MADISON (NBC 26) — Dr. Tonjanita (Tonja) L. Johnson has been selected as the next president of the Universities of Wisconsin, according to a press release from the university system.
Johnson was selected Friday by the Board of Regents in a unanimous vote.
A native of Butler, Alabama, she has served as senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Alabama System since 2019.
"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,” Johnson said. “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."
Johnson's UW presidency will begin on or about Jan. 1, 2027, according to UW. Renée Wachter will continue to serve as interim president until then before returning to her role as chancellor of UW-Superior.
Johnson will succeed former UW president Jay Rothman, who was fired by the system's board earlier this year after serving a little more than four years in the position.
A video message from Johnson is available here.
