Gislason appointed interim vice chancellor for academic affairs

Eric Gislason was interim chancellor from 2008 to 2009. Photo: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin/UIC Photo Services

Longtime UIC administrator Eric Gislason was appointed interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost, effective Saturday, pending approval by the university’s Board of Trustees.

Gislason succeeds Lon Kaufman, who was appointed assistant vice president for corporate and community relations in the Office of the Vice President for Health Affairs.

“In more than four decades of service to UIC, Dr. Gislason has had a distinguished record and unwavering commitment to our university,” UIC Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares wrote in an email to the UIC community Wednesday.

Gislason, professor emeritus of chemistry, joined UIC in 1969. His administrative appointments have included head of chemistry, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, vice chancellor for research and interim chancellor.

“As vice chancellor for research, Rick significantly raised UIC’s profile as a research university and substantially increased federal research funding,” Allen-Meares wrote. “Rick is known for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among campus researchers.”

Campus deans, vice chancellors and UIC Senate executive leadership were consulted in Gislason’s selection for the interim position.