Former U of I President Returns As Interim President
By Anthonia Akitunde in News on Oct 4, 2009 5:45PM
The University of Illinois' board of trustees named former president Stanley Ikenberry as interim president on Saturday, Chicago Breaking News reports.
The choice to have Ikenberry, 74, return came as the university continues to recover from the Tribune's revelation that unqualified students were being admitted over far more superior students based on their political connections. University of Illinois' current president, B. Joseph White, gave his resignation during the aftermath and will step down December 31.
By leaving before January 31, White gave up a $475,000 retention bonus. Despite his resignation, White will still be a presence on the campus. He plans to continue teaching in the business school (keeping an annual salary of $300,000) and working on the university's $2.5 billion fundraising campaign, the report said.
Ikenberry, who was the university's 14th president from 1979 to 1995, will start on January 1. After leaving his position in 1995 to end on a "positive note," Ikenberry stayed on as an emeritus professor of educational organization and leadership, making $92,593. As interim president, Ikenberry's salary will be $450,000 per year, the same salary White made as president. Ikenberry's agreement states that the board of trustees wants to find a permanent replacement by August 15.
Ikenberry said he was optimistic the darkness of the clout scandal was behind the university as it moved forward. He also said he was confident in the school's admission process now that there is no longer any "interference."