UI president announces February 2005 retirement
James J. Stukel, UI president since 1995, will retire effective Feb. 1, 2005, drawing to a close his 43-year affiliation with the university. Stukel, 66, became the 15th UI president in August 1995. A product of the College of Engineering on the Urbana campus, Stukel re-engineered the UI administrative structure, making it more efficient, and reinvested the savings into core missions of education, research and public service. Stukel oversaw a major expansion of the university, including the addition of the Springfield campus, $640 million in capital projects to enhance scholarship and research on all three campuses and a broader focus on economic development in Illinois through the transfer of research-based technology to private business and industry. Federal research grants and contracts to the university nearly doubled in nine years under Stukel to $519 million annually. University fund raising set records in his tenure, more than doubling the active and total endowment to today’s $1.5 billion. “I have been affiliated with the University of Illinois as a graduate student, faculty member, researcher and administrator since 1961, and it has been an exhilarating and satisfying relationship,” Stukel said Jan. 23 in announcing his decision to retire as president. “The opportunity to serve as president of this great institution has been an honor and a privilege.” “Among the most remarkable things about this complex and comprehensive university is its people,” Stukel said. “The talent, creativity and drive of our students, faculty, staff and administrators distinguish this as a world-class institution where great things are accomplished. The trustees are an invaluable resource for their loyal and vigilant stewardship. Our legions of alumni and generous friends provide the spirit and resources necessary for our margin of excellence.” After next February, Stukel said he and his wife, Joan, plan to spend their time with their children and grandchildren on their sailboat in Chicago and at their vacation home. “But there is still important work ahead, and I will be actively involved with trustees, faculty and staff in the administration of the university while the search for a new president is under way,” Stukel said. The university’s board of trustees will choose Stukel’s successor from a list of candidates recommended by a consultative committee. A hallmark of Stukel’s presidency has been his personal interaction with people in every region of the state on behalf of the university. Since taking office, Stukel logged more than 200,000 miles and conducted 50 daylong community visits across Illinois. The initiative was the first of its kind for the UI. Stukel also established Illinois Connection, a coalition to strengthen the relationship between the university and citizens of the state. “Jim Stukel is a wonderful leader and person,” said Nancy Cantor, the chancellor of the Urbana campus. “It’s a pleasure to work with him. I’m impressed with his commitment to the university for so many years, and I’m grateful for his contributions.” Board of trustees Chairman Lawrence C. Eppley hailed Stukel’s tenure as president and said his legacy is a diverse and vibrant institution that has withstood the rigors of a difficult economy through astute management.
“By every measure – the superior quality of our students, the excellence of our faculty and staff, the breadth of our public engagement, our commitment to economic development and the soundness of our endowment – Jim has succeeded in raising and preserving the exceptional quality of the University of Illinois,” Eppley said. C. Peter Magrath, the president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, described Stukel as a fervent and effective champion of public higher education whose presence will be missed. Stukel last year completed a term as chair of the association’s board of directors.
The UI has made the following changes under Stukel:
- In 1995, merged Sangamon State University into the UI, becoming the UI at Springfield.
- Expanded the acreage of the east campus of UIC by about 50 percent and supported a south campus development of more than $1 billion.
- Established the office of Vice President for Technology and Economic Development to support the continuous improvement of technology management and transfer.
- Established Research Park LLC to encourage research, development and commercialization of the university’s intellectual assets, and to foster economic growth in the state.
- Created IllinoisVENTURES LLC to provide start-up services to faculty, students or staff inventors and entrepreneurs in creating companies that commercialize university-based technology, inventions and innovations.
- Standardized all administrative and support systems across the university, the most comprehensive technology integration initiative undertaken by any American university at the time.
- Created UI-Online, which provides online course, degree programs and public service activities offered by the campuses. Currently, 7,000 students are enrolled in online courses. Stukel, a native of Joliet, Ill., earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Purdue University in 1959. He received his master’s degree in 1963 and his doctorate in engineering in 1968, both from the Urbana campus
Stukel launched his UI career as a teaching and research assistant at Urbana. He became a professor of engineering in 1975 and held a series of administrative posts until 1985, when he moved to UIC to become vice chancellor for research and dean of the graduate college. He was named chancellor of UIC in 1991, where he served until being named university president in 1995.
University begins to assemble committee By John Loos, Student Assistant James J. Stukel’s successor will be chosen by a search committee consisting of members elected by the University Senates Conference and the Senate Executive Committee. If precedent holds, the committee will consist of four faculty members from each campus, a student from each campus, one faculty member at large serving as the committee chair, and one representative each from the academic professional staff, the Alumni Association, the UI Foundation and the support staff. The committee will have one year to make its selection. The process would be similar to the one implemented nearly 10 years ago to find a successor to former UI President Stanley Ikenberry. That search, led by a 20-person committee, ended after seven months of meetings and interviews with the selection of Stukel in February 1995. Using the services of Korn/Ferry, an executive search firm in Dallas, the last committee reviewed nearly 150 names before thinning the list. Once there were six candidates remaining, the committee chair and UI Board of Trustees interviewed each candidate. The University Senates Conference will make recommendations for the search committee to the UI Board of Trustees from the nominations of student and faculty members made by the Senates of each campus. The Urbana-Champaign Senate will consider nominations to elect eight faculty members and two students at its regular meeting at 3:10 p.m. Feb. 16 in Foellinger Auditorium. The Senate Executive Committee asked the Senate’s Committee on Committees to nominate 12 faculty members and four students to be considered by the full Senate from those who received nominations from the campus community.
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