In March, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker officially appointed Suzet McKinney to the University of Illinois System Board of Trustees. Having been officially confirmed by the Illinois State Senate, McKinney will serve on the Board through January of 2031.
The Board of Trustees is the University’s highest governing body, overseeing all schools in the UI System, including its Chicago and Springfield campuses. With 13 total members, including the Governor and three elected student trustees from each university, the Board is responsible for operating the UI System on behalf of the State of Illinois. McKinney will fill the seat vacated by former trustee Donald Edwards.
A career civil servant, McKinney has spent much of her professional life working in the public health sector, having spent nearly twenty years working for various public health divisions within the City of Chicago. She also led the state’s alternative care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I believe that service to others is the rent we pay for occupying space on this earth, so I also serve on a number of nonprofit boards, and I have a strong reputation for giving of my time and knowledge to students and early-career professionals,” McKinney said.
Today, McKinney serves on the board of a number of private companies as well as various civic organizations including the Chicago Urban League and the Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.
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“I often refer to myself as a ‘tri-sector leader,’ … a person who has experience in and can successfully engage and collaborate across the public, private, and social sectors, and establish relationships and connectivity across the three.” McKinney said. “The University of Illinois System’s success depends on its ability to operate across these sectors as well and it is one area where my experience will be helpful.”
McKinney’s connection to the UI System runs deeper than her appointment to the Board. She received her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Chicago and served as an adjunct assistant professor there for more than fifteen years. McKinney plans to use her experience within the UI system to help guide it over the next six years.
“My involvement with the system has been comprehensive and longstanding,” McKinney said. “I am beyond dedicated to ensuring this institution is able to continue to serve the students and residents of Illinois in a manner that is unparalleled among state-level institutions of higher education.”
As the University faces new challenges every day, ranging from federal funding cuts to increasing student unrest, the success of McKinney’s tenure remains to be seen.
