OU president elected Board chair for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz was elected chair of the Board of Directors at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) during their annual conference in Nashville.

“Ora Pescovitz’s tenure at Oakland University is an impressive illustration of what can be accomplished when a leader is passionate about the success and well-being of their students, their institution and their community,” said Charles L. Welch, AASCU’s president and CEO. “I know she will bring that same drive and dedication to her new role as AASCU board chair, serving on a national stage on behalf of the country’s regional public universities.”

Since taking the helm at Oakland University in 2017, Pescovitz has launched and expanded several student success initiatives, grown the university’s research program, led the successful $150 million “Aspire. Advance. Achieve.” fundraising campaign and deepened the university’s commitment to community engagement, while continually working to build the school’s reputation in Michigan and beyond.

In addition to serving on AASCU’s Board of Directors, Pescovitz also sits on the boards of Priority Health, the Detroit Economic Club, the Detroit Drives Degrees Leadership Council and MBX Biosciences, Inc.

“I am deeply honored to serve as AASCU’s next board chair,” said Pescovitz. “At a time of heightened scrutiny for higher education, regional public universities are beacons of hope — and I’m eager to work alongside my colleagues to illuminate how we can and do deliver on America’s promise.”

Bennie L. Harris, chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate, was named chair-elect. AASCU membership also elected five new members to the Board of Directors:

• Katherine P. Frank, chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Stout
• Todd G. Lamb, president, University of Central Oklahoma
• Lynn Mahoney, president, San Francisco State University (CA)
• Peter O. Nwosu, president, State University of New York at Oswego
• Radha Pyati, chancellor, Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus

The following presidents will continue their terms as members of AASCU’s board:

Past Chair: Alisa White, president, Sam Houston State University (TX)

Treasurer: Andy Feinstein, president, University of Northern Colorado

Other returning AASCU board members are:

Kelli R. Brown, chancellor, Western Carolina University (NC)

Alberto J.F. Cardelle, president, State University of New York at Oneonta

Houston D. Davis, president, University of Central Arkansas

Jann L. Joseph, president, Georgia Gwinnett College

Brendan Kelly, president, Arkansas State University System

Nora R. Miller, president, Mississippi University for Women

Additional Appointments

In October, the Board of Directors appointed William Paterson University President Richard Helldobler as member at large. In addition, the board chose University of North Carolina Wilmington Chancellor Aswani Volety and Sul Ross State University President J. Carlos Hernandez to replace Carlos Vargas, former president of Southeast Missouri State University, and DeRionne Pollard, former president of Nevada State University, who now serves as president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges. The board also selected Bonnie Irwin, chancellor, University of Hawai’i at Hilo, to replace Maenette K. P. Ah Nee-Benham, who is stepping down as chancellor of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu at the end of the year.

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The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association that represents the sector of over 500 regional public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to student populations, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions delivering America’s promise.