UW–Madison alumnus James T. Minor has been named the 10th chancellor of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). Minor will be the first Black chancellor at SIUE, pending formal Board of Trustees approval Thursday, Dec. 2. He will begin his tenure on March 1.
Minor earned his PhD from the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis in 2001. He received the School’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award in 2010.
Minor also is currently a member of the School of Education’s Board of Visitors.
“Dr. Minor is a straightforward and innovative leader who has the vision to maintain a positive trajectory for the entire SIUE community, while at the same time embracing the strengths and collaborative nature of our university system,” said Southern Illinois University President Dan Mahony in a news release. “Those are qualities we heard repeatedly from individuals at the previous institutions he served as well as students, faculty, and staff in Edwardsville as we performed our due diligence to find the best leader for SIUE.”
“Beyond his successes as a faculty member and in a variety of leadership roles in higher education, what stands out is Dr. Minor’s strong focus on student success,” continued Mahony in the news release. “Throughout his professional life, this thread of improving student access, opportunity, diversity, and achievement is a recurring theme. As we look at higher education’s upcoming challenges and the kind of institution SIUE continues to become, these are common priorities that meld perfectly with our mission.”
Minor most recently served as assistant vice chancellor and senior strategist in the Office of the Chancellor at California State University, which recently posted the highest graduation rates in its history. He has successfully advocated for hundreds of millions of dollars in support of graduation initiatives and served as principal investigator for $7.5 million in funded programs and research. Prior to his post at California State University, Minor served as deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education where he administered more than $7 billion in federal higher education programming.
Additionally, Minor has a noted resume of teaching and scholarship in educational policy, administration in higher education, academic governance, and more.
“I am truly honored and excited about the opportunity to serve as the 10th Chancellor at SIUE,” Minor said in the news release about his appointment. “The institution has made tremendous strides but is also well-positioned to extend its reach and impact. As we emerge from perhaps the most challenging season of our lifetime, I believe that SIUE will rise to advance its mission in new ways to serve the region, state, and nation.”
“During my visit, I had the good fortune of meeting many amazing, dedicated educators,” Minor added. “I am eager to hear their voices concerning how we will go forward together. Our collective effort will be important to enhance the success of SIUE students so that they realize the many benefits that come along with earning a college degree. It will also be important that we, as a university community, define our future and then pursue it with great clarity, conviction, and enthusiasm.”
Learn more about Minor’s appointment in this SIUE news release.