Ikenberry 2010

Stanley O. Ikenberry returned to the presidency in January 2010 to serve until the Board of Trustees appointed a new president following a national search. Named as interim President-designate in October 2009, Ikenberry assumed the leadership of the University upon the resignation of B. Joseph White. Ikenberry served as interim President-designate for three months, working with White during a transition period.

In announcing the appointment on October 3, Board of Trustees Chairman Christopher G. Kennedy said of Ikenberry: “His experience and strong reputation in Illinois and among higher education leaders nationally means the University of Illinois will have a familiar and steady hand at the helm to guide a great university and its search for the next president in an interim period.”

Ikenberry’s priorities were to support the Board in its search for an outstanding president and to work with faculty and academic leaders on all three campuses to address a challenging agenda.

Faced with a significant budget crisis in the state of Illinois and also the University, President Ikenberry announced in January 2010 a furlough program for faculty and staff. He appointed the Administrative Review and Restructuring (ARR) working group to conduct a broad scale review of the University's administrative structure and the delivery of administrative services with the aim of improving performance and reducing costs and to recommend a broad set of reforms and changes to achieve these goals. The group's final report, delivered to the president and the Board of Trustees in June, offered 43 recommendations for costs savings across the university.

He stepped down as president on June 30, 2010.