Ohio State President Michael V. Drake, MD, Appointed to Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Board of Directors
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio State University announced that President Michael V. Drake has been appointed to a three-year term as Secretary of the Council of Presidents of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). Drake’s role as Secretary will be part of the Executive Committee of the APLU Board of Directors, which helps set policy goals and priorities for the association.
The Council of Presidents is composed of the chief executives of member colleges and universities and systems. Under the organization of the council, chief executive officers develop a working agenda and programs.
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is a research, policy and advocacy organization representing 239 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems and affiliated organizations. Founded in 1887, APLU is North America’s oldest higher education association with member institutions in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories, Canada and Mexico.
In 2010, Drake was appointed as the chair of APLU’s Commission on Access, Diversity and Excellence where he focused on access issues such as campus climate, minority male underrepresentation in higher education, developmental education and financial aid issues impacting low-income and non-traditional students.
“Throughout his career, Michael Drake has shown a strong commitment to quality in education and research. His efforts to increase graduation rates, reach out to first generation students, and strengthen research programs make him a natural choice for a leadership position on the APLU Board. He represents the very best of our public university leaders,” said Peter McPherson, APLU president.
As a leadership organization, APLU functions as a research and policy center for public higher education with an active advocacy arm that helps propel those priorities and initiatives forward. APLU is currently undertaking a wide array of activities, including demonstrating educational value to students and the public through an array of transparency and accountability initiatives; identifying and helping to implement ways to achieve higher degree attainment rates; furthering the research missions of public institutions; bolstering agriculture research and programs; improving teacher preparation; supporting economic engagement initiatives; expanding and enhancing the impact of universities in urban settings; advocating for access, inclusiveness, and student success for underrepresented groups; and strengthening university partnerships in Africa and other developing parts of the world.
Drake became the 15th president of The Ohio State University on June 30, 2014, following three decades of service as a higher education leader with the University of California. From July 2005 – June 2014, Drake served as chancellor of the University of California, Irvine. He also served as a Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology (School of Medicine) and Education (School of Education).
About the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is a research, policy, and advocacy organization representing 239 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations. Founded in 1887, APLU is North America's oldest higher education association with member institutions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico. Annually, its 195 U.S. member campuses enroll 3.9 million undergraduates and 1.2 million graduate students, award 1 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff, and conduct $38.8 billion in university-based research.
About The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University is a dynamic community of diverse resources, where opportunity thrives and where individuals transform themselves and the world. Founded in 1870, Ohio State is a world-class public research university and the leading comprehensive teaching and research institution in the state of Ohio. With more than 64,000 students (including 58,000 in Columbus), the Wexner Medical Center, 14 colleges, 80 centers and 175 majors, the university offers its students tremendous breadth and depth of opportunity in the liberal arts, the sciences and the professions.
