University of Wisconsin political science professor John Zumbrunnen will serve as the UW provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs following a national search, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced March 9.
Zumbrunnen has served as interim provost since June 2025 after former provost Charles Isbell Jr. left UW to become chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, according to the announcement. Before this, Zumbrunnen served as senior vice provost for academic affairs and vice provost for teaching and learning, according to the Office of the Provost.
The provost is the university’s chief academic officer and second-ranking leader after the chancellor, overseeing academic programs, faculty affairs and campuswide academic planning and budgeting, according to the announcement.
Zumbrunnen said his foremost priority is advancing UW’s academic mission while positioning the university for long-term growth and impact.
“My job as provost is to work with the deans and everyone in the academic space to advance the academic mission,” Zumbrunnen said. “Priorities for me are to look to the future, think about how we can advance research that impacts lives and improves the world and how we can build on what is already an amazing educational experience for our students and do even better.”
Part of the role will involve planning to guide UW’s research enterprise and enhance the education experience for students as lifelong learners, according to Zumbrunnen.
Collaboration will be essential to addressing institutional challenges and achieving university goals, Zumbrunnen said. The provost’s office works with faculty and administrators to coordinate strategies and initiatives across UW’s academic departments.
Zumbrunnen said that one challenge reshaping both teaching and research at UW is AI. While the technology offers opportunities to enhance learning and accelerate research, it also presents challenges in the classroom, he said.
“AI can enable student learning in many ways,” Zumbrunnen said. “If we’re honest, it can also provide students opportunities to avoid learning, and we need to think about both the potential and the downsides.”
Researchers across campus are studying the greater implications of AI, including energy consumption from data centers, ethical questions about data use and potential political and social consequences, according to Zumbrunnen.
He said the university is facing financial challenges such as uncertainty surrounding federal research funding and increasing operational costs.
“There’s a significant financial challenge around federal research funding and affordability,” Zumbrunnen said. “When things get more expensive for me and you in our daily lives, things get more expensive for the university too.”
Zumbrunnen’s appointment comes as Mnookin prepares to leave UW at the end of this academic year. The provost’s office will work with the deans and vice provost to maintain stability and continuity during the leadership transition.
According to Zumbrunnen, UW will continue to balance immediate priorities and long-term planning for research and education. The university aims to maintain breadth across disciplines while strategically investing in areas with the greatest potential impact, including fields such as AI, sustainability and healthcare, Zumbrunnen said.
“Five years from now, I want to see us offering an education experience that’s grounded in rigor and excellence and really prepares students for what’s going to be a dynamic world,” Zumbrunnen said.
