Former President of the University of Nebraska James B. Milliken was unanimously voted in as the seventh Chancellor of CUNY by the school’s Board of Trustees in mid January.
Since 2004, Milliken has been known as “a nationally prominent leader in public higher education”, according to a CUNY press release. The new chancellor was a Root Tilden Scholar at New York University (NYU), where he earned his law degree. He served with the Legal Aid Society’s Civil Division, Chelsea Neighborhood Branch and as an attorney with Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. Milliken also represented the United States in the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogues conference in New Delhi with Secretary of State John Kerry.
“He brings to CUNY an impressive record of extensive academic and administrative experience and a demonstrated record of success in working with students, faculty, alumni and community leaders to offer quality, affordable higher education,” said Chairman Schmidt.
Under his leadership, enrollment at the University of Nebraska has reached a 20-year high which is a total of 50,705 at NU’s four campuses. He’s also helped the school make record investments in financial aid, which guarantees that students can attend the college and pay no tuition. Close to 7,00 students attend under the tuition-free program. The college has provided students within several high schools with early advising, full scholarships and assisted low-income and minority students get into college.
Milliken has emphasized the importance of valuing academic programs from liberal arts to the STEM disciplines, in order to “teach students how to communicate well, how to solve problems and how to work collaboratively.”
He’s worked collectively with donors who have given a record of $236.7 million to the University of Nebraska in 2013. A significant amount of support came from the Nebraska Legislature having provided funds for several major initiatives that will benefit the state. The school has raised over $1.5 billion, in excess of its original goal of $1.2 billion.
“I am honored and excited by this appointment to lead America’s premier urban public university,” said President James B Milliken. “I look forward to working with the faculty and students, the Board of Trustees and other university leadership, and City, State, and federal officials to build upon these achievements as CUNY creates new knowledge and prepares the workforce of the future.”
President Milliken will take the position of chancellor no later than June 1. “He succeeds Matthew Goldstein, who served as CUNY’s sixth chancellor from 1999 until 2013,” said in a CUNY press release. Dr. William P. Kelly currently serves as the CUNY interim chancellor.
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