Press Release

CONTACT: Debra Humphreys
(202) 387-3760 (ext. 422)
E-mail: humphreys@aacu.org

Alma Clayton-Pedersen Appointed New Vice President for Education and Institutional Renewal

Washington, DC—August 27, 2001—The Association of American Colleges and Universities announces the appointment of Alma Clayton-Pedersen as Vice President for Education and Institutional Renewal. Formerly Senior Policy Director and Special Assistant to the President at the Association, Clayton-Pedersen will oversee AAC&U's program work in the areas of collaborative leadership for educational effectiveness and faculty development in the context of institutional and educational change. The office she heads will work with creative academic leaders throughout the United States to develop AAC&U's strength as a catalyst for learning-centered innovation on college and university campuses.

Clayton-Pedersen came to AAC&U in January, 2000 and before assuming her new Vice Presidency on August 15th, she worked on several of AAC&U's major initiatives and meetings. She is the director of a major diversity evaluation project funded by the James Irvine Foundation, a role she will continue in her new position. In addition, she was the director of this Summer's Greater Expectations Institute on Campus Leadership for Sustainable Innovation. Clayton-Pedersen will continue to lead this institute which AAC&U plans to offer each summer.

AAC&U's Office of Education and Institutional Renewal will also continue to house the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program co-sponsored by the Council of Graduate Schools and directed by Jerry Gaff. After 10 years at AAC&U, Gaff stepped down as Vice President of this office in May, but is remaining at AAC&U as a senior scholar and a project director of PFF.

Clayton-Pedersen brings to AAC&U a wealth of experience in higher education. Prior to joining the staff at AAC&U, she spent fifteen years at Vanderbilt University where she taught human and organizational development courses and held a number of different positions including Assistant to the Provost and Director of Academic Affairs in Athletics; Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs; Assistant Director of an education policy center; and Assistant to the Dean of Students. She also co-founded Common Destiny Alliance (CODA) at Vanderbilt, a collaboration of organizations and researchers committed to helping our nation see its diversity as an opportunity rather than a problem by debunking the myths that support discriminatory practices with sound research.

"Alma's experience has enabled her to develop a unique ability to understand and articulate academic and student affairs issues, and to research and explore first-hand intergroup relations in educational settings," remarked AAC&U president Carol Geary Schneider. "Alma has a very strong background in the intersection between campus climate and the success of diverse groups of students. With this background, she is exactly the right person to ensure that AAC&U's work on educational effectiveness takes full account of the knowledge we are gaining about helping all students reap the potential benefits of a liberal education. We are very fortunate to have her on staff and I am very pleased that she has agreed to assume this new role at AAC&U," Schneider concluded.

A Chicago native, Clayton-Pedersen did her undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and her masters and doctoral degrees at Vanderbilt University. She has also written and co-written a number of publications related to diversity, student satisfaction, and use of campus-based services.

AAC&U is the leading national association devoted to advancing and strengthening liberal learning for all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Since its founding in 1915, AAC&U's membership has grown to more than 730 accredited public and private colleges and universities of every type and size.

AAC&U functions as a catalyst and facilitator, forging links among presidents, administrators, and faculty members who are engaged in institutional and curricular planning. Its mission is to reinforce the collective commitment to liberal education at both the national and local levels and to help individual institutions keep the quality of student learning at the core of their work as they evolve to meet new economic and social challenges.

For additional information about AAC&U programs and publications, visit www.aacu.org.