Comments from others about Chancellor Wiley’s tenure

A world-leading research institution that drives our economic growth, highly educated graduates ready for the jobs of the future — this is John Wiley’s legacy. Chancellor John Wiley has been an excellent leader whose work to rebuild campus, particularly in the areas of science, engineering, business and medicine, has made the University of Wisconsin the envy of the nation.

From the Institutes for Discovery to the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Chancellor Wiley has helped build an economic engine that will drive Wisconsin’s future. Above all, he has demanded the highest education standards for Wisconsin students, ensuring a bright future for them and our state.

I’ve always been impressed by John’s broad, strategic view of higher education and the key role that UW-Madison plays within that bigger framework. He understands that a strong UW-Madison contributes to a vibrant UW System, and that the success of our entire public university system contributes to the vitality of our flagship campus.

Chancellor Wiley has been a strong leader for the Madison campus and the entire state. He’s been especially successful in providing leadership to major fundraising campaigns, crisscrossing the country to meet with individual donors and foundations, conveying a clear vision for the university’s future and cultivating solid personal relationships. That kind of deep personal commitment is an invaluable asset to the entire university community.

John’s strength is that he’s just so darn genuine with people. He’s very up-front, very sincere and very passionate about what he does, and that’s infectious. I think that’s one of the driving forces behind our successful capital campaign: Alumni really respond well to John because those qualities always come through, and they see his commitment to the institution.

He’s brought high intelligence, a caring heart and, in the 21st century, an understanding of the future and of the kind of preparation that young people and researchers need at a great research university. I consider the opportunity to work with John during my six years at Madison one of the high points of a long career in higher education.

Eight years ago, I had the great pleasure of serving on the Chancellor Search Committee with a group of Wisconsin's finest faculty, alumni and students. At its three-month conclusion, six finalists were interviewed at O'Hare Airport in Chicago. At the conclusion of John Wiley's remarks, it was very clear to everyone that we had the winner and that Wisconsin was going to be in great hands going forward.

Having personally worked closely with John during our just-concluded $2 billion capital campaign, where we visited alumni in more than 30 cities, it was even clearer to me that we have been truly blessed by his enthusiasm, intelligence, leadership and wit. 

Secondly, in facing the university's great challenge in enhancing our diversity profile, we brought the Posse program to the campus, where today — with more than 100 students — Wisconsin has the largest group of current and future campus leaders of color of any of Posse's 28 university partnerships in the country.

It has been a great privilege to both be a part of the original committee that selected John and then to be able to work closely with him on our Campaign for Wisconsin and our very successful Posse programs. 

John Wiley, you are the best. On Wisconsin!

As a member of the Big Ten Board of Directors, Chancellor Wiley provided critical leadership with respect to the NCAA academic-reform movement and the conference’s sportsmanship initiatives, as well as our conference bowl and media-rights development.

Additionally, during John’s tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, its athletic program has prospered at the conference and national levels while experiencing significant facility improvements. I personally count John as a friend and wish him the very best.

I have had the rare privilege of working closely with Chancellor Wiley for the past 10 years. John is an outstanding advocate and highly principled leader who has steadfastly argued for excellence, access, opportunity and transparency in higher education, as well as the historic responsibility for consistent public support of higher education. His work on behalf of the University of Wisconsin, his state and the nation stands as an inspiring legacy of achievement.

I worked very closely with John when he was dean of the Graduate School and as provost, and I’ve admired the way in which he has, in a sense, kept UW-Madison in a strategic direction for a sustained period of time. Universities often shift their commitment to a particular direction when chancellors change, but John truly consolidated the directions that were developed probably as long ago as the very late 1980s, when three successive chancellors — Shalala, Ward and Wiley — worked together as a team. This kind of consistency of direction is, I think, quite rare.

The reputation of the institution nationally remains remarkably high. From a Washington perspective, I find many people express admiration of the achievements of UW-Madison in alumni support and federal research funding. A great university requires a commitment from all parties, and John has often had to reach for that goal under extremely difficult circumstances.

Chancellor John Wiley understands economic development and the role that the UW plays as an economic engine for the region. As a valued Chamber board member, he ensured a vital partnership between the university and the business community.

His leadership contributed greatly to the formation of Thrive, [the new regional economic group for Dane and surrounding counties]. This region and those whose lives have been enriched by the Wisconsin Idea have benefited greatly from his vision, passion and commitment.

John Wiley has been a good partner with city government. The university plays a vital role in Madison, and John has worked hard to extend the reach and benefits of the Wisconsin Idea to our community. He has also been a steadfast defender of the importance of affordable public higher education and the need for the state to invest more in this critical public resource. During John’s tenure, town-gown relations have been among the best ever.

The Madison community is a better place thanks to John’s many contributions. I wish him a happy and healthy retirement and look forward to working with him for the remainder of his tenure to continue the partnership between city government and the university.

John Wiley is a unique leader who has demonstrated an extraordinary grasp of the academic needs of a large, complex university, as well as understanding the pivotal role the university plays in the larger statewide economy. His steady hand on the tiller at a time of unprecedented fiscal challenge to higher education — and UW-Madison in particular — has been remarkable.

He will be remembered as a leader unafraid of the big idea and steadfastly providing the campus with the infrastructure that’s needed to be a world-class institution. His leadership and understanding of technology transfer sets him apart from academic leaders nationally.

His support and direct involvement with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the UW Foundation and University Research Park is a key ingredient to the success of these institutions.

Nobody can top the amount of time and energy and effort that Chancellor Wiley has given to this university. UW alumni across Wisconsin and around the world know John as inspiring and great fun, and he makes time to meet every grad who wants to say hello. John’s success in alumni, donor and corporate relations, and the campus master plan, will be part of his lasting legacy.