UW-Milwaukee’s Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Johannes Britz, is leaving UWM to serve as the University of Wisconsin System Interim Senior Vice President as publicly announced at the UWM R1 Celebration on April 29.
Britz has served as Provost since 2010 and is the successor of Anny Morrobel-Sosa who is officially resigning on May 31. Morrobel-Sosa has served in her position for fewer than four years, starting in October of 2019.
Britz, who was named by the University of Wisconsin System Interim President Michael J. Falbo, will start his new position on June 1.
“Johannes brings a deep commitment to serving the academic needs of our students and a thorough knowledge of the UW System,” Falbo said. “I value his experience and expertise as a long-time provost and dean, researcher, and professor. I am grateful for his willingness to step in and serve in this system-wide role.”
As Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Britz was responsible for collaborating with all of UWM’s academic units including all schools and colleges to ensure long term success. Together with the President, he worked to advance UWM’s academic position by setting academic priorities and allocating the budget to ensure the priorities are met, among several other responsibilities. According to data from the UW System Accountability Board, since Britz became interim Provost in 2010, the UWM retention rate has increased by nearly 5%.
Britz served two years as interim Provost before being appointed permanent Provost in 2012. From 2005-2010 he served as the Dean of the School of Information Sciences as well as the interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences.
Britz is a life-long researcher and academic. He earned two doctoral degrees from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He has edited dozens of academic journals, advised on the International Research Foundation for Development as well as author and co-author over 100 scholarly articles.
In the wake of Provost Britz departure, UWM Chancellor Mark Mone announced that Dean of the College of Letters and Science and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Scott Gronert will serve as Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.
As the Dean of the College of Letters and Science, Groneret led over 95 academic programs, making up just about half of UWM’s 27,000 student body. Gronert came to Milwaukee from Virginia Commonwealth University where he served as Professor in Chemistry, department chair and associate dean for research.
“Dr. Gronert brings significant academic administrative experience to this position,” said Mone. “He served four years as the Dean of the UWM College of Letters and Science, the university’s largest academic unit. In this role, he has overseen advancements in research and increases in retention and graduation rates.”
Gronert began his new position on Sunday, May 15.