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Robert J. Jones

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For the Welsh trade union leader, see Robert J. Jones (trade unionist).

Robert Jones
Jones in 2023
10th Chancellor of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 26, 2016
Preceded byPhyllis Wise
19th President of the University at Albany
In office
January 1, 2013 – September 30, 2016
Preceded byGeorge Philip
Succeeded byHavidan Rodriguez
Personal details
Born1951 (age 72–73)
Dawson, Georgia, U.S.
EducationFort Valley State University (BS)
University of Georgia (MS)
University of Missouri (PhD)
Scientific career
FieldsAgronomy
InstitutionsUniversity of Minnesota
University at Albany
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
ThesisYield Components, Respiration, and Photosynthesis of Contrasting Genotypes of Tall Fescue (1978)

Robert J. Jones (born 1951)[1] is an American crop physiology scientist who is the tenth chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jones is the first African-American to hold this office. He previously served as president of the University of Albany.[2] In addition to his academic career, Jones was a tenor singer[3] in Sounds of Blackness, a vocal ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota[1] that sings gospel, soul, and R&B.[3]

Education

Jones earned a bachelor's degree in agronomy from Fort Valley State College, a master's degree in crop physiology at the University of Georgia,[4] and a doctorate in crop physiology at the University of Missouri.[5][6]

Career

University of Minnesota

Jones worked at the University of Minnesota for 34 years in many positions: a professor in agronomy and plant genetics, executive vice provost, and senior vice president for academic administration from 2004 to 2013.[5][7] The University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center was named after Jones.[8][9]

University at Albany

Following his career at the University of Minnesota, Jones served as the president of the University at Albany from 2013 to 2016. During his tenure, he created the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.[5]

Racial Assault Hoax

Jones made national headlines for presiding over a racial hoax that was reported as a race-motivated assault against three African-American women on a campus bus.[10] Based upon a police report at the time, Jones firmly declared in a public announcement that “early this morning, three of our students were harassed and assaulted while riding a bus in Albany. I am deeply concerned, saddened and angry about this incident. There is no place in the UAlbany community for violence, no place for racial intolerance and no place for gender violence.”.[11] Later video evidence showed that the trio was not assaulted and were instead aggressors in the incident.[12][13][14] Students and observers criticized Jones as rushing to judgement [12] while Jones refused to apologize stating that he made his remark based upon the police report at that time.[14]

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

In July 2016,[2] Jones was named as the University of Illinois' tenth chancellor. According to Jones, leaving the University at Albany was one of the most difficult decisions he had to make in his academic career.[15] Jones also has a tenured faculty position in the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences in the department of crop sciences.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Robert J. Jones". Archived from the original on May 8, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Introducing Dr. Robert J. Jones". July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Vielkind, Jimmy (September 12, 2012). "Scientist, singer new UAlbany president". Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  4. ^ Jones, Robert James (1975). Calcium requirements of peanut pods and calcium mobility in the pegging zone (M.S.). University of Georgia. OCLC 4616777.
  5. ^ a b c d "Meet the Chancellor". September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  6. ^ Jones, Robert James (1978). Yield components, respiration, and photosynthesis of contrasting genotypes of tall fescue (PhD). University of Missouri. OCLC 4616777 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ "University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen on July 19th named Robert J. Jones chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign". Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  8. ^ "ROBERT J. JONES URBAN RESEARCH AND OUTREACH-ENGAGEMENT CENTER". Archived from the original on July 15, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  9. ^ "Robert J. Jones named chancellor at Urbana-Champaign". July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  10. ^ "UAlbany women who claimed bus attack kicked out of school". May 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  11. ^ "SUNY must come down hard on students who made up a 'racial assault'". March 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "New U of I chancellor tangled in recent racial rush-to-judgement case". July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  13. ^ "UAlbany President Robert Jones leaving to lead University of Illinois flagship campus". July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Jones: I Won't Apologize for Bus Assault Response". Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  15. ^ Bump, Bethany (July 20, 2016). "UAlbany President Robert Jones leaving to lead University of Illinois flagship campus". Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
Academic offices
Preceded by
George M. Philip
 President of University at Albany, SUNY
2013–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chancellor of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2016–present 		Incumbent
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