APLU Announces 2021 Board of Directors, Montana State University President Waded Cruzado to Serve as Chair

Washington, DC – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today announced its 2021 Board of Directors. At a ceremony during the association’s 133rd Annual Meeting, Montana State University President Waded Cruzado became Chair of the Board, taking over for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones.

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.

“Waded Cruzado is a pathbreaking leader who has dedicated her life to advancing the public service mission of public research universities,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “We’re thrilled she’s been selected as the next chair of the APLU Board of Directors. 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’re excited to have her leadership as Chair.”

Below is the roster for the 2021 APLU Board of Directors:

• Waded Cruzado, President, Montana State University, is Chair of the Board.
• Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, is Chair-Elect of the Board.
• Robert Jones, Chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is Past-Chair of the Board.
• Gary May, Chancellor, University of California, Davis, is Chair of the Council of Presidents.
• Kent Fuchs, President, University of Florida, 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.
• Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President, University of Maine, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Martin Meehan, President, University of Massachusetts System, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Robert Nelsen, President, California State University, Sacramento, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Santa Ono, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Samuel Stanley, President, Michigan State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
• Makola Abdullah, President, Virginia State University, is the Council of 1890s Universities Representative.
• Alex Krigstein, Director of Federal Government Relations, University of Florida, 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.
• Eleni Assanis, University of Delaware, is the Council of Presidents’ and Chancellors’ Spouses Representative.
• Denise Maybank, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, The City University of New York, is the Council on Student Affairs Representative.
• Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research, Washington State University, is the Council on Research Representative.
• Havidán Rodríguez, President, University at 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 the Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Representative.
• Chad Wootton, Associate Vice President for External Affairs, Texas A&M University, is the Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Representative.
• Taylor Eighmy, President, University of Texas at San Antonio, is the Commission on International Initiatives Representative.
• Michael Rao, President, Virginia Commonwealth University, is the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities Representative.
• Rita Cheng, President Northern Arizona University, is the Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis Representative.
• Jonathan Pruitt, Chief Operating Office, University of North Carolina System, is Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis Representative.
• Tom Coon, Vice President, Dean and Director of the Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, is the Board on Agriculture Policy Board Representative.
• The Council on Academic Affairs Representative is to be announced soon.