Glen Poshard assumes presidency of Southern Illinois University

Glenn Poshard, a former congressman and one-time Democratic candidate for governor, has been selected as the new president of the 35,000-student Southern Illinois University system, SIU’s board of trustees announced Friday.

After the public announcement at the university’s flagship Carbondale campus, Poshard said he couldn’t think of a better job opportunity.

"This is what I want to do," said Poshard, who assumes the post on Jan. 1 and will make a $292,000 annual salary. "I’m here and I want to spend the rest of my career here."
...
Poshard, who served five terms in Congress and was a member of the state General Assembly before that, got a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the school in 1970, a master’s degree in educational administration in 1974 and a doctorate in administration of higher education a decade later.

After losing the gubernatorial race to Republican George Ryan in 1998, Poshard served four years as vice chancellor at the Carbondale campus before stepping down from that post last year.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich had named Poshard to the board of trustees in January 2004, then reappointed the White County native now living near Carbondale to a second term that was to expire in 2011.