The Board of Regents of the Universities of Wisconsin recognized UWM Chancellor Mark Mone on Thursday with a resolution of appreciation for the university’s many accomplishments during his 11 years as UWM’s leader.
The resolution noted that Mone had helped lead UWM to national prominence as a research university while enhancing its mission as an access institution and for building a plethora of partnerships with the community.
Regent Joan Prince presented the resolution, calling Mone her “little brother” and adding: “Mark Mone is the most ethical, moral, nice individual. He’s just a nice, classy act.”
The presentation came on Thursday during the regents’ meeting at UWM. Mone is stepping down as chancellor this summer and returning to teaching in the Lubar College of Business. Thomas Gibson, currently chancellor of UW-Stevens Point, will replace Mone.
A mission to change lives
Mone said that throughout the highs and headwinds he and his team faced, they continued to be driven by the mission to change lives.
“I call myself the unlikely chancellor,” he said. “Nobody in my family had completed a college degree, and I went to college because my employer required it. I found I loved learning, and that experience in higher education became an inflection point in my life.”
Looking forward, Mone said, “I see nothing but great things ahead with Chancellor Gibson at the helm. Best wishes for all of us in terms of higher education.”
The regents’ resolution detailed many of the chancellor’s accomplishments.
“Mark shepherded UWM through an awakening of its national reputation as one of America’s top research universities four times running, a Carnegie-classified community-engaged institution recognized for its access mission, a Princeton Review ‘Best Midwest’ university that is also military-friendly and LGBTQ+-friendly, and that has an APLU Economic and Innovation Prosperity designation, a Department of Education Green Ribbon Award, and is ranked in the top 3.1% in the world by the Center for World University Rankings,” the document reads.
Collaborative work
The board praised Mone for his collaborative work with other education institutions, the private sector, donors and alumni, saying that these connections resulted in historic fundraising and educational initiatives rooted in the desire to meet the needs of employers.
The regents also noted the many new and rejuvenated spaces on UWM’s campus that came to fruition under Mone’s watch, including the Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex, Lubar Entrepreneurship Center and Welcome Center, Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin Center and the Chemistry Building, as well as the Emile Mathis Art Gallery, Jan Serr Studio, Connected Systems Institute, School of Information Studies, Student Health & Wellness Center, James and Yvonne Ziemer Clinical Simulation Center, Police Department office, Library Archives and the updated Student Union and Sandburg towers.
