Letter to the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents

Dear Regents of the University of Wisconsin System:

As a former Jay C. & Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow at the University of Wisconsin (2006-7) and the spouse of a current faculty member (Anne O. Fisher, Senior Lecturer, UW-Milwaukee's Program in Translation & Interpreting Studies), I call on you to withdraw Jim Johnsen's candidacy from the search for the next UW System President.

As Timothy Yu--a respected poet, scholar, and the AAUP representative for UW-Madison--notes, "No faculty, traditional student, or staff representatives were appointed to the search committee, and the process has not allowed UW System faculty, staff, and students to provide meaningful input." A single, online forum for questions does not qualify as "input"; on the contrary, it feels like a con job. 

What's more, Johnsen's record with the University of Alaska is alarming. Like so many in academia, I was aghast when I heard that a state that pays its resident dividends for fossil fuel extraction would rather cut higher education than relinquish those dollars. While in Alaska, Johnsen received votes of no confidence from faculty and staff. That is not a good record. 

Most alarming of all, this search, in failing to name at least five finalists, may also violate state law. It certainly violates the AAUP guidelines for shared governance.

I cherished my time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I taught bright and curious students how to write creatively. My colleagues at the time, many of whom are still at UW, were a delight. They deserve better than this sham process. UW deserves better.

Very truly yours,

Dr. Derek Mong
Byron K. Trippet Assistant Professor of English Literature

NB: Institutional affiliation used for identification purposes only.