Dive Brief:
- University of Illinois trustees voted to reject Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Phyllis Wise’s resignation, deciding instead to pursue the process of dismissal.
- Trustees were pressured, including by Gov. Bruce Rauner, to reject the $400,000 bonus Wise had negotiated as part of her resignation agreement, a proration of $500,000 she would have received as a retention bonus should she have stayed through her fifth year.
- The Huffington Post reports that dismissal proceedings will include a hearing and a process that could take a couple months, during which Wise will be reassigned to a position advising the campus president on biomedical affairs.
Dive Insight:
UIUC’s dean of the college of Liberal Arts and Sciences will replace Wise as chancellor on an interim basis while the university conducts a full search for a permanent replacement. Barbara J. Wilson got the job offer earlier this week following Wise’s resignation, which came amid a scandal over Wise’s nondisclosure of personal emails discussing university business. Wise’s tenure has been plagued by a number of scandals, including the potentially illegal firing of professor Steven Salaita as well as allegations of mistreatment by student athletes.