The University of Illinois Springfield has selected the next chancellor for the school and vice president for the U of I system.

Dr. Janet Gooch has served as executive vice president and provost at Truman State University since 2017 and has been an administrator and member of the faculty at the university in Kirksville, Mo., since 1995.

She will take over for interim chancellor Karen Whitney in July, pending Board of Trustees approval.

“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to join the University of Illinois Springfield and lead this regional powerhouse in the years ahead. I look forward to getting to know the students, faculty and staff at UIS, as well as the city of Springfield, and working together as we chart a course that provides opportunities for our students and serves the region as both an educator and an economic engine,” Gooch said. “Chancellors Whitney and Koch have made access and equity priorities at UIS, and I plan to continue to build on that work. This will mean opening doors for more and more students and providing them with the tools to reach their full potential, helping build a better and sustainable future for us all.”

This story was reported by NPR Illinois on March 22, 2022. Read the entire article online.