American Council on Education Names New President - Brief Article

Black Issues in Higher Education, April 26, 2001

WASHINGTON

Dr. David Ward, chancellor emeritus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been named president of the American Council on Education. The appointment, announced in early April, is effective Sept. 1. Ward will succeed Dr. Stanley O. Ikenberry, who last year announced plans to resign following a five-year tenure. "I've known and worked with David for many years and believe the board has made an outstanding choice," says Ikenberry, who will step down June 30. "He is superbly equipped to lead and give higher education the strong, clear voice it will require in the years ahead."

The ACE board of directors voted unanimously to appoint Ward. Board Chair Janet Holmgren, president of Mills College, says the organization is "very fortunate to have as its president-elect a distinguished leader who has the vision, passion and intellectual strength to articulate an agenda for all of higher education that puts access and excellence at the core of our endeavor."

Ward earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Leeds in England and his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was named chancellor at UW-Madison in 1993 after serving as vice chancellor for academic affairs, provost and interim chancellor.

Ikenberry said last September that he plans to return to his faculty position at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana to teach, write and consult. Ikenberry succeeded Robert H. Atwell as ACE's 10th president (see Black Issues, Oct. 26, 2000).