Welcome, Robert J. Jones
On Feb. 3, 2025, the University of Washington Board of Regents announced that Robert J. Jones has been selected as the 34th President of the UW. Jones is currently the chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and will begin his UW presidency Aug. 1.
In announcing the appointment, Board of Regents Chair Blaine Tamaki called Jones “an accomplished, visionary leader who has risen through the faculty at outstanding state universities.” He lauded Jones’ commitment to making a college education accessible and affordable and to advancing research, innovation and economic opportunity.
For information about Jones, read the news release announcing his appointment, the message from Regents Chair Tamaki and Jones’ biography.
In June, President Ana Mari Cauce announced her intention to step down as president at the end of her second full term during the summer of 2025. The Board has initiated preparations for presidential search during Academic Year 2024–25, including hiring a search consultant, SP&A Executive Search, and designating a Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) to review candidates and to forward finalists to the Board for consideration.
A charge letter to the committee has been issued. The PSAC will welcome input and nominations through a survey later this summer. Further information about listening sessions and other means of community consultation will be shared here and with the UW community.
Updates and information on the process will be published here.
- Listening session information is available on this page.
- Information on the search process is available on this page.
- The Leadership Profile, formulated in collaboration with the University community, is available here.
- In a special meeting on Jan. 10, the Board of Regents selected a preferred finalist and authorized the Board Chair to perform final reference checks and negotiate a contract with the finalist. The decision occurred in open public session, but the name of the preferred finalist has not been disclosed or announced.
- In a special meeting on Jan. 16, the Board of Regents expanded the Chair’s delegated authority to open discussions with an additional candidate. If necessary, any further action required to select the University President will be taken in a regular or properly noticed special meeting.