The president of the University at Albany is stepping down to take a job at the University of Illinois.
Robert Jones is leaving UAlbany this fall to assume thedual positions of Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Vice President of the University of Illinois System.
The 65-year-old Jones has headed UAlbany since January 2013: in a letter to the campus Tuesday, Jones said the decision to move on presented one of the most difficult dilemmas he's faced in more than 37 years in higher education. Chicago's WLS-TV reports Jones, who will become the first black chancellor of the UI's flagship campus, calls his new role his "dream job."
Plans call for Jones to be introduced to the UI campus and community at a public event Wednesday morning. His last day at UAlbany will be September 30. He takes his new office October 3rd.
An interim president is expected to be appointed at the SUNY Board’s next meeting in September.
Here is an excerpt from Jones' letter to the UAlbany community:
