University of Illinois Chicago Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Javier Reyes will serve as interim chancellor of the university upon the departure of Chancellor Michael Amiridis, University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen said today.
Amiridis will step down on June 30 to become president of the University of South Carolina.
Reyes’ appointment, pending approval of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, is effective July 1.
Killeen said Reyes’ work as provost and his almost two decades of higher-education experience make him the right person to lead UIC and its more than 34,000 students and 13,000 faculty and staff while a search is conducted for a permanent chancellor.
“Javier has deeply immersed himself in the operations and culture of UIC and worked to build stronger connections for the university across the city and the state,” Killeen said. “He has worked closely with Chancellor Amiridis in many of the areas that are most important to the university – providing greater equity and access, and supporting innovation that can be life-changing for those on our campus and those in our communities for generations to come.”
Reyes welcomed the opportunity to serve as interim chancellor.
“Chancellor Amiridis has developed a strong leadership team here at UIC, one I am privileged to be a part of and will rely on in the months ahead,” Reyes said. “I look forward to working with faculty and staff as we continue to develop UIC as a crucial asset for the citizens of Chicago and the state of Illinois.”
Reyes joined UIC in August 2021 after serving as West Virginia University’s Milan Puskar Dean of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics and vice president for Startup West Virginia. He has a PhD in economics from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Estado de México.
Trustees will consider Reyes’ appointment at their next meeting, on May 19.
A committee has been formed to lead the search for a permanent chancellor. An interim provost will be named soon to take on Reyes’ current role while he serves as interim chancellor.
