The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced Thursday that Provost Charles Isbell Jr. is leaving to become the next chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The end of his almost two-year tenure follows federal and state attacks on UW-Madison’s diversity programs, research and academic mission.
Isbell began his role at UW-Madison on Aug. 1, 2023 after decades at Georgia Tech. An accomplished computer scientist, he helped launch the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Initiative in February 2024. The faculty hiring program focuses on areas of societal concern such as artificial intelligence, global health and sustainability.
John Zumbrunnen, UW-Madison’s senior vice provost for academic affairs and vice provost for teaching and learning, will succeed Isbell on an interim basis, with a search for a permanent replacement beginning this fall.
Isbell will assume his new role on July 16.
