Jacqueline “Jacquie” Johnson was UMN Morris' fifth chancellor and its first female chancellor. During her time at UMN Morris, she worked to promote the Morris campus within the UMN system and implement new sustainability practices. This included the addition of a new wind turbine and the construction of Green Prairie Living and Learning Community, a new residence hall on campus designed to meet sustainability guidelines. Along with the new dorm, the campus saw other changes to its infrastructure, including the building of Big Cat Stadium and the renovation of the Welcome Center. Chancellor Johnson was committed to enhancing student support services and during her tenure the campus received the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant and increased fundraising for student scholarships.
Chronology
born on December 8th in Waukesha, Wisconsin
received her B.A. in Sociology from Macalester College
earned her Master of Science in Sociology from Purdue University
hired as Assistant Professor of Sociology at Grand Valley State College
earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from Purdue University
married Sergé Ramon Lisk
promoted to chair of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Grand Valley State
hired as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Saint Martin’s College
became Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty at Buena Vista University
hired as chancellor at UMN Morris
represented the campus on a panel for the United States Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
retired as chancellor from UMN Morris
Personal Life
Jacquie Johnson was born on December 8th, 1946 in Waukesha, Wisconsin.[1] She spent her childhood there and attended the same elementary school, Randall Elementary, as her mother.[2] Growing up, Johnson loved school and enjoyed pretending to be a teacher while playing make-believe games.[3] As a first generation college student, she left home for St. Paul, Minnesota and Macalester College. [4] She graduated cum laude from Macalester in 1968 with a B.A. in Sociology.[5]
After completing her undergraduate degree, Johnson studied sociology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. While there, she earned her M.S. in Sociology in 1971 and completed her Ph.D. in 1974.Her dissertation was titled, “Sociological Odyssey: a Phenomenological Alternative to the Analysis of Sex Role Conflict.”
Johnson was hired as the first woman in the Anthropology and Sociology department at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. This is where she met her husband Sergé Lisk who she married in 1974.[6] After 20 years of teaching, Jacquie became a department chair and program director of General Education at Grand Valley State. She became increasingly interested in administration, and in 1998 she was hired by Saint Martin’s College in Lacey, Washington to serve as its chief academic officer.[7] In 2002, Johnson went on to Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa where she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty.[8]
In 2006 Jacquie Johnson was named Chancellor at UMN Morris, becoming the first woman to serve in that position.[9] She replaced Sam Schuman, who was retiring, and Johnson’s record of strong leadership in comparable institutions was a determining factor in her hiring.[10]
Research
Johnson has taught in a variety of different areas, including social psychology, gender and women’s studies, and social inequalities. She is interested in researching the intersections of sociology and other disciplines like psychology, political science, literature, and art. In her research she has explored children’s perceptions of politics through art and the social history of Polish American women.[11]
Community Involvement
Jacquie Johnson worked to bring attention to the work being done at UMN Morris to communities outside of campus. Much of this work presented UMN Morris as a national leader in sustainability. Early in her tenure as chancellor Johnson joined 250 other academic leaders in signing the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). As a result of this agreement, the campus has pledged to reduce and eventually eliminate “the campus’ global warming emissions.”[12]
Johnson, along with four UMN Morris students, was invited by former President Bill Clinton to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University. At the event, she served as a panelist in a session about universities and carbon neutral communities.[13] Continuing to promote Morris on a national scale, Johnson was invited to represent the campus on a panel for the United States Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chaired by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar. The hearing was called to highlight the importance of higher education institutions’ research on clean energy and to spotlight student leadership in fighting greenhouse gas pollution. [14] Jacquie emphasized the partnership with the West Central Research and Outreach Center and the USDA-North Central Soil Conservation Research Lab, the campus’s rural background and investment in the land, and the student body. She also spoke about UMN Morris’s goal to be energy self-sufficient and carbon neutral by 2010. [15]
Johnson worked to promote sustainability to faculty. She delivered the keynote address at the Faculty Leadership in Sustainability: A Midwest Regional Workshop at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. The workshop explored the responsibility of helping college students master knowledge and skills that could inform and inspire cultures of permanence.
In 2012 she traveled to Denver, Colorado to participate in a field hearing of the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. She was one of many leaders there and spoke in support of U.S. Senate Bill 3504 entitled the “Native American Indian Education Act of 2012” in hope the bill would provide better post-secondary educational opportunities for Native Americans.[16]
She also presented at events meant to further women in higher education. One such event was her presentation “Leading Ladies: Reflections on Women, Work, Identity, and Leadership” which she gave at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls as part of the Ann Lydecker lecture series. Her presentation along with others was meant to stimulate discussion on issues facing women leaders. [17]
She was also involved in a number of organizations. She co-chaired the University of Minnesota Committee in Sustainability and was a member of the steering committee of the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. She also held positions on the boards of Pioneer Public Television, Minnesota Campus Compact, and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).[18] In 2014 she was elected chair of AASHE to lead the national association of colleges and universities in creating a more sustainable future.[19]
Campus Contributions
Jacquie was inaugurated on April 20th, 2007 as the fifth, and first female, chancellor. She planned her inauguration to coincide with the Undergraduate Research Symposium. Her inaugural address, “On the Edge of Tomorrow, In the Middle of Everywhere,” focused on defining the life and energy of the city of Morris and the UMN Morris campus.[20]
One of the main focuses of Johnson’s work as chancellor was UMN Morris’s dedication to sustainability. During her time as chancellor, she promoted the work being done on the campus on a state and a national level. In 2017 she gave the introduction at the Governor’s Town Hall Water Summit held on campus.[21]
These sustainability efforts also resulted in the construction of several new facilities. In 2008, the campus received three Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) to begin construction on a second wind turbine near the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC), a steam turbine to convert to electricity from the biomass facility (under construction at the time), and a third wind turbine located in western Minnesota and shared with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.[22] The biomass gasification facility was publicly dedicated later that year during Homecoming. The dedication events involved public tours of the facilities and speakers from across the state. The facility uses about 9,000 tons of biomass per year, offsetting about 80% of UMN Morris’s fossil fuel usage. [23] During the rest of her tenure the campus created the Green Prairie Living and Learning Community, a new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified residence hall, solar arrays, enhanced gardens and plantings, and a cold-weather compost pile.[24]
During her tenure the campus also saw the renovation of buildings including the Welcome Center and John Q. Imholte Hall.[25] In addition, the campus entered into a partnership with the Morris Area School District in the development of Big Cat Stadium, a new football facility to be used by both the college and the local high school.[26]
Jacquie also focused on bringing more students to campus and ensuring better support while they were here. In 2007 she convened the first meeting of the Chancellor's Advisory Council (CAC). The group was made up of civic and business leaders committed to UMN Morris’s mission and set out to shape efforts in implementing UMN Morris's strategic plan, marketing, and overall institutional planning. The first meeting focused on liberal arts education in the 21st century.[27]
In 2015 the campus was awarded a $1.1 million TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) grant from the U.S. Department of Education to increase retention and graduation rates. These funds were used to support 140 UMN Morris students each year for five years. The eligible students included low income students, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, and especially students from rural backgrounds, American Indian students, and students of color.[28]
Other accomplishments during her tenure include enrollment growth, increased collaborations with the west central region, increased support for students through donor-funded scholarships and philanthropic gifts, and maintaining position among top-ranked, award-winning public liberal arts colleges.[29]
After UMN Morris
Johnson finished her term as chancellor at UMN Morris on February 6th, 2017 and was succeeded by Michelle Behr.[30] Because of bureaucratic challenges, Johnson agreed to stay for an additional semester, a period she called her “farewell tour” and which she used to continue to work on enrollment and sustainability issues. [31]After retiring, Johnson moved to the Twin Cities to be closer to her children.[32]
At the 2017 Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability biennial conference at Central College, Johnson received the James Farrell Re(Cognition) Award for her contributions towards advancing sustainability efforts in the upper Midwest. During her decade as chancellor, Johnson helped lead the progress at UMN Morris towards renewable energy.[33] During her retirement she continues to teach sociology courses online for UMN Morris. She is also working on a collaborative research project on Polish and American children’s views of the United States through their drawings.
Footnotes
[1] Jacqueline Rae Johnson, “Sociological Odyssey: A Phenomenological Alternative To The Analysis Of Sex Role Conflict,” Purdue University, 1974.
[2] University Relations, “Profile: Well Founded,” Profile (Morris, MN), Spring 2015.
[3] University of Minnesota Morris Retirees' Association, “UMMRA Info: volume XVII, number 9,” Summer 2016
[4] University Relations, “UMM a homecoming for Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson,” Oct. 19, 2006.
[5] Jacqueline Rae Johnson, “Sociological Odyssey: A Phenomenological Alternative To The Analysis Of Sex Role Conflict,” Purdue University, 1974.
[6] “Serge Ramon Lisk,” Legacy.com, 2011,
[7] University of Minnesota Morris Retirees' Association, “UMMRA Info: volume XVII, number 9,” Summer 2016.
[8]University Relations, “Jacqueline Johnson is UMM chancellor,” May 11, 2006.
[9] University of Minnesota Morris Retirees' Association, “UMMRA Info: volume XVII, number 9,” Summer 2016
[10] University Relations, “Area community welcomes Jacquie Johnson,” Aug. 1, 2006.
[11] University Relations, “UMM a homecoming for Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson,” Oct. 19, 2006.
[12] University Relations, “Chancellor joins in Climate Commitment,” June 13, 2007.
[13] University Relations, “Chancellor, students attend Clinton Global Initiative U,” Feb. 5, 2009.
[14] University Relations, “Senate panel showcases University of Minnesota, Morris,” Apr. 3, 2008.
[15] University Relations, “Profile: The Importance of Place,” Profile (Morris, MN), Spring 2008.
[16] University Relations, “Chancellor travels to Colorado for Senate Committee hearing,” Aug. 30, 2012.
[17] University Relations, “Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson to speak at University of Wisconsin, River Falls,” Apr. 24, 2012.
[18] University Relations, “Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson to speak at University of Wisconsin, River Falls,” Apr. 24, 2012
[19]University Relations, “Chancellor Johnson Elected Chair of AASHE Board,” Jan. 17, 2014.
[20] University Relations, “Jacqueline Johnson inaugurated as UMM's fifth chancellor,” May 1, 2007.
[21] Jon Antonsen, “Water Summit: ‘It’s all of our business’,” University Register (Morris, MN), Feb. 2, 2017.
[22] University Relations, “Clean Renewable Energy Bonds fuel UMM's energy goal,” Feb. 28, 2008.
[23] University Relations, “Profile: The Annual Honor Roll of Donors,” Profile (Morris, MN), Fall 2008.
[24] University Relations, “University of Minnesota, Morris Chancellor Jacqueline R. Johnson Announces Retirement,” Aug. 19, 2015.
[25] University Relations, “University of Minnesota, Morris Chancellor Jacqueline R. Johnson Announces Retirement,” Aug. 19, 2015.
[26] University Relations, “Profile: "Giving back" Celebrating service, volunteerism, generosity,” Profile (Morris, MN), Fall 2006
[27] University Relations, “Profile: Stories of UMMers and creatures great and small,” Profile (Morris, MN), Winter 2008
[28] University Relations, “Morris Awarded U.S. Department of Education TRiO Student Support Services Grant,” Sep. 10, 2015
[29] University Relations, “Profile: We Are Morris,” Profile (Morris, MN), Spring 2016.
[30] Jon Antonsen, “Chancellor Michelle Behr begins her term,” University Register (Morris, MN), Feb. 16, 2017.
[31] Jon Antonsen, “Jacquie Johnson returns for one last semester at UMM,” University Register (Morris, MN), Sept. 9, 2016.
[32] University of Minnesota Morris Retirees' Association, “UMMRA Info: volume XVII, number 9,” Summer 2016.
[33] Jenna Ray, “Chancellor Emeritus Johnson Receives James Farrell Re(Cognition) Award,” Oct. 12, 2017.