After admissions scandal, Hogan takes over U. of Ill. with a list of challenges

After admissions flap, Illini get new president

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The newly named president of the University of Illinois says he believes last year’s admission scandal is behind the university.

Michael Hogan, who is president of the University of Connecticut, says he thinks the biggest challenges will be financial rather than ethical.

If approved by university trustees, he will take over at a difficult time. The school is operating without $380 million in overdue state appropriations and is still stinging from the uproar over politically influenced admissions.

Hogan says he believes the university has put enough safeguards in place to keep political influence away from future university admissions decisions.

But he says he won’t keep politicians at arm’s length because they’re important to the university’s future.