The candidates are Steven Gareth Holley, executive vice chancellor and chief operating officer at the University of Mississippi; Tonjanita L. Johnson, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Alabama System; and Bernard J. Savarese, vice president for academic affairs, research and student success at the University of Tennessee System.

Each candidate will speak at both forums. Monday’s event will be held at Bedford Concert Hall in the Rita Tallent Picken Regional Center for the Arts & Humanities at UW-Parkside. Holley is scheduled for 8 a.m., Johnson for 9:30 a.m. and Savarese for 11 a.m.

On Tuesday, the candidates will appear at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union at UW-Madison, 800 Langdon St. Savarese is scheduled for 8 a.m., Holley for 9:30 a.m. and Johnson for 11 a.m. Both events will also be streamed on Zoom.

Public comments can be submitted through the system’s search website, wisconsin.edu/about, from 8 a.m. Monday until 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Candidate biographies are posted there as well.

The finalists will also interview with the search committee, university chancellors and system administrators. The committee will recommend a candidate to the full Board of Regents, which will make the final decision.

“​​Our universities serve every corner of the state, and their success is critical to Wisconsin’s future,” said Regent Vice President Ashok Rai, who chairs the search committee.

Renée Wachter has served as interim president since May 18. The next president will be the system’s 10th since 1971. The Universities of Wisconsin enroll about 163,000 students and employ more than 41,000 people.