Robert J. Jones

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

Robert Jones
Jones in 2023
34th President of the
University of Washington
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 1, 2025
Preceded byAna Mari Cauce
10th Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
In office
September 26, 2016 – June 30, 2025
Preceded byPhyllis Wise
Succeeded byCharles Lee Isbell Jr.
19th President of the State University of New York at Albany
In office
January 1, 2013 – September 30, 2016
Preceded byGeorge Philip
Succeeded byHavidan Rodriguez
Personal details
Born1951 (age 73–74)
Dawson, Georgia, U.S.
EducationFort Valley State University (BS)
University of Georgia (MS)
University of Missouri (PhD)
Signature
Scientific career
FieldsAgronomy
InstitutionsUniversity of Minnesota
State University of New York at Albany
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ThesisYield components, respiration, and photosynthesis of contrasting genotypes of tall fescue (1978)

Robert James Jones[1] (born 1951) is an American crop physiology scientist, currently serving as the 34th president of the University of Washington since August 1, 2025.

He served as the 10th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from September 2016 to June 2025 and as the 19th president of the State University of New York at Albany from January 2013 to September 2016.

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,[2] and a doctorate in crop physiology at the University of Missouri.[3][4]

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.[3][5] The University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center was named after Jones.[6][7]

University at Albany

Following his career at the University of Minnesota, Jones served as the president of the State University of New York at Albany from 2013 to 2016. During his tenure, he created the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.[3]

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.[8] 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.".[9] Later video evidence showed that the trio was not assaulted and were instead aggressors in the incident.[10][11][12] Students and observers criticized Jones as rushing to judgement [10] while Jones refused to apologize stating that he made his remark based upon the police report at that time.[12] Jones later announced that the university expelled two of the students and suspended the third for violating the student code of conduct.[13]

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

In July 2016,[14] Jones was named as the 10th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 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.[3] In November 2024, Jones announced he would be stepping down from the chancellorship and leave the office on June 30, 2025.[16][17]

University of Washington

On February 3, 2025, the University of Washington Board of Regents named Jones as the incoming president of the University of Washington, succeeding Ana Mari Cauce, who would step down from the presidency in June 2025 at the end of the 2024–2025 academic year.[18][19] Jones' tenure as the 34th president at the University of Washington began on August 1, 2025.[20]

Personal life

Jones was a tenor singer[21] in Sounds of Blackness, a vocal ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota[22] that sings gospel, soul, and R&B.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Yield Components, Respiration, and Photosynthesis of Contrasting Genotypes of Tall Fescue". ProQuest 302880791. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  2. ^ Jones, Robert James (1975). Calcium requirements of peanut pods and calcium mobility in the pegging zone (M.S.). University of Georgia. OCLC 4616777.
  3. ^ a b c d "Meet the Chancellor". September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  4. ^ Jones, Robert James (1978). Yield components, respiration, and photosynthesis of contrasting genotypes of tall fescue (PhD). University of Missouri. OCLC 4616777. ProQuest 302880791.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach–Engagement Center". Archived from the original on July 15, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  7. ^ "Robert J. Jones named chancellor at Urbana-Champaign". July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  8. ^ Lawrence, J.P. (May 6, 2016). "UAlbany women who claimed bus attack kicked out of school". Times Union. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Bump, Bethany (July 19, 2016). "UAlbany President Robert Jones leaving to lead University of Illinois flagship campus". Times Union. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Jones: I Won't Apologize for Bus Assault Response". Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  13. ^ "University Expels 2, Suspends 1 Accused of Lying About 'Racial Attack'". NBC News. May 6, 2016. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  14. ^ "Introducing Dr. Robert J. Jones". July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  15. ^ Bump, Bethany (July 20, 2016). "UAlbany President Robert Jones leaving to lead University of Illinois flagship campus". Times Union. Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  16. ^ "Robert Jones 'ending tenure' as U of I Chancellor".
  17. ^ "University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor to step down at end of academic year". AP News. November 15, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  18. ^ Daily, Piper Davidson The (February 3, 2025). "Robert Jones selected as next UW President by Board of Regents". The Daily of the University of Washington. Archived from the original on February 7, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  19. ^ Daily, Sofia Schwarzwalder The (June 12, 2024). "UW President Ana Mari Cauce to step down in 2025". The Daily of the University of Washington. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  20. ^ "Biography of President Robert J. Jones". University of Washington Office of the President. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Vielkind, Jimmy (September 12, 2012). "Scientist, singer new UAlbany president". Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  22. ^ "Robert J. Jones". Archived from the original on May 8, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
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