Dr. Drake interviews with members of The Lantern in the Journalism Building on Oct. 4. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Photo Editor
Ohio State President Michael Drake was sworn in on Monday as the new chair for the Board of Directors for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities an organization focused on advancing and bettering public universities.
“Michael Drake is an extraordinary leader with an absolute commitment to students, path-breaking research and community engagement impact,” APLU President Peter McPherson said in a statement. “We’re delighted he’s been selected as the next chair of the APLU Board of Directors.”
Drake’s appointment at APLU — an organization that includes 238 institutions, including 74 land-grant universities — comes after he finished a year-long term as chair of the Association of American Universities Board of Directors on Oct. 23.
APLU’s board members work to make higher education more affordable, according to Ohio State’s press release, a goal that Drake has worked toward since he arrived at Ohio State in 2014.
“The efforts of higher education organizations such as APLU align closely with Ohio State’s strategic vision for the future of our students and communities,” Drake said in a press release. “We share a mission to uplift lives through teaching, learning, research and outreach — and I look forward to the opportunity to help advance these vital efforts.”
Drake has overseen efforts at Ohio State to lower the cost of attending college including full tuition coverage for Pell grant recipients, the freezing of tuition rates and most recently the elimination of more than 70 percent of course fees.
