Universities of Wisconsin continue to build for the future (news summary)

Regent President Amy Bogost told the Board of Regents Monday that the Universities of Wisconsin are well positioned with their current three high-profile position searches.

Official searches are expected to be launched in the near future for three key positions: the President of the Universities of Wisconsin; the Chancellor of UW-Madison, the system's flagship; and the Athletic Director for UW-Madison.

"Each search will follow its own process, guided by transparency, collaboration, and the long-term interests of the university and state," said Bogost, at the online meeting.

"UW-Madison is entering this moment from a position of strength," she told Regents. "Under Chancellor Mnookin's leadership, the university is better positioned today than when she began her tenure."

Bogost noted that similarly, the Universities of Wisconsin have improved their financial footing, experienced three consecutive years of enrollment growth, and strengthened their role as a statewide driver of educational opportunity.

"The Board sees the next presidential search as an exceptional opportunity to identify a transformative leader who can build on that momentum and drive change," she said.

Unlike the president and chancellor searches, which are under the purview of the Board of Regents, naming the Athletics Director position is the direct responsibility of UW-Madison.

Regent President Bogost said the board is very grateful for former President Jay Rothman's service.

"His tenure was marked by a period of significant structural shifts, and we recognize the work he did to address longstanding financial deficits and put our campuses on a more sustainable footing," Bogost said. "We wish him the very best in his future endeavors. Our priority now is ensuring a seamless transition that supports our students, faculty, and staff."

Chris Patton, previously the Vice President for University Relations, was formally introduced as the UWs executive-in-charge.

"By rowing together, we will continue to ensure that we meet our mission of teaching, research, and service to our state and beyond," Patton said. "I know my colleagues, whether at one of our 13 world-class universities or here at UWs Administration, are committed to moving forward with our students at the heart of everything we do in the quest for new knowledge, discoveries, and cures."

Regent President's Report

Regent President Bogost also provided Regents with a brief update on current chancellor searches. Starting with the chancellor search at UW-Eau Claire, she reported that four finalists were recently named by the Special Regent Committee and visited with the Eau Claire campus community and the committee last week.

For UW-Madison, Bogost said a search committee will be announced soon to help identify a successor to Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, leaving at the end of the academic year to become president of Columbia University.

Turning to the end result of such searches, Bogost reminded Regents that UW-Oshkosh will celebrate the investiture of Chancellor Manohar Singh as its 12^th leader on Friday.

Taking a quick look at other significant events around the UWs, Bogost highlighted the recent launch by the UWs and the UW Credit Union of a new free short-form online video series designed to introduce Wisconsinites to the basics of generative Artificial Intelligence, or AI. The free series - the AI Skills Access Passport, or ASAP - teaches participants how AI works and how it might show up in their daily lives.

The course, developed by the UWs' Office of Online and Professional Learning Resources with assistance from Emily Laird, an AI Integration Technologist at UW-Stout, earned significant traction in the media across national and local platforms, with an estimated potential combined audience of 23 million with more than 10,000 page visits accessing the course since late March.

Bogost also noted that the UWs celebrated growth of a different kind recently with the official ribbon-cutting for the long-awaited Sci-Tech center at UW-River Falls and the ground-breaking for Winther and Heide Halls at UW-Whitewater.

"These facilities projects and the sustained efforts to make them a reality reflect our commitment in the UWs to serve our students and the broader Wisconsin community with state-of-the-art facilities and opportunities to keep our students future ready," Bogost said.

Finally, Bogost took the opportunity to offer early congratulations to about 23,000 students who will be presented with their University of Wisconsin diplomas in the coming weeks.

"It's a recognition of tremendous dedication and hard work, and our graduates - and their families - should be so very proud. I know we are," she said.

Farewell to departing leader

The Board of Regents presented UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin with a resolution of appreciation to recognize her many contributions to UW-Madison as well as the Universities of Wisconsin overall.

There's a moment in leadership when someone is no longer measured by their title and but rather measured by their impact, President Bogost said. "At every turn, she met the turbulence facing higher education, the political pressures, the technological disruptions, the post-pandemic reckoning, and she turned uncertainty into momentum… She didn't just lead this university, she loved this university."

Accepting the resolution, Mnookin said everything she's been able to accomplish at UW-Madison has come through working in collaboration.

"It has been an incredible honor to serve Wisconsin and the Universities of Wisconsin and Madison over a challenging period for higher education. But it's also a period where working together and keeping our eye on our mission, we've been able to keep things moving forward even amidst challenge," Mnookin said. "That isn't work that I did; that's work that we did. And I know it's work that's going to continue."

Mnookin noted that what she will carry with her most is the "sense of the devotion to higher education, to the joint missions of education of research, teaching, and service that the Universities of Wisconsin represent, and to our ability to change lives to do good in the world through the Wisconsin Idea … On Wisconsin."

Farewell to departing colleague

Regents also recognized Student Regent Desmond Adongo for his time of service on the Board, which concludes at the end of May.

Adongo, who has served since May 2024, called the opportunity "an honor of a lifetime." He added that there's "something almost strange about being asked to help govern a system that I'm still a part of as a student. I'm not yet finished, I don't have any credentials, yet I'm trusted to make decisions that'll outlast my time."

He said one of most formative opportunities he had was to serve on the search and screen committee to find the new chancellor at UW-Oshkosh, his alma mater. "I got the front row seat to see the depth of care and thoughtfulness that went into every decision and continues to go into every decision that helps shape our institutions. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Adongo closed by saying he leaves the board with genuine confidence because he's witnessed the commitment of his Regent colleagues. "You're devoted, you're thoughtful, and you never lose sight of why we're doing all this: the students," he said.

Adongo will graduate next month from UW-Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in Interactive Web Management, a minor in Information Systems, and certificates in Digital Marketing and Web Design.

In other business, the Regents:

• Recognized the passing of UW-Superior Chancellor Emeritus Julius Erlenbach, who died in late February at the age of 82. Erlenbach led the UWs' northernmost campus for 14 years, retiring in 2010;
• Approved an agreement with Aramark Educational Services, LLC for dining services operations at UW-Oshkosh. This is a five-year agreement with two one-year extensions to operate all dining services, including the residential dining program, retail operations, catering, conferences, camps, and summer activities. UW-Oshkosh's annual commission is estimated at $280,000 annually. In addition, Aramark will provide capital investment of $1 million;
• Approved UW-Madison's request to offer a Doctor of Audiology. The proposed Doctor of Audiology trains audiologists for professional certification and licensure and for practice in settings such as medical centers, schools, private practice, and research environments. Nationally and in Wisconsin, the demand for audiologists is projected to grow by 8-11% over the next decade. This request was presented alongside the UW-Stevens Point request for authorization of the same degree program. Since 2006, UW-Madison and UW-Stevens Point have offered a collaborative Doctor of Audiology. Offering independent programs allows each university to deliver new, localized learning opportunities and clinical placements, thus enhancing the student experience and increasing operational efficiency at both universities. Based on program application data, there is sufficient student demand to support both programs. Admission to the Doctor of Audiology Collaborative will be suspended upon authorization of the proposed Doctor of Audiology programs from UW-Madison and UW-Stevens Point;
• Approved UW-Stevens Point's request to offer a Doctor of Audiology. The program will train clinical audiologists through an evidence-based, three-year program aligned with professional certification and licensure. Graduates will be prepared to work in a variety of clinical and educational settings, including private audiology clinics, hospital and medical settings as well as in school districts or childcare settings. There is clear market demand for graduates nationally and in Wisconsin;
• Approved UW-Madison's request to offer a Doctor of Philosophy in Wisconsin Idea Executive Educational Leadership Preparation Program. The proposed program will replace and elevate an existing option under the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. Graduates will be prepared to enter jobs as superintendents and other district-level leadership roles in school districts. The proposed program meets requirements for the Wisconsin District Administrator license through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Industry data reflect substantial demand for superintendents in Wisconsin, and there are persistent vacancies among Wisconsin school districts;
• Approved UW-Superior's request to offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. The program builds on existing strengths in digital art and design at UW-Superior, and it emphasizes applied learning through community and industry partnerships, including internships and project-based experiences, to support career readiness and regional workforce needs. Graduates will be prepared for careers in graphic design and related fields such as social media marketing, User Experience and User Interface design, and content creation. There is clear market demand nationally for these related fields, and strong workforce demand in Wisconsin;
• Approved UW-Stout's revisions to their Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees Handbook. Substantive revisions to Sections 4.3.3 and 4.3.4 expand the list of terminal degrees to include Master of Design (MDes), Master of Art and Design (MAD), Master of Graphic Design (MGraph), or Master of Interior Design (MID). Substantive revisions to Section 4.9.7 eliminate committee meetings with candidates for promotion and tenure. The proposed policy revisions were developed in consultation with and approved by the UW-Stout Faculty Senate and by Chancellor Frank. UW Administration Offices of General Counsel, Human Resources, Academic Affairs, and Government Relations also reviewed these revisions, and there were no concerns;
• Approved the Universities of Wisconsin's request to extend test optional admission at all UW universities. This approval continues, through Summer 2028 admission application, the suspension of Regent Policy Document 7-3, Sections I. C. and II. B., which require the submission of ACT/SAT test scores by freshman applicants. Students will continue to be evaluated based on other application materials submitted as required by Regent Policy Document 7-3. This extension provides additional time to conduct research, specifically within the context of other public university systems research, to get a more complete understanding of the role test scores play in predicting college readiness while continuing to monitor collegiate actions and test optional research at the national level;
• Approved UW System's request for authority to construct various maintenance and repair projects, including the following:
  • Replacement of the restroom showers in the Jesse H. Ames South Fork Suites at UW-River Falls. The units have leaked since 2015, requiring continuous water mitigation and maintenance costs;
  • Roof replacement for University Services Building at UW-Superior. The University Services Building houses the Facilities Maintenance trade shops, workstations, automotive garage, material storage, offices, and campus mailroom. Worsening roof conditions risk damage to university property and disruption of services to all campus buildings;
• Approved a UW System request to construct a minor facilities renewal project, including renovation of the Trainer Natural Resources Greenhouse at UW-Stevens Point. The project removes the greenhouse structure and related components to facilitate repair of existing floor slabs, floor slab waterproofing, support walls, and wall waterproofing. A new greenhouse structure will then be constructed, including all framing, glazing, vents, and operators;
• Approved a UW-Madison and UW System request to construct the Kronshage-Jorns-Humphrey Residence Halls renovations. The project will renovate three UW-Madison student residences (Kronshage, Jorns, and Humphrey) to address critical building code and infrastructure needs while adding new program spaces and amenities. A connector bridge will link Jorns and Humphrey Halls;
• Approved Internal Audit's Fiscal Year 2026 Audit Plan Progress Report; and
• In the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, received the Payroll Monitoring Advisory Engagement Summary provided by the Office of Internal Audit.

The next meeting of the Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin will be June 4-5, 2026, at UW-Milwaukee.