B. Joseph White

B. Joseph White
University of Illinois file photo
16th President of the University of Illinois system
Term	January 31, 2005 – December 31, 2009
Predecessor	James J. Stukel
Successor	Stanley Ikenberry (announced as interim president on 10/3/09)
Born	1947 Detroit, Michigan
Alma mater	Georgetown University, Harvard Business School, University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Profession	Academic Businessperson
Spouse	Mary White

Bernard Joseph White (born 1947 in Detroit, Michigan) is the current president of the University of Illinois system with its three campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield, a higher education system with total enrollment of 70,000 students. White was born in Detroit in 1947 and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

On Wednesday, September 23, 2009, in the wake of the unfolding Admissions Controversy at the university, White announced his resignation as President, effective December 31, 2009. White's expressed intention, in the announcement, was to remain as a member of the faculty.^[1]

Education

White graduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1969. He then earned an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and a doctorate in business administration from the University of Michigan.

Career

Following graduation in 1975, White remained at Michigan as a professor of organizational behavior and industrial relations. He also spent six years (1981–1987) at Cummins Inc. in Columbus, Indiana, first as vice president for management development and then as vice president for personnel and public affairs.

He returned to the academia and served for a decade (1991-2001) as dean of the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business and its highly ranked undergraduate, MBA, doctoral and executive-education programs. He also served as interim president at the University of Michigan in 2002.

Presidency

White was officially named the 16th president of the University of Illinois in 2004, succeeding retiring president James J. Stukel, and took office on January 31, 2005. He was inaugurated on September 22, 2005.

Initiatives

In his inaugural address, White proposed a new "compact", with the five principal parties—the state, tuition payers and their families, donors, faculty members winning research funds and university leaders making wise decisions—all doing their parts to provide the resources needed to ensure what he terms "excellence and access".^[2]

In his first year, White initiated a strategic planning process for the University, its three campuses and their colleges and departments. In 2007–2008, the University of Illinois systems’ budget was $3.9 billion. On June 1, 2007, he announced the $2.25 billion Brilliant Futures fund-raising campaign.^[3]

White championed the establishment of the University of Illinois Global Campus Partnership, a major initiative to make University of Illinois programs and degrees available online on a large scale. Following an extensive shared governance process with faculty on the three campuses, Global Campus launched in January 2008 with a bachelor’s degree-completion program for registered nurses and a master’s degree and two graduate certificate programs in education with concentrations in e-learning. There are 15 more Global Campus degree and certificate programs in development.

In January 2008, the Chicago Tribune reported that fewer than 15 people signed up for the program, which has already cost more than $2 million.^[4] The Daily Illini showed even less flattering figures of 10 participants at a cost of $3 million.^[5] White and director of the program, Chet Gardner, have continued to pursue the initiative despite growing backlash from students, faculty, and others. Faculty are concerned that the program debases regular university degrees, while the Illinois Student Senate and Student Trustees represent student disgust with the waste of money.^[6]

The Chicago Tribune reported that trustees discovered that several members of White's staff on the Global Campus program had been paid from one to eight-percent bonuses to shill the program^[7], despite its declaration as a failure due to under enrollment and cost in excess of $10 million.^[8] The names of the ten members of the program were released in May 2009 and no longer are employed.^[9]. White, in hindsight, admitted the bonus program was inappropriate.

Concerning Chief Illiniwek

In February 2007, University of Illinois Board of Trustees Chairman Lawrence Eppley announced an end to the Urbana-Champaign campus tradition of Chief Illiniwek. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) had sanctioned the Urbana campus’ intercollegiate athletics program under a 2005 NCAA policy regarding use of Native American imagery by member institutions. The university board and White weathered criticism from both pro- and anti-Chief factions on the decision and the manner in which it was made. The Board of Trustees formally voted to end the Chief Illiniwek tradition at their March 2007 meeting. White stated his support for the board's decision saying, "While I understand many people have strong feelings about this 80-year-old tradition, for the good of our student-athletes and our university it is time to come together and move on to the next chapter in the history of this distinguished institution."^[10]

Admissions Controversy

The Chicago Tribune reported on Friday, May 29, 2009 that several students had been admitted to the University based upon connections or recommendations by Board of Trustees, Chicago politicians, and members of the Rod Blagojevich administration. Initially denying the existence of a "Category I" admissions program, White admitted that there were instances of preferential treatment. Although he claimed the list was short and his role was minor, however the Tribune, in particular, revealed emails through a FOIA finding that White had received a recommendation for a relative of convicted fundraiser Tony Rezko to be admitted. The controversy has sparked condemnation from student trustee Paul Schmitt and state lawmakers. ^[11] As a result of the clout controversy, several lawmakers including Representatives, Naomi Jakobsson, Chapin Rose, and Bill Black have called for legislative investigations^[12]. Chairman of the Illinois House of Higher Education Committee, Representative Mike Boland, has called for White's removal, as well as several administrators including Richard Herman and members of the Board of Trustees, saying "They were trusted to protect our university. In my eyes, they failed in that regard and they should resign."^[13]

During a hearing on July 27, 2009 at the Beckman Institute on the Champaign-Urbana campus, White advocated that no one above the level of dean be involved in admissions. White stated that the admissions controversy has presented an opportunity to the University of Illinois to "challenge conventional wisdom and take a leadership position" in creating a more objective process in college admissions. He stated that each admissions office needs to develop a highly responsive inquiry process so that applicants can inquire on their own behalf. In addition to advocating on behalf of Rezko's relatives, during the Mikva investigations White confessedthat his involvement in the controversy included using his position to support a family member in the undergraduate admissions process.^[14]

Outside the University

White is on the board of the American Council on Education, which seeks to influence higher education public policy through advocacy, research and programs. He also serves on the National Merit Scholarship board and the Evaluation Committee for Chicago's bid to host the Olympic Games.^[15] He is on the Board of Governors of the Argonne National Laboratory.

White has written, taught and spoken extensively on leadership and management. He is the author of The Nature of Leadership: Reptiles, Mammals, and the Challenge of Becoming a Great Leader.

References

External links

• Official biography
• University of Illinois Global Campus
• Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations