Winona State University President Scott Olson named finalist to be next Minnesota State chancellor

Matthew Stolle, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Apr. 24—WINONA, Minn. — Winona State University President Scott Olson has been named one of two finalists to become the next chancellor of the Minnesota State system, college officials announced.

The other finalist is Tonjanita "Tonja" Johnson, who has served the University of Alabama system since 2019 as senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.

The Minnesota State chancellor oversees and provides leadership to a system of 26 colleges and seven universities serving 300,000 students. A search for a new leader was triggered when the current chancellor, Devinder Malhotra, announced his plans to retire at the end of his contract on Aug. 1, 2023.

Minnesota State is the largest higher education system in Minnesota and third largest in the U.S.

Olson has served as WSU's president since 2012. Previously, he served Minnesota State University Mankato as provost and vice president for academic and student affairs from 2003 to 2012. Olson also served as dean of the college in communication, information and media at Ball State University. Aside from his administrative responsibilities, Olson is a music lover and hosted his own radio program on the college's student-run KQAL station.

Before his arrival at WSU, Olson won an Emmy Award and a Cine Golden Eagle Award as executive producer of a documentary film about digital learning.

Previously, Johnson served the University of Tennessee System as executive vice president/chief operating officer from 2016 to 2019 and as vice president for communications and marketing from 2013 to 2016. Johnson also served as chief deputy to the president of State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as associate vice president for marketing and communications at Middle Tennessee University from 2008 to 2010.

The finalists are scheduled to visit Minnesota State Wednesday, April 26, 2023, and Thursday, April 27, 2023, for interviews with Board of Trustee members, college and university presidents and members of the chancellor's cabinet.

Each candidate will also participate in an open forum that will be available to all Minnesota State faculty, staff, and students via Zoom. The appointment of the next chancellor is expected to take place during a special Board of Trustees' meeting on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

The new chancellor's term will begin on August 1, 2023.