CHAMPAIGN –– University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen announced on Thursday that he will leave his role at the end of his current contract on June 30, 2027.
Killeen told IPM NewsThursday that he does not have plans yet after stepping down, but he wanted to help create a graceful and seamless transition for his successor.
“I’ve talked with my wife extensively about this. Lots of family considerations as well as everything else, but at some point, it’s time to move on,” Killeen said.
Killen said does not plan to retire yet and wants to stay involved in ensuring the youth have affordable opportunities.
Killeen has led the system of three Springfield, Chicago and Champaign-Urbana universities since 2015, after a career in geophysics and space science and after serving as vice chancellor at the State University of New York.
Enrollment in the U of I System has grown since he took office, including of underrepresented minority students. He has led the three universities through the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes in higher education under the Trump administration.
Killen recently spoke with The 21st Show for an hour about how he is navigating the system through the new political climate.
The three universities’ shared Board of Trustees said Thursday that it will begin the search process for the next president in the coming weeks.