Chishty selected as dean of the College of Education, Business and Allied Health 

May 11, 2023 - Muhammad Chishty, Ph.D., has been selected as the dean of the newly established College of Education, Business and Allied Health (CEBAH) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Chishty will begin his role on July 1. Interim Dean Dawn Hukai will provide leadership through the end of June.

Chishty steps into this position following the recent realignment of the College of Business and Economics (CBE) and the College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS). The bringing together of the two colleges will be effective July 1. 

“Dr. Chishty will provide stability and direction during this very exciting time for UWRF," said David Travis, provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at UW-River Falls. “Bringing CBE and CEPS together is the result of more than a year of meaningful collaboration. This reorganization allows us to focus on giving our students the best opportunities to succeed while being fiscally responsible with taxpayer and tuition resources.”

"I am honored to serve as the inaugural dean of the College of Education, Business and Allied Health at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls,” said Chishty. “Throughout the hiring process, I was struck by the deep commitment of the faculty and staff to their students' education and wellbeing, as well as the resulting engagement and enthusiasm among students I met during my campus visit. I am grateful to Chancellor Maria Gallo, Provost David Travis, and the university for inviting me to join this incredible community, and I look forward to working with all of you."

Chishty comes to UW-River Falls from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan., where he was dean of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship and a professor of finance. Prior to that, he served as a faculty member, and also in a variety of administrative positions including interim dean of the Graham School of Management at Saint Xavier University in Chicago.

Chishty earned his B.A. in political science in 1984 from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. After a year in the Ph.D. program in political science at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, he switched his focus to finance and went on to earn his M.S. in finance in 1988 and a Ph.D. in business administration with a concentration in finance in 1991, both from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

“The realignment of academic resources reflects the university’s commitment to students and the community,” said UWRF Chancellor Maria Gallo. “We are pleased to have a future-focused leader like Dr. Chishty join our team with the goal of developing transformative experiences for our students.”