Lake Forest College President Abruptly Departs After 2 Years

LAKE FOREST, IL — Lake Forest College officials announced Tuesday that Jill Baren is out as president, effective immediately, with no reason for her departure provided.

The sudden leadership change was communicated in an email to faculty, staff and students from Bill Lowry, chair of the college’s board of trustees.

Rob Krebs, a longtime board member and former chair, will serve as interim president, according to Lowry.

A 1990 appointee to the board, Krebs previously led Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, where he was "largely regarded as one of the most effective railroad executives," Lowry said.

Krebs also donated a Lake Forest home to the college to create the Krebs Center for the Humanities, according to Lowry. The board chair's email, sent at noon Tuesday, provided no details about the circumstances surrounding Baren’s departure.

A spokesperson for the college did not immediately respond to questions regarding whether her employment was terminated, if advance notice was provided — or whether college representatives had any comment on the reasons for her exit.

Baren, the first woman to lead Lake Forest College, began her presidency in July 2022, following the 21-year tenure of former president Stephen Schutt.

A medical doctor with decades of experience in academic medicine and higher education administration, Baren previously served as provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She also taught at the University of California, Los Angeles and Yale University.

Lowry said the Lake Forest College board plans to begin a national search for a new president in January 2025.

Earlier: Lake Forest College Names First Female President