Janet L. Gooch became chancellor of the University of Illinois Springfield on July 1, 2022. UIS is a comprehensive public regional university that serves more than 4,000 students, with 201 full-time faculty, 500 full-time staff and an operating budget of $90.5 million.

About Janet Gooch

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• Janet L. Gooch named chancellor at University of Illinois Springfield

Janet L. Gooch is the seventh chancellor of the University of Illinois Springfield. She is an accomplished higher education leader and educator.

At UIS, Chancellor Gooch is working to enhance the university's impact by attracting a more diverse student body, addressing workforce needs and promoting social mobility. Her focus is on using experiential education to supply employers with skilled graduates, while also expanding teaching methods to cultivate critical thinking and interpersonal skills.

Under her leadership, UIS is growing as a community that values varied perspectives, civic engagement and having a positive impact on the region and the world. She wants UIS to be known as a university with the power to transform individual lives and communities through an unwavering focus on producing informed and inclusive leaders.

During her first two years, UIS has experienced an 11% increase in enrollment, been awarded a $2.25 million federal grant to attract and retain students, launched the Prairie Promise offering free tuition to qualified first-year undergraduates and made significant advancements in innovation.

Before coming to UIS, Chancellor Gooch served as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at Truman State University, where she spent a total of 27 years serving as an administrator and member of the faculty. She served as dean of Truman’s School of Health Sciences and Education and, prior to that, department chair of Communication Disorders. She held interim roles as dean of the School of Science and Mathematics and director of Strategic Initiatives and was a professor in the Department of Communication Disorders.

Chancellor Gooch received her doctorate in speech-language pathology from Case Western Reserve University in 1997, a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Kent State University in 1990, and her bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology in 1988 from the University of Kansas.

Investiture of UIS Chancellor Janet L. Gooch

The University of Illinois System held a Ceremony of Investiture for UIS Chancellor Janet L. Gooch on Feb. 8, 2023, in UIS Sangamon Auditorium. The investiture served as a ceremonial acknowledgment of her appointment to the top UIS post.

Request Chancellor Gooch attend your event

Chancellor Gooch welcomes invitations to speak at or attend events at UIS.