Three finalists to become the next president of the Universities of Wisconsin outlined their visions for the system’s future during a public forum Monday at UW-Parkside. The candidates emphasized the value of higher education, the importance of the Wisconsin Idea and the need for collaboration across the university system.
Stephen Hawley, executive vice chancellor for administration and finance at the University of Mississippi, said higher education remains a key driver of economic and civic success.
“Higher education absolutely raises the bar for our world. We see the economic benefits as it relates to citizenry. It is a difference maker over and over again,” Hawley said.
Tonja Johnson, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Alabama System, said the Universities of Wisconsin should continue building on the Wisconsin Idea, which emphasizes service and engagement beyond campus boundaries.
“What excites me about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin is the opportunity to carry that idea forward and to make more possible for our students, our families, and the state of Wisconsin,” Johnson said.
Bernard Savarese, vice president for academic affairs at the University of Tennessee System, told attendees that shared governance would be central to his leadership approach.
“This begins with a commitment to shared governance. You can trust that things will always happen with you and not to you. Your ideas and voices have to matter to me. If the only solutions are the ones coming out of offices in Madison, then we’re failing,” Savarese said.
The next leader of the Universities of Wisconsin will be the system’s 10th president since it was created in 1971.