UIS welcomes new Vice President & Chancellor Susan J. Koch

University of Illinois President Michael J. Hogan introduced the next leader of the Springfield campus during a public reception in the Public Affairs Center lobby on April 11, 2011.

Susan J. Koch, an experienced leader in higher education, will take over as the new Vice President and Chancellor of the University of Illinois Springfield effective July 1, subject to Board of Trustees approval.

“I am deeply honored to be selected to be the next chancellor,” said Koch.

In his introduction, President Hogan described Koch as the “perfect choice” for the job speaking of her leadership in her current role as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Northern Michigan University.

“I believe that she will never lose sight. She knows the value of a strong liberal arts education, its power to produce leaders for the next generation,” said Hogan. “Students are at the very center of everything we do in university life.”

Speaking to a crowd of nearly 300 faculty, staff, and students, Koch told the audience how she learned at an early age the value of a strong liberal arts education.

“My own parents really helped me understand… the value of opera, art, literature, and all of those things that make up the ability to produce critical thinkers,” said Koch.

Koch also talked about UIS’ public affairs focus and national reputation for excellence in the area of online learning.

“This campus is the envy of campuses everywhere for the success it has established in (online learning),” said Koch.

Koch says the teacher-student relationship will always be at the heart of what is happening at UIS and she looks forward to working with lawmakers to make sure higher education is funded.

“The opportunity for us to work together to build a brilliant future for the University of Illinois, the University of Illinois Springfield, and to be contributors to the growth and prosperity of the state of Illinois is something that is a privilege for all of us,” said Koch.

Before joining NMU, Koch was the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate College at the University of Northern Iowa. She will hold a tenured faculty position in the College of Education and Human Services at UIS. Her research and scholarship are in health education, with a focus on international health, conflict resolution and human rights.