Connie Foster Selected to Lead the University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Connie Foster was appointed interim chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, effective July 1. This will be her second stint in the post. She was interim chancellor for 10 months, beginning in 2008.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls enrolls more than 5,700 undergraduate students and about 400 graduate students, according to the latest data supplied to the U.S. Department of Education. Women make up 63 percent of the undergraduate student body.

During her previous tenure at the university, Dr. Foster initially served as a professor of health and human performance, gymnastics coach, and women’s athletic director. She later was appointed athletic director and chair of the health and human performance department. Dr. Foster also held the roles of dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies and interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. After leaving the university in 2009, Dr. Foster founded a facilitation and consulting business where her work has primarily focused on strategic and academic planning at institutions of higher education.

Originally from California, Dr. Foster earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University, Long Beach and her master’s degree in sport psychology at the University of Southern California. She holds a Ph.D. in sport psychology from the University of Minnesota.