Chicago State University President Dolores Cross resigns to head General Electric Foundation

Jet, June 23, 1997

Chicago State University (CSU) President Dr. Dolores Cross recently announced that she's stepping down from her post at the college to head the GE Fund, General Electric Company's foundation. Cross will begin her new post October 1.

The GE Fund, based in Fairfield, CT, distributes $30 million in grants annually, mostly in support of education.

"This is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in my life," Cross, 59, said. "I have been privileged to work with a team of dedicated trustees, faculty, staff and foundation board members at CSU.

"My being offered this position recognizes all that we have achieved here. In my new position, I will be able to assist institutions like CSU in achieving greater heights of excellence.

"The GE Fund provides grants to a number of programs that are having positive impacts on schools, universities and communities throughout the United States, and it has made a substantial commitment to the development of students from elementary school through their college and graduate careers."

Cross, who is credited with implementing positive changes to turn around CSU, is the only Black president of an Illinois public university, and when she was appointed in 1990, she was the first female president of a four-year college in the state's system.

Her accomplishments include a $30 million expansion of the university, including the construction of its first residential hall and a multi-million-dollar technology infrastructure that links all of the buildings on campus. Under her leadership, the school experienced a 61 percent increase in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded annually. The school also increased its retention rate, which is now in line with the national average for public universities.

Cross was appointed by President Bill Clinton as a steering committee member of the America Reads initiative, and she was elected vice-chair of the American Association of Higher Education. She also was appointed a senior associate for the American Council on Education's project to assist South Africa's historically Black colleges.

Cross, who was born in Newark, NJ, holds degrees from Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ, Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, and The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The educator has held teaching and administrative posts at several universities.