UW System board approves raises for campus chancellors ranging from $5K to $15K

Kelly Meyerhofer
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The UW Board of Regents on Friday handed out 2% raises to nearly all University of Wisconsin System chancellors, which is in line with 2% salary increases taking effect for all UW employees at the start of 2023.

The raises push UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin's base pay from $750,000 to $765,000 and UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone's pay from $452,090 to $461,132. UW System President Jay Rothman declined the 2% salary increase, keeping his pay at $550,000.

One chancellor, Joe Gow of La Crosse, saw his salary increase even more to bring his pay up to the newly approved salary range for chancellors of smaller UW campuses. Gow's salary will increase 6%, from $247,661 to $262,719. Had he received only the 2% raise, his pay would have fallen below the minimum salary for his position.

More:UW System Board approves 2% raises for chancellors

More:UW System Board of Regents boosts chancellor pay, including some higher raises due to new salary ranges

The chancellors' raises follow two previous rounds of salary increases within the past year. Most chancellors received 2% raises last January and again in April. Three chancellors — Mone, Gow and UW-Stevens Point Chancellor Thomas Gibson — received larger raises ranging from 4% to 7.5% last spring in order to to keep salaries competitive and bring some of them above the previous minimum pay range for their positions.

The new base salaries for chancellors effective Jan. 1, 2023 are:

  • UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin: $765,000 ($15,000 raise)
  • UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone: $461,132 ($9,042 raise)
  • UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Andrew Leavitt: $287,061 ($5,629 raise)
  • UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Jim Schmidt: $285,266 ($5,593 raise)
  • UW-River Falls Chancellor Maria Gallo: $284,616 ($5,581 raise)
  • UW-Stout Chancellor Katherine Frank: $281,432 ($5,518 raise)
  • UW-Parkside Chancellor Deborah Ford: $276,020 ($5,412 raise)
  • UW-Superior Chancellor Renee Wachter: $276,020 ($5,412 raise)
  • UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander: $270,608 ($5,306 raise)
  • UW-Stevens Point Chancellor Thomas Gibson: $270,608 ($5,306 raise)
  • UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow: $262,719 ($15,508 raise)
  • UW-Whitewater Chancellor John Chenoweth (interim): 249,900 ($4,900 raise)
  • UW-Platteville Chancellor Tammy Evetovich (interim): $249,900 ($4,900 raise)

The regents asked for 4% salary increases for all UW employees in 2024 and 2025, citing inflation as the driver of their larger-than-usual request. The board is also asking the state to fully fund the raises, unlike past pay plans that have required UW campuses to cover 30% of the cost.

Professional programs see tuition increases

The board also approved tuition increases for most professional programs at UW-Madison. 

More:What to know about UW's 10-year tuition freeze and what's ahead for Wisconsin college students

Increases for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 years ranged from 1.5% for out-of-state MBA students to 6.3% for in-state law students. Most professional schools said their rates fell below Big Ten peers and indicated the increased revenue would go toward doling out more financial aid, hiring more faculty or enhancing “student experiences,” such as in career placement or lab equipment. 

Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at 414-223-5268 or kmeyerhofer@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KellyMeyerhofer.