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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!