The Board of Regents’ leadership has turned over with former Vice President John Behling replacing former President Regina Millner as head of the governing body for the UW System.
Behling has been a regent since May 2012 and served as vice president since 2015. In a release, he called his time in the position an “educational and rewarding experience.”
“I am looking forward to serving the UW System even further as President,” Behling said in the release. “We will continue to advocate for our campuses, govern wisely, and remain accountable to the taxpayers, citizens and students we serve.”
Behling chaired the Tenure Policy Task Force in 2016, which recommended revising tenure policies within the UW System, ultimately leading to weaker tenure protections for faculty.
Replacing Behling as vice president is UW-Madison alumnus Drew Petersen, who has been on the board since 2013.
Like Behling, he said he wants to “ensure that the UW System remains one of the top public school systems of higher education in the nation.”
Also joining the board are Gov. Scott Walker’s three appointees - Green Bay bank executive Bob Atwell, Milwaukee attorney Michael T. Jones and UW-Eau Claire student Ryan Ring.
Both Atwell and Jones have supported Republicans in the past. Jones donated $15,000 to The National Republican Committee and Atwell gave $2,500 to Gov. Walker’s re-election campaign.
Atwell and Jones will serve seven-year terms as two of Gov. Walker’s 14 appointed citizen members. Ring will serve a two-year term as one of two student representatives.
“Their diverse experience and expertise will be valuable addition to the UW System Board of Regents,” Walker said in a March release after announcing his appointment of Atwell and Jones.
UPDATE June 9, 3:42 p.m.: This article was updated to include additional information.
