The University of Illinois hopes to have a new president selected by January.
The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports a 19-member search committee will be appointed in May to recruit and review candidates to replace President Robert Easter.
Easter is retiring in June 2015 when his contract expires.
He was named president in March 2012 and planned at the time to keep the job only until June 2014 before school trustees voted to extend his contract in July.
Easter replaced Michael Hogan who resigned under pressure from faculty who were unhappy over his plans for the university.
The search committee will include trustees, faculty members, students, as well representatives from UI Alumni Association and the UI Foundation.
Trustees will have the final vote.