Vice chancellor moves to health affairs post

Lon Kaufman, left, with University President Bob Easter on a visit to UIC College Prep. Kaufman led development of the high school as vice provost. Photo: UIC Photo Services

Lon Kaufman, who steps down Friday from his position as vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost, was appointed assistant vice president for corporate and community relations in the Office of the Vice President for Health Affairs. His appointment is effective Saturday.

An interim provost will be named in the near future.

Kaufman will provide consultation and create strategic relationships between the university’s health care enterprise and health care economic development organizations throughout the state.

“Dr. Kaufman has considerable familiarity with the greater health communities and can integrate perspectives to enhance the corporate and community relations for the Office of the Vice President for Health Affairs,” Jerry Bauman, interim vice president for health affairs and UIC Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares wrote in an email announcement Aug. 8.

“His distinguished 30-year career at the university has been marked by his dedication to UIC’s urban mission and his efforts on behalf of the university’s diverse students, faculty and staff. We look forward to working with him in his new role.”

Kaufman was vice provost for planning and programs from 2008 to 2011, leading the development of UIC College Prep, a charter high school with a special focus on the health sciences. He guided UIC’s Diversity Strategic Thinking Document, the Diversity Strategic Plan and the Learning Outcomes Assessment Program.

He has held several other administrative positions, including vice provost for undergraduate affairs, dean of the Honors College and director of graduate studies and department head in biological sciences.

A plant biologist, Kaufman studies the regulation of gene expression, signal transduction and crop productivity. A professor in biological sciences, he has received continuous federal funding since joining UIC in 1985.