Welcome from Nicholas P. Jones the Executive Vice President/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Whether you are in search of specific information or simply making a general acquaintance with the University of Illinois System, welcome to the section of our website devoted to the Office of the Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Our information is organized for accessibility and ease of navigation, but please contact us if we may be of further assistance.

As the system’s chief academic officer, I lead systemwide academic initiatives and collaborate with the chancellors and provosts of the Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield universities in addressing the academic policy and budgetary issues that are key to the learning experiences of more than 97,000 students.

I also team with President Killeen to advocate for the U of I System across the state and the nation by building connections with legislators, funding agencies, and leaders in higher education and industry.

A much shorter job description – I have the honor and privilege to enable and nurture learners from a multitude of backgrounds as they embark upon their academic journey. My journey carried me here to Illinois from a small rural town in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand. And, really, that is the essence of higher education. For many of us, our true path is discovered through a series of explorations and side trips, perhaps a “zig” at key mileposts where we had expected to “zag.” Our resumes and curricula vitae serve to document our accomplishments along the way, but most importantly on our personal journeys we learn about ourselves.

My journey began with an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, followed by master’s and doctoral degrees in the same field from the California Institute of Technology. With increasing levels of responsibility at several stops along the road – including professor and department head of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – I have found that my current role is incredibly personally meaningful and rewarding.

The wondrous nature of life is that the range of possibilities for us all is dynamic and limitless. The University of Illinois System and its three universities provide world-class academic excellence and support to “travelers” as they find their way in this world, take their places in society, and contribute in myriad impactful ways to its betterment.

As we like to say in our office, for our graduates, it’s all in a day’s work!

Nick