On Monday, the University of Washington Board of Regents revealed that Robert J. Jones, who is presently concluding a nine-year term as Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been appointed as the 34th President of the UW. The Board had earlier authorized Chair Blaine Tamaki to commence contract discussions with Jones, and an agreement has been achieved. Jones’ contract, spanning five years, will commence on August 1.

This will be Jones’ third opportunity to lead a public research institution, following his current position and his previous tenure as President of the University at Albany. He is a prominent academic, with his research concentrated on crop physiology, and has been a significant figure in national educational organizations and the Big Ten Conference.

Jones will follow President Ana Mari Cauce, who announced her decision to step down from a position she has held for a decade by the close of the 2024-25 academic year this June. He will become the first African American to assume this position.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chancellor Jones to the UW community and are eager to enhance the UW’s public mission of accessibility, safeguarding, promoting, and distributing knowledge under his seasoned guidance,” Tamaki stated. “His remarkable and groundbreaking personal journey, esteemed scholarship, and years of transformative leadership led us to conclude that Chancellor Jones is the perfect individual to build upon President Ana Mari Cauce’s legacy. I am confident he will guide us into our next chapter of delivering educational excellence at scale, top-tier healthcare for all, irrespective of necessity, impactful research, and public service to the state of Washington and the global community. We extend a warm welcome to him and his wife, Dr. Lynn Hassan Jones, to Washington and the UW.”

“I am privileged to join the University of Washington and eager to lead this remarkable public university in its mission to serve students, families, and communities across Washington and beyond,” Jones expressed. “The UW is globally recognized as a hub of exceptional teaching, research, innovation, and healthcare. I look forward to collaborating with the UW’s talented and committed faculty and staff to enhance and expedite their efforts, as well as engaging with the UW’s supporters to promote student success, economic opportunities, and research for the collective good.”

Since assuming the role of Chancellor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2016, Jones has prioritized offering a transformative educational experience for students, particularly focusing on affordability for those from humble backgrounds. This initiative is exemplified by the Illinois Commitment, a scheme that guarantees four years of free tuition for Illinois residents whose families earn less than $75,000. Under his chancellorship, university enrollment has surged, achieving a record in fall 2024 with over 59,000 students.

He has also emphasized the university’s community engagement and public contributions, initiated innovative partnerships to stimulate scholarship, discovery, and innovation, while promoting an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere.

Under Jones’ guidance, Illinois inaugurated the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the world’s first engineering-based medical institution, in partnership with Carle Health. He has initiated strategic “radical collaborations” like the Chicago Quantum Exchange initiative, which positions Illinois at the forefront of quantum sciences and information in the nation, in collaboration with the University of Chicago. Another partnership is the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, an unprecedented endeavor in cooperation with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, aimed at revolutionizing our understanding of human biology.

Jones was appointed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to be co-vice chair of the Innovate Illinois initiative, a role intended to coordinate the state’s efforts to secure essential federal research funding, leading to support for the Illinois Fermentation and Agricultural Biomanufacturing Hub. He established industry collaborations via the university’s Research Park and its EnterpriseWorks incubator, enhanced the university’s research and technology transfer capabilities through engagement in initiatives such as the C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute, and broadened the university’s international outreach.

In 2017, Jones and the university launched a philanthropic campaign targeting $2.25 billion, which achieved its goal 15 months ahead of schedule, concluding in 2022 with a total of $2.7 billion raised to support university initiatives. He also initiated and executed Operational Excellence, a comprehensive, multi-year effort to reorganize and rethink how to deliver the university’s missions more effectively and impactfully.

“By selecting Robert as the next president of the University of Washington, the Board of Regents has chosen an inspiring and transformative leader to enhance our academic community and to further our mission,” UW President Ana Mari Cauce remarked. “Having known and collaborated with him through AAU, APLU, and the Big Ten Conference, I am certain he will bring a profound and proven commitment to scholarship, innovation, research, and particularly, access to excellence for students of all backgrounds. His leadership is grounded in visionary and strategic thought, shaped by a strong commitment to our public mission, attributes we share as a community of educators, innovators, and public servants. I am excited for our University to welcome him as our newest Husky.”

Before becoming Chancellor at Illinois, Jones served as the 19th President of the University at Albany from 2013 to 2016. During his tenure at UAlbany, Jones initiated the most significant academic expansion in fifty years, establishing new academic units and degree-granting programs, enhancing opportunities for faculty research and student experiential learning, deepening community engagement, and increasing philanthropic support for his vision.

Jones may…is the offspring of sharecroppers hailing from Georgia, which he claims motivated him to pursue a career in agronomy. Jones received his undergraduate degree in agronomy from Fort Valley State College in Georgia, a master’s in crop physiology from the University of Georgia, and a doctorate in crop physiology from the University of Missouri. His initial academic role was as an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus in 1978, where he attained tenure in 1983 and full professorship in 1988.

His ascent in academic administration commenced in 1986 when the then-president of the University of Minnesota tasked him with developing a mentorship initiative for high-achieving students of color. Jones subsequently took on the roles of Associate Provost and Assistant Vice President, before becoming Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Personnel from 1997 to 2002. Throughout that period, he also held the position of Interim Vice President for Student Development in 2000-01 and Vice President for Campus Life in 2001-02. He later served as Vice President and Executive Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Programs on the Twin Cities campus from 2002-05. In 2004, he was appointed Senior Vice President for Academic Administration for the University of Minnesota system – the principal academic, administrative, and operating official reporting to the system president.

Jones is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the Board of Directors for the Association of American Universities, the Council of Presidents for the Association of Public Land Grant Universities, and the Executive Committee of the Big Ten Conference Council of Presidents and Chancellors.

Jones is wed to Dr. Lynn Hassan Jones, a specialist in musculoskeletal diagnostic radiology, and they are the proud parents of five children and an increasing number of grandchildren.

The Board of Regents initiated the search for a new president following Cauce’s announcement in June 2024 that her current tenure would be her last. SP&A Executive Search was commissioned to support the process, leading to the formation of a Presidential Search Advisory Committee comprising faculty, students, staff, and alumni from UW’s Seattle campus, UW Bothell, UW Tacoma, UW Medicine, and UW Athletics. At specialized meetings in early January, the Regents praised two finalists highly. The Board ultimately permitted Tamaki to negotiate with both candidates, and Tamaki successfully reached an agreement with Jones.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who played a role in the thorough search process that culminated in the selection of Chancellor Jones as the 34th president of the University of Washington,” stated UW Regent David Zeeck, who chaired the Presidential Search Advisory Committee. “The efforts of our presidential search advisory committee members, alongside feedback from a multitude of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community stakeholders, were crucial in identifying and selecting an exceptional candidate to lead UW. We are assured that he will not only advance the University’s essential work in promoting education, discovery, health care, and community involvement but also elevate UW to new heights as one of the leading public research universities globally.”

SP&A reached out to over 500 potential candidates, which included current and former presidents, vice presidents, and deans from AAU and R1 institutions, resulting in a pool of 70 applicants that the advisory committee subsequently ranked. As the candidate pool was established, the advisory committee organized listening sessions with faculty, students, and staff across all three campuses to develop the leadership profile that would guide the next review phase. The candidate pool was reduced first to 25, and then to 13 individuals who were interviewed over Zoom by the advisory committee. A subgroup of the advisory committee conducted in-person interviews with six finalists, and the Board of Regents interviewed two finalists recommended by the committee.

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Contact: Victor Balta at [email protected].