URBANA, Ill. (CBS) — The chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is stepping down at the end of this year.
Robert Jones has been at the helm for nine years. He is the university’s first African-American chancellor.
University of Illinois
During Jones’ tenure, enrollment at Urbana-Champaign has grown 26%, the university said. A record 59,238 students were admitted this fall.
The university has also strengthened its image as a premier research university and a magnet for students, faculty, staff and researchers from Illinois and around the world.
Jones was at the helm when UIUC launched the Illinois initiative, which provides free tuition to students with a family income of less than $75,000. He also oversaw the launch of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the world’s first engineering-based medical school, the university said.
Jones was also at the helm during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when UIUC won accolades for developing a saliva-based rapid test for the university community.
UIUC also partnered with the University of Chicago to develop the $200 million Chicago Quantum Exchange, and with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University to develop the $275 million Chicago Quantum Exchange. Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicagounder the supervision of Jones.
Joes was also selected by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to co-chair the Innovate Illinois partnership to coordinate the state’s efforts to secure federal research investments for the industries of the future.
“I truly believe this is the greatest university in the world, which makes this the most difficult decision I have faced in my 47 years in higher education. My time at Illinois has been the most profound experience of my professional life, and I thank for that, every member of the campus community,” Jones said in a news release. “We are at the pinnacle of our 157-year history in terms of our teaching and research impact. This will be followed by a period of transition with our institutional strategy and partnerships. This is an opportune time to look for the next leader who will building on that momentum and advancing the bold ideas for which Illinois is known.”
University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen has asked Jones to remain within the U of I System so he can leverage his experience on strategic initiatives to expand the system, Urbana-Champaign’s role in Chicago. International cooperation opportunities and a search for a new chancellor.
