Posted: 01/24/07

What's up with Wiseman
A look at one of the potential presidents for St. Michael's College

Amanda Gallagher | executive editor
agallagher@smcvt.edu
Kate Power | executive editor
kpower2@smcvt.edu

Wiseman speaks to faculty, staff, and students at the open forum. (Mike Morris, photo)

With the confidence of a lawyer and the sass of a wrongly accused, Christine Wiseman met an inquisitive crowd at St. Michael’s College with no less strength than if she were addressing the United States Supreme Court. With one hand grasping each side of the podium, she looked into the crowd at McCarthy Art’s Center, determined to win them over.

“I’m a straight talker,” Wiseman says, “with no other agenda than the good of the institution I serve.”

As one of the final three candidates for the St. Michael’s presidency, Wiseman set the tone of the open forum last Thursday, Jan. 18th with that very sentiment. After a brief highlight of her professional history, Wiseman dove headfirst into questions posed by faculty, alumni, and current students.

“Let me be honest with you,” Wiseman says. “Because…I will be.”

So what does she do, anyway?

Currently, Wiseman is the vice president for academic affairs as well as a professor of law at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Her academic career path was paved by her previous professional endeavors, including serving as the Assistant Wisconsin Attorney General with the Criminal Appeals Division, and chairing the Wisconsin State Bar Task Force on Administrative Suspension. Still an active advocate for equal rights justice, Wiseman says she fights one death penalty case every year.

Dean and professor of law at Creighton University Pat Borchers has worked with Wiseman for the past five years. He says that Wiseman is an ambitious leader who knows how to implement teamwork into her strategies.

“She’s good about getting input, taking advice, she isn’t somebody trying to do it all herself,” says Borchers. “Which is important in an academic setting where there are so many different constituencies.”

Although her professional history has the potential to be intimidating, Borchers says that she is very open and willing to receive student opinions.

“She’s a terrific leader, and very accessible,” Borchers says. “She’s great with students.”

Wiseman reiterated her commitment to student involvement throughout the forum, addressing a questions about the lack of student attendance at athletic events.

“I’ll show up at your games. Let the students study.”

She’s a person, too

Even though Wiseman had to win over more than a hundred apprehensive audience members last Thursday, she had at least one confirmed fan sitting in the front row. Her husband of 34 years, Bill Wiseman, attended the forum in support of his wife.

“I think she’s been drawn to the values that St. Michael’s reportedly embodies,” Bill says. “She’s been drawn to the people.”

Wiseman says that interfacing with people was one of the things led her down the academic path.

“I like the interaction,” Wiseman says. “It’s why I went into education.”

The mother of three children, Wiseman also spoke on the importance of family values, and how they have influenced her ambassadorial capabilities.

The fact that Wiseman is able to handle situations personably and diplomatically is a strength in the eyes of St. Michael’s students. Senior Rebecca Richards attended the open forum and says she was impressed by Wiseman’s address.

“I think she’s very strong willed and strong minded,” Richards says. “She’d be able to take a lot of heat from outside sources, like people in the area that may not have good sentiments about St. Michael’s.”

Although the official selection for the St. Michael's presidency has not been announced, Borchers says he is apprehensive about the outcome.

"Honestly," he says, "I hope she turns you down."