Johannes Britz is the new provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Britz has been serving in the position on an interim basis since May 2010. The provost is the second-highest position at UWM and reports directly to the chancellor.
“From an outstanding group of provost candidates, Dr. Britz distinguished himself as the individual best equipped to help UWM meet our objectives of becoming a premier research university and a best place to work,” said UWM Chancellor Michael Lovell. “I am very confident in his abilities and his understanding of UWM.”
Lovell said Britz already has provided strong leadership in several significant areas, including campus reorganization planning, the ongoing creation of the new budget model and initiatives to expand the internationalization of the student body. Britz has also worked effectively with campus search-and-screen committees to bring new deans to UWM’s schools of Education, Freshwater Sciences and Public Health, and the College of Letters and Science.
Britz is the 10th person to serve as the provost since UWM was established in 1956.
After serving as a UWM visiting professor from 2001 to 2003, Britz joined the UWM faculty in 2004 and was named the dean of the School of Information Studies in 2005. He also served as the interim dean of the College of Health Science in 2008 and 2009. Britz holds two doctoral degrees from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
