University News

WIU President Named to AASCU Board of Directors

November 4, 2016

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL -- Western Illinois University President Jack Thomas has been named to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' (AASCU) Board of Directors.

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association of more than 400 public colleges, universities and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved 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 of Opportunities for All."

"The AASCU is a progressive organization that works to advance public higher education, and I am honored to be a part of this association's Board of Directors. I will proudly represent higher education through my service with this organization," Thomas noted. "I look forward to working with presidents and chancellors to accomplish the vision of AASCU, which is to be a transformative influence in American public higher education through advocacy, leadership and service."

Earlier this year, Thomas was appointed as a member at large to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE).

Thomas was named the 11th president of Western Illinois University in 2011. Under his leadership, Western moved up in the rankings as a "Best Midwestern College" and as a "Best Regional University" by The Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report, respectively. Western Illinois University also continues to be named a "Military Friendly School" by GI Jobs Magazine and as a "Best for Vets College" by Military Times EDGE magazine.

In addition to improving WIU's national profile, Thomas has an outstanding commitment to public higher education, as evidenced by his participation, at various points during his career, working effectively with the Board of Regents, the Board of Trustees and other state agencies. He has been successful in taking the lead and striving to enhance public higher education in the state of Illinois.

During Thomas' tenure at Western, numerous programs and initiatives have been established and improved, including increased partnerships with international universities and embassies, additional scholarship funding, the Western Commitment Scholarship and the Centennial Honors College Scholarship programs, a mentoring program designed to improve retention and an enhanced honors college. Most recently, he established the President's Executive Corporate Cluster, which partners with business and industry and will provide funding for the university and opportunities for students.

Thomas is currently a board member of the American Association for Blacks in Higher Education, the Illinois Campus Compact and a Board Member of Stillman College. He previously served as an Executive Board Member on the Council of Fellows for the American Council on Education. In addition, he is a graduate of the Harvard Leadership Program, an American Council on Education Fellow, a Kellogg-NAFEO Fellow and he participated in the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria. He received an Honorary Doctorate from Alabama A & M University in December 2015. His most recent publication is a book, titled "Within These Gates: Academic Work, Academic Leadership, University Life, and the Presidency."

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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