On June 1, 2009, Dr. Dean Van Galen became the 17th chancellor of UW–River Falls. Dr. Van Galen came to Wisconsin from the University of West Florida where he served as vice president for university advancement since 2003. During this time also provided leadership for alumni relations, development, marketing communications, and the University of West Florida Foundation. He previously served as vice president for advancement at Truman State University in Missouri.

Dr. Van Galen began his academic career in 1987 at Truman State University as a chemistry professor, earning honors as Educator of the Year in 1988-1989. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) named him Professor of the Year for the state of Missouri in 1991. In 1994-1995 he was an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow.

Dr. Van Galen, a Wisconsin native, earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UW–Whitewater. After earning a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Kansas State University, he worked as a post-doctoral research associate at the University of California, Berkeley.

UW-River Falls, ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s Best Colleges of 2008 (Midwestern University-Master’s), has an enrollment of more than 6,000 undergraduate students and nearly 500 graduate students. The university employs about 800 people and is the western-most institution in the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System. The chancellor of UW-River Falls is responsible for an annual operating budget of approximately $95 million.