APLU Announces 2020 Board of Directors, University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones to Serve as Chair

San Diego, CA – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today announced its 2020 Board of Directors. At a ceremony during the association’s 132nd Annual Meeting, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones became Chair of the Board, taking over for The Ohio State University President Michael Drake.

The Board of Directors provides oversight and direction for APLU’s work and is charged with setting membership and governing policies for the association. Board members work to make public institutions of higher education more effective in delivering quality and affordable higher education while advancing cutting-edge research and robust community and economic engagement.

“Robert Jones is an exceptional leader with an extensive background advancing the work of public research universities,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “We’re thrilled he’s been selected as the next chair of the APLU Board of Directors. We look forward to his stewardship. The Board of Directors plays an essential role in shaping APLU’s work to advance the education, research, and engagement missions of public higher education. We are so pleased that Robert will be at the table helping to provide a national direction.”

Below is the roster for the 2020 APLU Board of Directors:

• Robert Jones, Chancellor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, is Chair of the Board.
• Waded Cruzado, President, Montana State University, is Chair-Elect of the Board.
• Michael Drake, President, The Ohio State University, is Past-Chair of the Board.
• Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, is Chair of the Council of Presidents.
• Gary May, Chancellor, University of California, Davis, is Secretary of the Council of Presidents.
• Mun Choi, President, University of Missouri System, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Susan Cole, President, Montclair State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Vistasp Karbhari, President, University of Texas at Arlington, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Robert Nelsen, President, California State University, Sacramento, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Samuel Stanley, President, Michigan State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Joseph Steinmetz, Chancellor, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Martin Meehan, President, University of Massachusetts System, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Makola M. Abdullah, President, Virginia State University, is the Council of 1890s Universities Representative.
• Joseph Glover, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Florida, is the Council on Academic Affairs Representative.
• Jonathan Pruitt, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the Council on Business Affairs Representative.
• Gina Daly, Director of Federal Relations, University of California, Berkeley, is the Council on Governmental Affairs Representative.
• Dana Topousis, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, University of California, Davis, is the Council on Strategic Communications Representative.
• Monica Rao, Virginia Commonwealth University, is the Council of Presidents’ and Chancellors’ Spouses Representative.
• Denise Maybank, Vice President for Student Affairs and Services at Michigan State University, is the Council on Student Affairs Representative.
• Sarah Nusser, Vice President for Research, Iowa State University, is the Council on Research Representative.
• Havidán Rodríguez, President, University of Albany, is the Commission on Access, Diversity, and Excellence Representative.
• Noelle Cockett, President, Utah State University, is the Commission on Food, Environment, and Renewable Resources Representative.
• Patrick Gallagher, Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh, is a Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Representative.
• Chad Wootton, Associate Vice President for External Affairs, Texas A&M University, is a Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Representative.
• Waded Cruzado, President, Montana State University, is the Commission on International Initiatives Representative.
• Michael Rao, President, Virginia Commonwealth University, is the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities Representative.
• Tim Sands, President, Virginia Tech University, is the Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis Representative.
• Orlando McMeans, Chancellor of the Southern University Ag Center and the Dean of the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences at Southern University, is the Board on Agriculture Policy Board Representative.