Enz Finken named next provost

The hunt is over. After a national search and 90 applications, UW-La Crosse has found a new provost. Dr. Kathleen Enz Finken's first day as UW-L's Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs will be May 19th. Enz Finken is thrilled about her new position. "I've known about La Crosse's reputation for a fairly long time so when Chancellor Gow contacted me about the position and asked if I was interested in applying, I was very excited." Enz Finken said. Chancellor Joe Gow believes Enz Finken will be a great contribution to UW-L. "Dr. Enz Finken clearly is the candidate best suited to lead our academic affairs area into the future," Gow said. Currently Enz Finken is the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Minnesota State University Moorhead according to Gow. Some of her interests include athletic activities, gardening, reading, and outdoor activities. She also has two grown sons and three grandchildren with whom she loves to spend time, she said. "That's a really important piece of my life. I will miss them but I have plans to visit them," she said. "That's a reason La Crosse is so appealing to me, it is still very close to them." Enz Finken said she enjoys her current job but she is ready for something new. "I feel like I'm ready to move to a new school and a higher level position," she said. After Gow contacted Enz Finken, she began the application process, which she admits was a bit stressful. "I have been at Moorhead for 15 years and I have not been looking for another job," Enz Finken said. Because of this, she has not gone through the job application process in a long time, she explained. However, she said she feels very prepared for this position professionally and personally. "I think it will be a really good job for me and I'll bring a lot to the university," she said. Gow is assured that Enz Finken will do a wonderful job. "Kathleen's strong leadership talents and energetic enthusiasm for joining UW-L were quite apparent to us all," Gow said. Enz Finken explained that she was drawn to UW-L because the University is very student centered and she believes the students are well prepared academically. She also looks forward to working with Gow. Enz Finken is also impressed by UW-L's high retention rate. According to the UW-L website, eighty-seven percent of freshman return to UW-L for their sophomore year. "When students decide to attend UW-La Crosse most end up staying there because they like it so much," Enz Finken said. "That tells me something about the people who work there and the environment." Higher education is very important to Enz Finken and she wants the students to know she is there for them, she said. "I really do want to make a good impression with the students and I want them to know I care about students," Enz Finken said. "That is why I am in higher education."

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