The Daily Illini
Monday March 26, 2012
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www.DailyIllini.com
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
Vol. 141 Issue 118
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OFFICE President Michael Hogan resigns amid concerns about his leadership ability at UI BY DARSHAN PATEL AND LAUREN ROHR ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER
Just two weeks after the Board of Trustees told him to repair his relationship with faculty or risk losing his job, University President Michael Hogan resigned Thursday. Hogan — who replaced former University President B. Joseph White after the Category I admissions scandal — unexpectedly stepped down from his post amid growing concerns about his leadership ability. The board’s Executive Committee accepted Hogan’s resignation in an emergency meeting Friday afternoon at the Chicago campus, where trustees also signed off on the selection of Robert Easter, former interim chancellor, as president-designate. Easter will take over as
president July 1. “It has been a distinct honor and privilege to serve as president of the University of Illinois,” Hogan said in a statement Thursday, adding that he is optimistic about the future of the University. Board chairman Christopher Kennedy said Hogan felt he did not accomplish what he wanted to do during his short term. “(Hogan) came to the University to complete a certain agenda,” Kennedy said. “At the last board meeting, he concluded that much of the work he came here to do hadn’t been done, so rather than create a whole new agenda, I think he recognized that this was a great time to move on and let somebody else step in.”
See HOGAN, Page 3A JOSHUA BECKMAN THE DAILY ILLINI
HOGAN’S MARCH MADNESS
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Faculty push for Hogan’s resignation Feb. 26, 2012
Resignation as president effective July 1 A one-year leave for research and teaching preparation Returning to faculty with tenure as a distinguished professor of history at the campus of his choosing Receiving $285,100 per year as a member of the faculty, the average salary of the top-10 faculty salaries at the University, excluding medicine and dentistry Receiving deferred compensation of $67,500 in 2015, an amount due to him for serving as the president for two years
Distinguished faculty members began openly calling for University President Michael Hogan’s resignation in a letter to the Board of Trustees with 130 signatures. University spokesman Tom Hardy said Hogan does not intend to resign, and the trustees have been “unequivocal in their support” throughout his presidency.
Hogan writes to University community March 8, 2012 In a Massmail to the University community, Hogan said he is taking the Board of Trustees’ “thoughtful and candid advice very seriously,” days after meeting with the group to review growing concerns about his presidency. “I want the entire University community to know that I regret that this failure occurred,” Hogan said in the email.
Board of Trustees calls emergency meeting, tells Hogan to ‘rebuild relationships’ or risk losing job March 5, 2012
Chaired faculty members demand Hogan’s resignation March 15, 2012
Board of Trustees chairman Christopher Kennedy asked Hogan to repair his relationship with the faculty in an emergency meeting, saying the relationship is salvageable. “I’d say that issues around rebuilding that support are issues that Mike Hogan needs to play a leadership role in. That is not something that the Board can do for him, but we are confident that Mike can do that for himself,” Kennedy said. “Time will tell.”
Distinguished faculty members delivered another letter to the Board of Trustees calling for Hogan to be fired. In the letter, 118 professors said a Board of Trustees that does not act when the president is ethically compromised is unable to “effectively govern the institution it stewards.” They said Hogan’s reputation had deteriorated after the March 5 meeting — exactly the opposite of what the Board had hoped.
Hogan submits ‘Path Forward,’ the final revisions of enrollment management plan March 19, 2012 Hogan sent a final, revised version of the enrollment management plan, which he called “The Path Forward,” to Don Chambers, University Senates Conference chair, on March 19. “It’s a demonstration of shared governance at its best. We’re joyous we’ve come to a positive conclusion,” Chambers said.
Kennedy announces Hogan’s resignation March 22, 2012 The University community was notified in the early afternoon by Board of Trustees chairman Christopher Kennedy that Hogan had tendered his resignation. Hogan is to remain in the position until July 1, when former interim chancellor Bob Easter will take over.
WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY “I respect Michael Hogan’s decision to resign his position as president of the University of Illinois ... I have confidence in (Easter’s) leadership and ability to continue moving the state’s largest university forward.” PAT QUINN, Illinois governor
“I am grateful for President Hogan’s service and wish him the best of luck as he transitions into his new role .... I am hopeful that through Easter’s leadership the University of Illinois can continue to make strides as a world-class higher education institution.”
“Dr. Hogan’s pride in the University was always evident, and his goal was one that we shared: to make the University better .... The excellent reputation Dr. Easter has earned ... is one that will serve all three campuses well as we move forward. ”
DAVID PILESKI, student body president and student trustee-elect
PHYLLIS WISE, chancellor and vice president
“(Hogan) came to the University to complete a certain agenda. At the last board meeting, he concluded that much of the work he came here to do hadn’t been done, so rather than create a whole new agenda, I think he recognized that this was a great time to move on and let somebody else step in.” CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY, Board of Trustees chairman
Easter agrees to take on duty as president of University BY CARINA LEE AND DARSHAN PATEL STAFF WRITER AND ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
JOSHUA BECKMAN THE DAILY ILLINI
Robert Easter, then-chancellor and current president-designate of the University, talks with members of the Daily Illini editorial board. Easter will assume his full duties as president July 1.
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Robert Easter, former interim chancellor and interim vice chancellor for research, has been called upon to fill another duty, this time as the president-designate. Easter, who was set to retire after a new chancellor and vice president was appointed, has agreed to fill the role, saying he pledges “to move forward energetically and collaboratively with an agenda that reaffirms the University of Illinois’ special place among the very best of institutions of higher learning in the United States.” “Now, as Mike (Hogan) has decided to move on, the Board of Trustees has asked me to assume the mantle of leadership of this great institution as its president,” Easter said in a statement. “I do so with pride but also humility — with eagerness but also enormous respect.” As president-designate, Easter will make $250,000 on a 12-month basis, so he will earn about $62,000
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for his three months in that position. Once he assumes full presidency on July 1, when Hogan steps down, Easter will earn $450,000 per year, part of a twoyear appointment with the Board of Trustees Executive Committee, which was approved at its emergency meeting Friday afternoon. Board chairman Christopher Kennedy said after the two-year contract expires, Easter’s appointment will be extended or a presidential search will be initiated 10 months before his last day in office. However, Kennedy does not consider Easter to be here for the interim. “He had an ability to play a caretaker role in Urbana,” Kennedy said. “(But) he led the University’s flagship campus forward. I think he’ll do that with the entire institution in this instance.” While the agenda item for the meeting says the Executive Committee “considered various individuals who might provide this leadership for the University,”
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Kennedy said Easter was the clear choice Friday. When Hogan expressed his desire to step down from the position, the president immediately suggested Easter as a leading candidate for the seat, Kennedy said. “Basically, I said, ‘You (Hogan) can’t quit until you fi nd your replacement’ because we didn’t want to leave the University without somebody in charge,” he said. Before the announcement, Kennedy first discussed with trustees and faculty members the possibility of Easter taking over for Hogan; Kennedy said they seemed to accept the change warmly. University Senates Conference chair Don Chambers said the board’s decision to appoint Easter as the new president reflects the University’s “shared governance”. “In Bob Easter, we have a new leader but an old friend who knows this University inside and out and is respected by everyone throughout the University community,”
See EASTER, Page 3A
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“Now, as Mike (Hogan) has decided to move on, the Board of Trustees has asked me to assume the mantle of leadership of this great institution as its president. I do so with pride but also humility — with eagerness but also enormous respect.” ROBERT EASTER, president-designate of the University
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