The University of Washington Board of Regents announced Monday that Robert J. Jones, Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will be the UW’s 34th president. His five-year contract begins August 1.
Jones, who will be the first African American to lead the UW, succeeds President Ana Mari Cauce, who is stepping down after 10 years at the end of the 2024-25 academic year.
“We are very happy to welcome Chancellor Jones to the UW community,” said Board of Regents Chair Blaine Tamaki. “His inspiring and barrier-breaking personal journey, highly regarded scholarship and decades of transformative leadership convinced us that Chancellor Jones is the ideal person to build upon President Ana Mari Cauce’s legacy.”
Jones has led the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign since 2016, where he focused on student affordability, including the Illinois Commitment program, which guarantees free tuition for Illinois residents with family incomes under $75,000. Under his leadership, the university’s enrollment grew to a record of more than 59,000 students in fall 2024. He also prioritized community impact and launched partnerships like the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the Chicago Quantum Exchange.
“I am honored to be joining the University of Washington,” Jones said. “The UW is globally renowned as a home of outstanding teaching, research, innovation and patient care. I look forward to working with the UW’s talented and dedicated faculty and staff to support and accelerate their work.”
Before Illinois, Jones was President of the University at Albany from 2013 to 2016. He has also held various leadership positions at the University of Minnesota. Jones earned degrees from Fort Valley State College, the University of Georgia, and the University of Missouri.
The UW Board of Regents began its search for a new president after Cauce announced her departure in June 2024. SP&A Executive Search assisted the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, which included faculty, student, staff, and alumni representation. The committee reviewed over 70 applicants before recommending two finalists to the Board of Regents.
“The work of our presidential search advisory committee members, as well as input from numerous faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members, was invaluable,” said Regent David Zeeck, who chaired the search committee. “We are confident that he will both continue the University’s vital work...as well as lead the UW to new heights.”