The University of Wisconsin System announced Tuesday Jack Miller, chancellor of UW- Whitewater, will likely leave to become the 12th president of the Central Connecticut State University. Miller has spent over 25 years in four state university systems nationwide.

UW System President Kevin Reilly applauded CCSU’s judgment in selecting Miller but said his departure would be a great loss to the UW community.

“Jack Miller’s departure is a loss for the UW System, the UW-Whitewater community and the state of Wisconsin as a whole,” Reilly said in a statement. “During his tenure, the percentage of new undergraduate multi-cultural students at UW-Whitewater has nearly doubled, and the numbers of multicultural faculty and academic staff have also increased.”

Reilly added Miller oversaw the development of several major UW facilities and helped initiate plans for a new College of Business and Economics. Miller also assisted the funding and development of UW-Whitewater’s Academic Advising and Career Exploration Center and chaired the Board of Governors of the Renaissance Group, a national academic organization.

“On behalf of the entire UW System, I thank Jack for his leadership, dedication and service and wish him well as he prepares for his presidency in Connecticut,” Reilly said, adding Miller will stay at UW-Whitewater for the remainder of the academic year.

In a statement, Miller described the qualities students should seek in a university.

“You need to be sure that the institution at which you study will be a place at which you will feel comfortable and ‘at home,'” Miller said, adding he is confident UW-Whitewater offers “outstanding educational opportunities in a caring and safe environment.”

The Board of Regents will soon begin a search for a new UW-Whitewater chancellor. Chancellors serve as the administrative staff of the UW System and Board of Regents. According to the UW System webpage, university executive searches “begin with the President charging the institutional search and screen committee to forward at least five candidates to the President and the Special Regents Committee, and conclude with President and the Special Regents Committee forwarding their recommendation to the full Board of Regents.”

The process typically lasts between five and seven months.