Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

Trustees appoint president search committee

At their March 11 meeting in Urbana, the UI Board of Trustees appointed a 19-member consultative committee to assist in the selection of a successor for President James J. Stukel, who announced earlier this year that he will retire effective Feb. 1, 2005. 

“The most important challenge facing the university this year is the selection of a new president, our next leader, and I am delighted by the caliber of those who will take on this responsibility,” said Lawrence Eppley, board chairman. “I know this committee will bring exceptional candidates to the table.”

The committee, which comprises faculty and staff members, students, alumni and friends of the university will be chaired by Avijit Ghosh, professor and dean of the College of Business on the Urbana campus.

Cary McMillan, a 1980 graduate and chief executive officer of the worldwide branded apparel division of the Sara Lee Corp., will serve as co-vice chair with Elliot Kaufman, professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics in the College of Medicine at UIC. 

A Web site providing up-to-date information on the presidential search is expected to be available by the end of March (www.presidentsearch.uillinois.edu). 

Consultative Committee Members

Chicago Campus
Mitra Dutta, professor and head of electrical and computer engineering; adjunct professor of physics

Henri Gillet, professor of mathematics, of statistics and of computer science

Elliot Kaufman, professor of biochemistry and of molecular genetics
Antonio Vasquez, Ph.D. candidate in economics

Dan Sarhage, plant operating engineer; and chair, University Employee Advisory Committee (civil service)

Springfield Campus
Nancy L. Ford, professor of legal studies and in the Institute for Legal and Policy Studies

James W. Stuart, professor of anthropology in the department of sociology/anthropology; director, Capital Scholars Program

Carly Hawkins, junior in political science and member of the first class of Capital Scholars program

Urbana-Champaign Campus
Karen L. (Kal) Alston, professor and director, gender and women’s studies program; professor of educational policy studies

Avijit Ghosh, committee chair, professor and dean, College of Business (administrative officer member)

Michael Grossman, professor of genetics in the department of animal sciences; professor of biometrics in the department of statistics

Michael C. Loui, professor of electrical and computer engineering; research professor, Coordinated Science Laboratory

Vera Mainz, spectroscopist, School of Chemical Sciences; and chair, university Professional Personnel Advisory Committee (academic professional)

Aaron Thomas, graduate student in the MBA program, College of Business

University Alumni Association and UI Foundation Board 
David J. Downey, marketing, ’63, law ’66, Urbana; member of President’s Council, UI Foundation board and Life Member of Alumni Association; president, the Downey Group Inc., Champaign

Edward L. McMillan, agricultural science, ’69, Urbana; member of President’s Council, Alumni Association board and UI Foundation board; Alumni Association Life member; owner and CEO, McMillan, LLC, Edwardsville, Ill.

Roger L. Plummer, engineering mechanics ’64, Urbana; member of President’s Council and UI Foundation board; life member and former board president of Alumni Association.; president, Plummer and Associates Consulting, Chicago

Alumnus at Large
Cary McMillan, accountancy ’80, Urbana; chief executive officer of the worldwide branded apparel division of the Sara Lee Corp.
Designee of Committee Chair
Avy H. Stein, accountancy ’77, Urbana; co-founder and managing partner of Willis Stein and Partner, LCC, Chicago

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