The University of Washington has selected Robert J. Jones as its incoming 34th president, marking a historic appointment as the first African American to lead the 164-year-old institution. Jones, who will succeed current president Ana Mari Cauce, brings extensive leadership experience from his nine-year tenure as chancellor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Jones, an accomplished agronomist and crop physiologist, will assume his new role in August under a five-year contract. His appointment comes at a crucial time for the university, which maintains a significant presence in Seattle’s tech ecosystem through programs like the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering and the Foster School of Business.
During his leadership at Illinois, Jones demonstrated strong fundraising capabilities, successfully securing $2.7 billion in the university’s largest philanthropic campaign to date. His tenure was marked by several innovative initiatives, including the establishment of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, recognized as the world’s first engineering-focused medical school. He also fostered important partnerships, including a quantum science research collaboration with the University of Chicago and a human biology initiative with the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago.
The selection process was extensive, beginning with over 500 potential candidates before narrowing to 70 applicants. After remote interviews and in-person sessions, the field was reduced to six finalists and ultimately two candidates, with Jones emerging as the top choice. SP&A Executive Search facilitated the recruitment process.
Jones currently chairs both the Association of American Universities board of directors and the Big Ten’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors. His wife, Dr. Lynn Hassan Jones, is a muscular skeletal diagnostic radiologist.
The UW, operating with a $10.4 billion annual budget, serves more than 60,700 students across three campuses and maintains extensive research programs. Board of Regents chair Blaine Tamaki praised Jones’s background and leadership experience, highlighting his potential to build upon Cauce’s achievements.
Cauce, who has served as president for the past decade, will step down from her groundbreaking tenure as the university’s first female, first Latina, and first openly gay president. Her leadership saw the university through significant challenges and achievements, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the athletic program’s transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, and two Nobel Prize wins by faculty members – David Baker in 2024 and David Thouless in 2016.
After joining the UW in 1986 as a psychology professor, Cauce advanced through various leadership positions, including department chair, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and provost and executive vice president. Following the leadership transition, she plans to return to her faculty position in psychology and American ethnic studies.
Both leaders expressed mutual respect, with Cauce noting her previous collaboration with Jones through AAU and the Big Ten Conference. She particularly commended his commitment to academic excellence and ensuring educational access regardless of students’ financial circumstances or background.
The appointment represents a significant moment in UW’s history, bringing new leadership to one of the nation’s premier research universities as it continues to play a vital role in the Pacific Northwest’s academic and technological advancement. Jones’s experience in fostering innovation and research partnerships positions him to guide the university through its next chapter of growth and
development.