Johannes Britz, Dean and Professor within the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Information Studies, has been named Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs by Chancellor Carlos E. Santiago.

Dean Britz will start in his new position on May 1, 2010. Until then he will work alongside outgoing Provost Rita Cheng, who has accepted the chancellorship at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. At the School of Information Studies, current Associate Dean Hope A Olson will serve as Acting Dean. 

After serving as a visiting professor to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2001 to 2003, Dean Britz joined the UWM faculty in 2004 and was named the Dean of the School of Information Studies in 2005. He also served as the Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences in 2008/2009. Dean Britz holds two doctoral degrees from the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

Britz is widely regarded for his work in relation to Information Ethics in Africa. He played a key role in organizing the first-ever African Information Ethics conference in Pretoria in February 2007. He is also a member of the advisory board of the South African Journal of Library and Information Science. In the past, he has acted as a consultant for numerous African governments in the field of e-government, and information ethics and policy. He is the author of over ninety academic publications. His most recent work focuses on information ethics and poverty. 

“All candidates for the interim provost position were extremely strong,” said Chancellor Santiago. “Johannes has exceptional academic and administrative experiences that will serve our university well.”


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Daniel Rude
Communications Assistant
School of Information Studies
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
414.229.3206