CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois has chosen University of Washington Provost Phyllis Wise as its next chancellor.
Wise will take over the top job at the university's flagship campus in Urbana-Champaign on Oct. 1, pending approval of the board of trustees at their next meeting in September.
"Dr. Wise has the 'full package,'" University of Illinois President Michael, who is in charge of all three university campuses, said in statement Wednesday. "She is a proven scholar, with a deep commitment to public higher education, and has an exceptional reputation as a leader at some of the nation's top universities. I couldn't be more pleased to have her joining our distinguished leadership team."
In a statement, Wise called the University of Illinois one of the world's best.
"I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students, and the University's many external stakeholders and partners, to build on its strengths and create new opportunities for the University to have an even greater impact," she said.
Wise, 66, will replace interim Chancellor Robert Easter. Easter took over after the 2009 resignation of Richard Herman during the campus' Category I scandal over the admission of politically connected students. The admissions troubles also cost Joseph White, the man Hogan replaced as president, his job.
Wise is a professor of physiology and biophysics, biology, and obstetrics and gynecology and has been at Washington since 2006. While serving as provost, the equivalent of the chancellor's job in Urbana-Champaign, she also was interim president of the University of Washington system last year. Before coming to Washington she was she was dean of the College of Biological Sciences at the University of California-Davis from 2002-2005.
Wise has a bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College and a doctorate from the University of Michigan. She also is a member of the board of directors at Nike, Inc.
One of the first decisions in which she would play a role is expected to be the selection of a new athletic director to replace Ron Guenther, who retired this summer. That decision is expected to be made before Wise's official start date.