MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents unanimously selected Dr. Tonjanita Johnson as the next UW System President.
The board announced the decision on Friday, Oct. 30.
The Presidential Search Committee recommended Johnson to the Board of Regents after public forums, meetings with chancellors and UW system staff leadership, and interviews with a 24-member committee.
“I am deeply honored by the confidence the Board of Regents has placed in me and excited about the opportunity to serve the people of Wisconsin,” said Johnson. “Public higher education has the power to improve lives, strengthen communities, and shape a state’s future. I look forward to working with our chancellors, faculty, staff, students, elected leaders, and partners across Wisconsin to ensure that our universities remain engines of opportunity, innovation, and economic vitality. My goal is to help our remarkable UW universities become even stronger, more connected, and more consequential to the future of Wisconsin.”
The selection follows the unanimous firing of UW System President Jay Rothman in April, 2026.
“The Universities of Wisconsin have always been ladders of opportunity, opening doors for students and creating possibilities for generations ahead,” said Regent President Kyle Weatherly. “Dr. Johnson understands that promise, and she also understands that fulfilling it in the future will require us to keep innovating. She will connect our universities even more closely to Wisconsin’s future.”
57-year-old Johnson currently serves as the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Alabama System. Johnson has held various leadership roles at the University of Tennessee System, the University of New York at Stony Brook, Middle Tennessee State University and Mississippi Valley State University.
University of Wisconsin-Superior Chancellor Renée Wachter will serve as the Interim President until Johnson is appointed.
Johnson takes office as the 10th UW System President on or around Jan. 1, 2027.
