Illinois chancellor Phyllis Wise abruptly announced her resignation on Thursday after a tumultuous year on the job.
Wise, chancellor of the Urbana-Champaign campus since 2011, will join the faculty when her resignation takes effect on Wednesday.
“External issues have arisen over the past year that have distracted us from the important tasks at hand,” Wise said in a statement. “I have concluded that these issues are diverting much needed energy and attention from our goals.”
Among the issues are allegations about the mistreatment of athletes in the football and women’s basketball programs. An investigation into the football program is ongoing.