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NEWS RELEASE
May 20, 1010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trustees formally approve Michael J. Hogan as new University president
Administrative restructuring move okayed; Government relations job filled
CHICAGO, Ill. — The University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its regular meeting today in Chicago elected Michael J. Hogan president, consolidated two vice presidential offices into a new executive vice president position and appointed a new executive director of governmental relations.
The board unanimously elected Hogan, currently president of the University of Connecticut, as the 18th president of the University of Illinois. Prior to his Connecticut presidency, Hogan served for four years as executive vice president and provost at the University of Iowa. He also held academic and administrative positions during a 17-year career at Ohio State University, including department chair, humanities dean and executive dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Hogan is a historian specializing in 20th Century American diplomacy and foreign relations, the author or editor of nine books and dozens of scholarly articles, and an award-winning teacher. He earned his B.A. in English from the University of Northern Iowa and his M.A. and doctorate in history from the University of Iowa.
President Stanley O. Ikenberry said President Hogan stood out from an exceptional candidate pool identified by the search committee, chaired by Trustee Pamela B. Strobel, and assisted by executive search firm Issacson, Miller. Hogan’s tenure as president will begin July 1. The board also approved Hogan’s tenured professorship in history and appointment to the Harry E. Preble Chair in the Urbana campus’ College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
In other business, the board approved the appointment of Katherine Laing as executive director of governmental relations, also effective July 1. Laing, who will serve as a University officer, will report to the president and direct the Office for Governmental Relations. She will provide management and oversight of the University’s state and federal governmental relations.
Laing has served as the chief government affairs contact with the Illinois General Assembly for Chicago Public Schools since 2008. She earned her B.A. from Northwestern University and her J.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology. The board appointed Julie A. Zemaitis, currently executive director of the Office of University Audits, to a five-year term as chief internal auditor. The five-year term is required by Illinois’ new Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act, effective July 1.
Trustees also acted affirmatively on a recommendation by the Administrative Review and Restructuring Working Group, which has undertaken a comprehensive review of the University’s administration at all levels to improve performance and reduce cost, to create a new executive vice president position that reports to the president.
Currently, the vice president for academic affairs and the vice president for technology and economic development report to the president at the central administration level. The two positions will be consolidated into an executive vice president.
Ikenberry said the position is consistent with the Board of Trustees’ thinking during the presidential search that the new University of Illinois leader should have a stronger executive role.
The current vice presidents, Avijit Ghosh, vice president for technology and economic development, and Meena Rao, vice president for academic affairs, will continue in their offices until the new executive vice president is in place.
The Board of Trustees’ complete meeting agenda is available at http://www.uillinois.edu/trustees/agenda/May%2020,%202010/.
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The University of Illinois is a world leader in research and discovery, the largest educational institution in the state with more than 71,000 students, 24,000 faculty and staff, and campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The U of I awards more than 18,500 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees annually.