Leading the University of Illinois System Forward

Presidential Search

Town Halls
Timeline
Position Profile
Committee
FAQ
Submit Input
News

The Search for Our Next President

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees is conducting a search for the next president of the University of Illinois System. The board is committed to a process that is deliberate, inclusive, and grounded in the highest standards of integrity.

The system is one of the most consequential public university enterprises in the nation: three best-in-class universities, an academic health enterprise, and statewide reach through its many programs and services, with an annual economic impact of $24.9 billion touching every corner of Illinois.

This is a pivotal moment. The next president will inherit a foundation of extraordinary excellence and strength and a mission that shapes lives, drives discovery, and fuels the future of our state.

Town Halls

The Presidential Search Committee invited members of the U of I System community to participate in a series of town halls — one on each university campus. These sessions were an opportunity to share your perspective and help inform the search for the next president of the U of I System.

Chicago

Tuesday, June 16 | 2-4 p.m.

Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum
Rooms DEF, 725 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago

Springfield

Wednesday, June 17 | 10 a.m. to noon

UIS Brookens Library
Brookens Auditorium, 1 University Plaza, 2200 Ernest Hemingway Drive, Springfield

Urbana-Champaign

Thursday, June 18 | 10 a.m. to noon

I Hotel & Conference Center
Heritage Hall, 1900 S. First St., Champaign

If you can’t make it to one of the campuses for the in-person town halls, please submit your input here.

Submit Town Hall Input via Email

Submit the Anonymous Search Input Survey

Search Timeline

February 11, 2026

Search announced; search firm selected by Board of Trustees

April 29, 2026

Search committee announced; co-chairs designated

May – June 2026

Listening sessions and stakeholder engagement; leadership profile and prospectus development

July – August 2026

Prospectus finalized and active search launches

Search Committee

Committee members represent trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters across all three universities.

Ramón Cepeda

member of the Board of Trustees; alumnus, Chicago. co-chair of the search committee

Ann Yeung

College of Fine and Applied Arts, School of Music; professor and strings area chair; served on the Promotion and Tenure Committees, Budget and Oversight Committee, and Task Force on Evaluating Teaching Effectiveness; served as School of Music string quartet search committee chair; serves on the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Campus Research Board, and on the American Harp Society’s Executive Director search committee; co-chair of the search committee

Liz Aquino

College of Nursing, clinical associate professor of biobehavioral nursing science and associate dean for academic affairs; served on search committees for Title IX and EEO investigator in the Office for Access and Equity; appointed to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice; former chair of the American Nurses Association nominations and Elections Committee; former president of the American Nurses Association of Illinois

Robert Barish

vice chancellor for health affairs, Chicago

Gabi DalSanto

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, junior in natural resources and environmental sciences; served as president, Illinois Student Council; serves as vice president and action co-coordinator, Students for Environmental Concerns

Sandra De Groote

University Library, professor and head of scholarly communications; served on search committees for vice chancellor for research, vice chancellor for administrative services, vice chancellor for academic affairs/provost, and chancellor/vice president; served on Campus Promotions and Tenure Committee and Library Executive Committee; currently serves in the University of Illinois Chicago Senate, Senate Executive Committee, and chair of the University Senates Conference

William D. Forsyth

('86 BUS), finance; co-founder and partner, Frontier One LLC; served as chair, University of Illinois Alumni Association; serves as governing director and advisory member, Investment Policy Committee, University of Illinois Foundation

Janet Gooch

chancellor, University of Illinois Springfield, and vice president, University of Illinois System

Joseph Gutman

member of the Board of Trustees; alumnus, Urbana

Tenea Harris

University of Illinois System Office of Procurement Services, supplier diversity manager; works with small and diverse businesses as part of the Business Enterprise Program; served on multiple search committees and qualifications-based selection panels; previous roles in government relations and student affairs

Ashley Huang

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; senior in neuroscience, with minors in nutrition and finance, pre-med track in the Graduate Professional Program Admissions BS/MD Program; served on the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), representative to the Campus Life Committee and Mental Health Commission, public affairs director, and chief of staff

Devin Hunter

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences; associate professor and chair, Department of History; served on the UIS 50th Anniversary Planning Committee, Sangamon Experience Campus Advisory Committee, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Executive Committee, CLASS Personnel Committee (co-chair), and Senate Committee on Diversity, Equal Rights, Opportunity, and Access (co-chair); served on 10 search committees at UIS, including associate vice chancellor/vice provost for enrollment and retention, and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences as search committee chair; serves on the University of Illinois Springfield Senate Graduate Council

Joseph Irudayaraj

The Grainger College of Engineering, Founder Professor of Bioengineering and associate director of shared resources for the Cancer Center of Illinois; served on the Graduate College Committee, Dean's Advisory Committee, and Faculty Affairs Committee; currently serves on the Named Professorship Committee

Stephen Maren

director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, professor of psychology; affiliate of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology; alumnus, Urbana

Mary Maryland

('94 PhD nursing); primary care provider, WellBe Senior Medical; serves as president-elect, UIC Alumni Board and founding member, Alumni Loyalty and Benefits Committee, and Alumni Advocacy Committee; served on College of Nursing Alumni Board, Campus Alumni Advisory Board, Alumni Engagement Advisors, Alumni Alliance Board, and Black Alumni Advisory Board

Suzet M. McKinney

member of the Board of Trustees; alumna, Chicago

Kouros Mohammadian

College of Engineering, Distinguished Professor of Transportation Engineering and head, Department of Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering; served on the University of Illinois Chicago Senate, Senate Executive Committee (vice chair), and University Senates Conference; served on search committees for the director of government relations, vice chancellor for academic affairs/provost, and chancellor/vice president; serves on the board of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

Mitch Olenick

College of Business and Management, graduate student, master of business administration; varsity athlete in men's soccer; served on Student Athlete Advisory Committee; involved with search for men's soccer head coach; serves as graduate assistant in Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and the Office of Marketing; alumnus, Springfield

Donovan Pepper

('94 political studies,'96 MA political studies); principal and director of National Strategic Partnerships, Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies; served as chair of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee; chair of the Civic Federation, chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Business Council, chair of the Oak Park Citizens' Police Oversight Commission

Matt Spindler

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, Illinois Extension, evaluation specialist, served on search committees for dean, associate dean, and faculty at previous institutions

Megan Styles

College of Health, Science, and Technology (CHST), associate professor, chair and program lead of environmental studies in the School of Integrated Sciences, Sustainability, and Public Health; served on CHST Personnel Committee, UIS Strategic Compass Steering Committee, and University of Illinois System Strategic Planning Committee; served on nine search committees, including vice chancellor for student affairs, director of the UIS Student Union, and as search committee chair for graduate program coordinator; serves as the UIS faculty lead for Brasillinois, and member of the University of Illinois System delegation to Brazil

Cedric D. Thurman

('87 BUS), finance; executive vice president for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago; serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, and member of the Gies College of Business Dean’s Council and Board of Directors of Leadership Greater Chicago

Joshua H. Whitman

Director, Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, Urbana

Search Staff

Jami Painter

Senior Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Scott E. Rice

University Counsel

Dr. Jeffrey A. Stein

Secretary of the Board of Trustees

Public Notices

Find official meeting notices and agendas for the Presidential Search Committee here.

Learn More

FAQs

What are the Board's guiding principles for this search?

The Board is committed to a search process grounded in integrity, inclusivity and broad engagement, process-transparency through proactive communication, and thoughtful deliberation and planning. While the process itself will be transparent so stakeholders feel informed, included, and confident in the direction of the search, the search will appropriately maintain confidentiality to protect candidates and support a strong and competitive pool.

How were search committee members selected?

The Board sought to assemble a committee that reflects the breadth of the University of Illinois System. Members were identified through consultation with shared governance bodies, campus leadership, and system stakeholders to ensure meaningful representation of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community perspectives.

What is the search committee's role?

The search committee will:

Provide broad insight into the System's needs and aspirations
Help shape the position profile and desired leadership attributes
Assist with screening and identifying potential candidates
Advise the Board, which retains full authority and responsibility for selecting the next president

How will the Board ensure the search is inclusive and managed with a high level of integrity?

Inclusivity and integrity will be built into the process through:

A search committee made up of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners
Engagement of an experienced executive search firm to guide the process in alignment with national best practices
Search criteria that reflect the values, priorities, and needs of the entire U of I System
A process that balances transparency with appropriate confidentiality to protect candidates and support attracting a strong pool

Who is the executive search firm, and what is their role?

AGB has been engaged to support the Board and search committee throughout the process. The firm will assist with candidate identification and recruitment, preliminary screening, logistics, and ensuring the search reflects national best practices for presidential-level higher education searches.

What is the purpose of the town halls?

The town halls are listening sessions designed to gather input from students, faculty, staff, and community members to inform the search for the University of Illinois System’s next president. The Board of Trustees has been very clear about its commitment to and the importance of this search process being inclusive, thoughtful, and reflective of the system’s breadth and excellence. These town halls are an important part of this commitment — our focus is on hearing directly from our community.

What kind of input is the committee looking for?

The town halls are open sessions for people to share constructive thoughts that will be helpful to our crafting of the profile for the position. We expect to hear about:

Opportunities and challenges facing higher education that the next president will need to lead the enterprise in managing and navigating;
Strategic priorities for the system and its future;
Leadership qualities and characteristics that are most important — and why;
Campus or community-specific concerns that a new president will need to address.

What will the format be?

The sessions will be conducted in an open mic format. Attendees will be invited to share comments. The sessions are designed as listening forums; however, the committee and/or the search firm will attempt to reply to questions that arise about the presidential search process and may ask clarifying questions to better understand the attendees’ perspectives.

Will there be a virtual option?

No, the town halls are in-person only. This format fosters a respectful environment that encourages candid feedback where the committee can also ask clarifying questions, as necessary, to better understand feedback. Those who can’t attend can submit comments through the presidential search website. Online submissions will be reviewed and considered equally with in-person input.

What happens to the information captured after the town halls?

The committee will synthesize all of the input and use it to help develop a presidential leadership profile that will guide the national search.

Who can attend the town halls?

The town halls are open to members of the University of Illinois System community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community stakeholders. Participation from across the entire university community is encouraged to facilitate hearing a broad range of perspectives.

Do I need to RSVP or register?

No. Advance registration is not required. Attendees may arrive during the scheduled session time.

Will the search be national or international in scope?

Yes. This will be a comprehensive national and international search to attract the strongest and most competitive pool of candidates. The Board and search firm will recruit broadly to identify leaders whose experience, vision, and values align with the University of Illinois System's mission and long-term priorities.

What is the expected timeline?

Feb - March 2026: Search announced; search firm selected by Board of Trustees
April 2026: Search committee announced; co-chairs designated
May – June 2026: Listening sessions and stakeholder engagement; leadership profile and prospectus development
July – August 2026: Prospectus finalized and active search launches

This timeline offers predictability while allowing flexibility to ensure the search is completed thoroughly.

How will the Board manage transparency while protecting confidentiality?

The Board will communicate clearly about the process, milestones, and timeline, but will maintain appropriate confidentiality regarding candidate identities, interviews, and internal deliberations. Stakeholders will receive updates at key milestones, and this website will be updated regularly as the process advances. Balancing transparency and confidentiality is critical to attracting the strongest pool of candidates.

Will there be opportunities for stakeholder input?

Yes. Planned engagement may include listening sessions with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors, as well as updates shared across campuses and system offices and search committee engagement with key constituencies. Stakeholder input will be meaningfully incorporated through the development of the position profile and throughout the search process. Because this search will be conducted on a confidential basis to attract the strongest possible candidates, there will not be public forums with finalists.

What qualities is the Board seeking in the next president?

The search committee and the search process will yield a leadership profile that reflects what is best for the University of Illinois System, its mission, and its priorities. The Board will thoughtfully consider the future of higher education and what it will take to strengthen our excellence and expand our impact in a rapidly changing academic and economic landscape.

Can I attend a town hall on a campus other than my own?

Yes. Individuals may attend any of the three campus sessions, regardless of their primary affiliation.

Are students able to attend?

Yes. Participation from all members of the university community — including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members — is strongly encouraged.

Will there be separate sessions for different audiences (students vs. faculty/staff)?

No. The town halls are designed as inclusive mixed-audience sessions to bring together a wide range of perspectives.

Will search committee members be present?

Yes. Members of the Presidential Search Committee will attend each session and are there to listen and engage.

Can I submit a question or provide input in advance?

Yes. Feedback can be submitted at any time through the presidential search website and any input will be considered equally alongside in-person input.

Are the venues accessible? How do I request accommodations (ASL, CART, mobility, etc.)?

All venues are ADA accessible. Individuals who require accommodations should contact erhr@uillinois.edu in advance so appropriate arrangements can be made.

Is there parking / transit guidance for each venue?

Each venue offers campus-area parking and/or access to public transportation. Attendees are encouraged to consult campus-specific resources for directions and parking options in advance.

Executive Search Partner

Based in Washington, D.C, AGB Search will lead the search, supporting the Board and search committee through all facets of the process.