Kennedy: Herman Had Been Contemplating Resignation for Weeks

The chairman of the U of I Board of Trustees says chancellor Richard Herman's decision to step down was not made overnight.

Chris Kennedy says trustees had conversations with Herman about voluntary resignation since the first meeting containing all six new trustees last month. But he says Herman and outgoing president Joseph White determined their own schedules over the past few weeks.

"I would like to say that was a part of a master plan, but in fact it really came out of Chancellor Herman and out of Joe White individually, both of whom I think really saw their life's work as protecting the best interests of the University of Illinois," Kennedy said.

Kennedy believes the transition in leadership will be orderly, even though starting Monday the U of I will not have a permanent president, chancellor or provost. He says there will be no interim chancellor, and interim president Stanley Ikenberry will handle some of the administrative duties along with interim provost Robert Easter.