Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday appointed Tom Britton, a retired vice chancellor at SIUC, to the university's board of trustees.
Rauner's nomination of Britton, a three-degree SIU alumnus and longtime administrator on the Carbondale campus, was filed Monday, and is subject to Senate approval later this spring.
"Tom has dedicated his life to public higher education and Southern Illinois University," Rauner said in a news release. "His connection to university staff, students and alumni, along with his proven track record in the advancement of higher education, make him uniquely qualified for this important position."
Britton earned bachelor, master's and juris doctor degrees at SIU Carbondale before entering the administration. His years in the university's central administration include time as administrative counsel to the board of trustees, executive assistant to the president, vice chancellor/president for administration, and vice chancellor for institutional advancement. In 1992 he became associate dean at the School of Law, where he went on to serve as acting dean, associate professor, director of graduate studies and director of development before retiring to private practice in 2016.
"I earned three degrees at SIU and spent approximately 40 years as an administrator and a teacher with the university," Britton said in a statement. I am honored to serve on the Board of Trustees at a time when clearly focused, intentional leadership at the policy level is so needed."
