Dr. S. Jack Hu
Hu, who brings nearly 40 years of experience in higher education, will assume his new role on July 15, replacing Dr. Kim Wilcox, who is retiring next month. Wilcox, who was profiled in the June 5th issue of Diverse, has led UC Riverside since 2013 and oversaw significant campus growth, including the addition of schools of medicine and public policy and the university's 2023 invitation to join the prestigious Association of American Universities.
"Over his distinguished career at leading public research institutions, Dr. Hu has championed innovation and academic initiatives that have increased opportunities for students and faculty and have positively impacted their lives and the communities they serve," said UC President Dr. Michael V. Drake, in announcing the selection.
At the University of Georgia, where Hu has served as provost since 2019, he has overseen substantial growth in research funding, with the university's research and development expenditures exceeding $620 million in 2024. This investment helped maintain Georgia's status as a top U.S. university for research-to-market products, ranking first nationally in 2024.
Hu's commitment to student success is evident in his track record: under his leadership, the University of Georgia became one of only nine public universities in the U.S. with a six-year graduation rate of at least 90%, while graduate enrollment increased by more than 20% since 2019.
Before joining Georgia, Hu spent over three decades at the University of Michigan, where he began as a graduate student in 1985 and eventually served as vice president for research, overseeing a $1.5 billion research enterprise. In that role, he helped launch "MCity," a groundbreaking public-private partnership for testing connected and automated vehicles.
"I am honored to join this outstanding university whose mission is to transform lives through discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge," Hu said. "UC Riverside has immense potential ahead that I believe will put the campus at the forefront of shaping the future of higher education."
Born in Hunan Province, China, Hu earned his bachelor's degree from Tianjin University before moving to Michigan for graduate studies in mechanical engineering. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and an elected fellow of four professional societies, with research focused on manufacturing systems quality and productivity.
UC Riverside has established itself as a leader in social mobility and academic excellence, particularly in serving diverse student populations. Under Wilcox's leadership, overall enrollment increased more than 25% and the campus's four-year graduation rate improved by 18 percentage points.
"Dr. Hu's reputation as a results-oriented team player makes him the ideal partner to bolster UC Riverside's impact on students and the region through robust research, economic development, and community engagement," said Janet Reilly, UC Board of Regents chair.
