KU chancellor elected to serve as vice chair of AAU board of directors

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas’ top official will continue to help lead the association of the nation’s top research universities.

University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas A. Girod has been elected vice chair of the board of directors of the Association of American Universities, the organization announced last week.

As vice chair, Girod will serve alongside board chair Christopher Eisgruber, president of Princeton University, help guide AAU’s work and serve as a representative for the association, particularly on federal policy issues affecting research universities. Girod will also represent AAU in discussions with lawmakers, help develop national policy positions and play a significant role in determining the association’s agenda during the coming year.

Girod has served on the AAU board of directors since October 2021.

“I’m honored to serve in this capacity and to have the opportunity to partner with colleagues from across the nation on issues that impact research at our universities,” Girod said. “America’s leading research universities are vital to our nation’s prosperity, health and security, and AAU plays a crucial role in advocating on their behalf and helping them work together.”

The University of Kansas is one of just 71 research universities — only 38 of them public institutions — in the Association of American Universities. KU was invited to join the AAU in 1909, just nine years after the organization was founded.

“KU can be proud of our longstanding membership in the AAU, and we will continue to prioritize research and discovery that enhances our position among the nation’s leading institutions,” Girod said. “The advantage of being a member, beyond being recognized as one of the top research programs nationally, is that we have greater opportunities to grow federal funding for research that improves public health, addresses national challenges and strengthens the nation. In addition, KU derives great benefit from the AAU’s advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C., for research and higher education funding and for policy and regulatory issues that affect research universities.”