan are striving to take this Southern University System,” said Rev. Samuel Tolbert Jr., the board member who nominated Shields for the post, quoted by the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate.
“I am humbled and honored by your confidence in me to take on this role at this wonderful institution of higher education,” said Shields said to the Southern University Board via livestream. “I had a remarkable and inspiring visit [to campus] and was able to spend some time with the students. I take it as a great responsibility to help continue the rise of the Southern University System.”
Southern’s main campus is in Baton Rouge, La., with other campuses in New Orleans and Shreveport. The university system has 13,000 students.
Shields will replace President—Chancellor Ray Belton, who is retiring June 30.
During Shields’ term as chancellor UW—Platteville built two dormitories, Rountree Commons and Bridgeview Commons, renovated Boebel Hall in a $23.7 million project and Williams Fieldhouse in a $15 million project, and is building Sesquicentennial Hall, a $55 million engineering building. Shields also oversaw campus repairs following the June 2014 tornado. Enrollment reached nearly 10,000 students in the mid-2010s thanks in part to the Tri-State Initiative to bring in students from Illinois and Iowa.
Shields also incorporated the former UW Center-Richland and Baraboo/Sauk County campuses into UWP after the Legislature merged all UW two-year campuses into its four-year universities.
Shields was the first chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for Division III. UW-Platteville focused on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion with Shields as chancellor. UWP has doubled the number of students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds over the past decade.
Shields also had to make several million dollars in budget cuts, including position cuts, following cuts in state funding in the early 2010s and enrollment drops in the late 2010s.
Shields previously was a finalist for the presidency of Chicago State University, but was not chosen, and Wright State University in Ohio, but withdrew from consideration.
Shields graduated from Graceland College in Iowa and earned a law degree from the University of Iowa. He worked in admissions for the Iowa, University of Michigan and Duke University law schools and was dean of the University of Phoenix Law School and was acting vice president for student affairs at City College of New York before becoming UWP chancellor in 2010,
Shields was chosen over finalists Lawrence Alexander, chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Walter Kimbrogh, president of Dillard University in New Orleans.
Shields’ start date is pending the final approval of his contract by the Southern University Board.