Special Regent Committee selects three finalists for UW-Madison chancellor role

UW-Madison narrows chancellor search to three finalists, including two from Illinois

Channel 3000 reported Thursday that the Special Regent Committee, after a comprehensive search, selected the three candidates who will now face public scrutiny and interviews in the coming days.

This is a critical moment for UW-Madison, which has been without a permanent chancellor since Jennifer Mnookin departed to become president of Columbia University. The process is being closely watched by the campus community and higher education observers, as the next chancellor will shape the future of a university central to the state’s identity and economy.

The Finalists: A Blend of Proven Leadership

The candidates were recommended by a 23-member Search and Screen Committee, which included students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community stakeholders, before being approved by the Special Regent Committee.

The list, provided by UW-Madison News, includes:

Dr. Rashid Bashir, Dean of the College of Engineering and Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. John Coleman, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Radenka Maric, President and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Connecticut.

Two of the three candidates hail from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a major public research university and a peer institution to UW-Madison. The third candidate, Dr. Maric, comes from the University of Connecticut, bringing a perspective from a different state’s flagship public university system.

Candidates to Hold Public Forums

The community will get a chance to meet the candidates in person next week. Each finalist will hold a public forum, giving students, faculty, staff, and members of the public a rare opportunity to directly engage with the individuals vying to lead Wisconsin’s flagship university. The forums, all scheduled for 4:30–5:30 p.m., will be held in Tripp Commons at the Memorial Union.

The schedule is as follows:

Monday, Nov. 9: Dr. Rashid Bashir
Thursday, Nov. 12: Dr. John Coleman
Friday, Nov. 13: Dr. Radenka Maric

Following each public session, feedback can be submitted through an online form, which will remain open until 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14. This feedback, along with private interviews with students, staff, deans, and external partners, will be crucial for the Special Regent Committee's deliberation.

“UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the Universities of Wisconsin,” a message from the Universities of Wisconsin states. “It is recognized internationally for its rigorous academics, ground-breaking discovery, and rich student experience, as well as its steadfast commitment to public service, a core campus principle known as the Wisconsin Idea.”

The selection process is designed to be thorough and inclusive. After the public forums and interviews, the Special Regent Committee will deliberate and forward its recommendation to the full Board of Regents. The Board will make the final hiring decision, a process that is expected to conclude in the near future. The timing is critical, as the university continues its mission without a permanent chief executive at the helm.

For a university so closely tied to the state’s identity through the Wisconsin Idea—the principle that the university’s influence should extend to every home in the state—the choice of a new chancellor is more than an administrative appointment.