Speakers and Panelists :: James C. Votruba
James C. Votruba became President of Northern Kentucky University, a 14,000-student metropolitan campus located in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area, in 1997. Under his leadership, the University has achieved national recognition for its regional partnerships and strategic planning.
Dr. Votruba came to NKU from Michigan State University, where he was vice provost for university outreach and professor of higher education from 1989 to 1997. Prior to his tenure at MSU, he was dean of the College of Education and Human Development (1983-1989) at Binghamton University. He previously held faculty and administrative positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and at Drake University.
President Votruba earned his B.A. in political science, M.A. in political science and sociology, and Ph.D. in higher education administration from Michigan State University. He is a frequent lecturer, author, and consultant in the areas of higher education leadership, strategic planning, and public engagement. Since 1995, he has been a faculty member of Harvard University 's Institutes for Higher Education. In 2002, he chaired the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' Task Force on Public Engagement. He is also a faculty member in the AASCU New President's Academy.