Monday, December 07, 2020

Karen Whitney’s term as interim chancellor to be extended at UIS




University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen announced today that he is recommending that University of Illinois Springfield Interim Chancellor Karen M. Whitney’s appointment be extended by one year. 

Whitney, a nationally recognized higher education leader, has served as interim chancellor since June 2020 and will continue in that capacity through June 2022, Killeen said, pending approval of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its January meeting. 

“I could not be more pleased to recommend that Interim Chancellor Whitney’s tenure be extended at UIS,” Killeen said. “She has guided the university with a deft hand through this challenging period of transition, creating stability while prioritizing efforts to provide high-quality education and doing so safely during a pandemic. I welcome the opportunity to continue to work with her.” 

Whitney said she looks forward to continuing the work she began at UIS last summer. 

“Working with the dedicated faculty, staff and students of UIS over these last five months, I am so proud to say that we completed our fall semester as planned and see our students succeeding,” Whitney said. “We are growing our academic programs, increasing our enrollment and ensuring that UIS continues to be united in safety and providing support for all students and employees.” 

A national search for a permanent chancellor is expected to begin in late summer or early fall in 2021, Killeen said. 

Whitney was appointed interim chancellor in June, just before the retirement of longtime Chancellor Susan Koch. Killeen recommended Whitney’s extension and he and Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbara J. Wilson consulted with faculty, staff and student leadership groups on campus that strongly support the move. 

Since becoming interim chancellor, Whitney has used a 10-point plan to guide the university, which has more than 4,200 students and more than 1,100 faculty and staff. 

That plan’s focus includes ensuring the safety of students, faculty and staff during the pandemic; continuing to provide excellence in education and research; working with university faculty, staff, students, alumni and community leaders to eliminate racism and promote social justice; and enhancing student recruitment efforts. 

Prior to joining UIS, Whitney served as interim chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education in 2017-18 and was president of Clarion University in Pennsylvania for seven years. She remains president emerita of Clarion. 

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

UIS College of Business and Management receives a $100,000 gift to help initiatives exploring the future of business education

A business class meets on Feb. 26, 2020, in University Hall

A $100,000 gift to the University of Illinois Springfield College of Business and Management will support the creation of several initiatives and market-relevant programs that will provide students with dynamic educational opportunities. 

The gift from Christine and Lou Friedrich will help jump-start several initiatives in finance, economics and beyond that explore the future of business education. Lou Friedrich is a life director of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors, and an alumnus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in general engineering. 

“We are thrilled to be able to support the innovative initiatives of the UIS College of Business and Management,” Lou Friedrich said. 

The gift comes at a time that the College is starting projects on business and society through the creation of associated think-tanks and multiple speakers’ series, a student managed investment fund, and the incorporation of data analytics and data analytic platforms throughout the College’s core and majors. Once implemented the projects will better equip students to dive right into the business world upon graduation. 

“Scholars across disciplines in business and the humanities are increasingly recognizing that business and the economy cannot be studied in isolation from the rest of the human experience,” said Som Bhattacharya, dean of the UIS College of Business and Management. “Business and society need to be studied together so we can truly understand the process of human welfare, social progress, and the ability to achieve a more equitable society.” 

Lou Friedrich worked for Bernstein Global Wealth Management, New York, for 31 years as a principal and managing director. He also worked as vice president of finance for Sanford C. Bernstein & Co, and as deputy budget director/acting budget director for the City of New York from 1978-82. 

The UIS College of Business and Management is AACSB accredited and offers nine undergraduate and three graduate degrees, in addition to seven graduate certificates. Learn more about the College at uis.edu/cbm