The University of Illinois system has hired State University of New York Vice Chancellor for Research Timothy L. Killeen as its next president.
The university announced Wednesday that the 62-year-old Killeen will become president when current President Robert Easter retires in June.
The 67-year-old Easter became president in 2012 during a period of turmoil.
Both of his predecessors, Michael Hogan and B. Joseph White, resigned under pressure. Easter is credited by many with overseeing a relatively calm period.
But Killeen faces uncertainties over dwindling state support for the three university campuses and rising tuition.
Killeen previously was a University of Michigan faculty member and administrator and worked at the National Science Foundation. His research focused on geophysics and space sciences.
Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
