University of Illinois Names 16th President
Trustees select B. Joseph White, former interim president at Michigan
CHICAGO—B. Joseph White, the former interim president and dean of the business school at the University of Michigan, has been selected to become the 16th president of the University of Illinois.
White, 57, brings to the U. of I. presidency leadership experience in public higher education administration and in private-sector executive management. The selection of White by the Board of Trustees was announced today in Chicago and is to be confirmed by Trustees at their next scheduled board meeting on Nov. 11 in Urbana-Champaign. White will succeed James J. Stukel as president on Feb. 1, 2005.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to be president of the University of Illinois because everything I love about higher education the University of Illinois does and does on a large scale and does with excellence,” White said. “It is an honor and a challenge, and I look forward to it with great anticipation.”
White described what he called a “resource gathering” role for university presidents that has become imperative for excellence and success. “It is something I really enjoy doing,” he said.
“I enjoy making the case to our various supporters as to the vital importance of the university to our state and our economic future,” White said. “We know that educated people are the key to a strong democracy and they are key to having a vibrant economy. So whether it is private donors or the elected representatives of the people of Illinois or the business community, I look forward to making our case and gathering the resources needed to maintain and enhance the excellence of this wonderful university.”
White served as interim president of the University of Michigan in 2002, and emphasized continuity and momentum in the period after Lee Bollinger left U-M to become president of Columbia University until Mary Sue Coleman arrived from the University of Iowa to be U-M president. Instead of returning to the faculty, White took a leave of absence to help the Fred Alger Management Co., an asset management firm in New York City, recover from major personnel losses it suffered on Sept. 11, 2001.
White led the U-M Business School for 10 years beginning in 1991. Under his leadership, the school achieved top ranking for its programs, increased its annual fund-raising fivefold to $26.5 million and saw its endowment grow to $260 million from $35 million.
In addition to his U-M experience, White also served seven years in two vice president posts at Cummins Engine Co. from 1981 to 1987.
“Joe White was the clear choice for president of the university in an exceptional field of highly qualified candidates,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Lawrence C. Eppley. “He has a track record and a national reputation as a creative leader who sets highly aspiring goals and gets results.
“Joe brings Midwestern values and sensibilities to the job, knows how Big Ten and major research universities operate and has demonstrated an ability to raise funds from friends and alumni of a university to provide the margin of excellence in a time of less reliance on state support,” Eppley said.
White is a native of Detroit and was raised in Kalamazoo. He earned his Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Michigan in 1975 after earning a master’s degree in business administration from the Harvard Business School and a bachelor of science in international economics at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
White identified “excellence and access” as the leading challenges for public higher education.
“I will do everything required to continue to build the performance, stature, reputation and resources of the University,” White said. “I will ensure that the work of the University is hard-wired to the needs of the people of Illinois, especially in education, economic development and health care—vital matters that touch every citizen.
“And I will focus intensively on maintaining access to the University as a gateway of opportunity for tens of thousands of talented students as well as the excellence of the University, which is the reason these students yearn to be members of our community,” he continued. “Finally, I will do my best to ensure that our campus communities are models of diverse people working together with mutual respect and thriving in the process.”
White will succeed Stukel who is in his 10th year as the 15th president of the University of Illinois. Stukel’s retirement ends a 43-year affiliation with the university that began as a graduate student and included service as a member of the faculty, campus administrations in Urbana-Champaign and Chicago, as chancellor of UIC and, since July 1995, as university president.
“Today marks the passing of eras from Jim Stukel to Joe White as leaders of a great university. Jim and Joan Stukel have left a tremendous legacy upon which to build and the university is deeply appreciative of their service and accomplishments,” Eppley said.
“As the University of Illinois once again begins a transition to new leadership—we’ve had only 16 presidents in 137 years—I know we can count on our faculty and staff, our students, our alumni and our friends to welcome Joe and Mary White into the Illinois family,” said Stukel. “This university is a wonderful public asset that deserves the quality of leadership we know Dr. Joseph White will provide.”
"I am excited about today's appointment of Dr. Joe White," said Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Dr. White brings to the University a unique and valuable combination of a distinguished academic career, a demonstrated record in business and management and a familiarity and understanding of the heartland. "I am confident that Dr. White's experience, vision and leadership will help us to continue to build on the strength and reputation of one of Illinois' finest educational and research institutions. I thank Chairman Eppley and the entire search committee for doing an outstanding job."
Eppley commended the 19-member consultative search committee and its chair, Dean Avijit Ghosh of the College of Business at Urbana-Champaign, for their work. The committee culled an initial list of more than 150 prospective candidates for the presidency to a dozen candidates interviewed by the committee, five of whom were forwarded to the Board of Trustees for consideration.
White and his wife Mary are the parents of two children and have two grandchildren.
The University of Illinois enrolls more than 70,000 students, primarily on campuses in Chicago, Springfield and Urbana-Champaign. The state of Illinois’ leading educator, the U. of I. awards about 17,500 degrees annually and offers academic programs that are highly ranked nationally; its campuses in Chicago and Urbana-Champaign are among the top 50 research institutions in American higher education. The University’s annual operating budget is $3.3 billion and it employs about 23,000 people, including 5,300 faculty members.
In addition to Eppley, a resident of Palatine, members of the Board of Trustees are Devon C. Bruce, Chicago; Frances G. Carroll, Chicago; Jeffrey Gindorf, Crystal Lake; Kenneth D. Schmidt, Riverwoods; Niranjan S. Shah, Oakbrook; Marjorie E. Sodemann, Champaign; Robert Y. Sperling, Glencoe; Robert F. Vickrey, Peru; and student trustees Natalie A. Garcia, UIC; Andrew M. Hollingsead, UIS, and Matthew T. Diller, Urbana-Champaign.
The Board’s next scheduled meeting is Nov. 11 in the Illini Union on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
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Editors/Reporters/News directors: For more information about the selection go to www.uillinois.edu/newpresident for more information about the search go to www.uillinois.edu/presidentsearch
Biographical information on B. Joseph White
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