After turbulent year, Wilson named to new U of Illinois role

URBANA, Ill. (AP) - The woman who ran the University of Illinois' largest campus after its chancellor abruptly resigned has been promoted to be the No. 2 administrator in the university system.

The university announced Monday that Barbara Wilson will become executive vice president of the three-campus system. The newly created position is second to President Timothy Killeen in the university's hierarchy and comes with a $450,000-a-year salary. Killeen's salary is $600,000.

Wilson has been interim chancellor at the Urbana-Champaign campus since Phyllis Wise resigned as chancellor in 2015 over the use of private email to conduct public business.

Killeen praised Wilson's work during a "turbulent" year. Wilson fired two football coaches and an athletic director after one coach, Tim Beckman, was accused of mistreating players.

New Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones starts Sept. 26.