The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities is proud to announce its 2021–2023 executive committee. Elections were held virtually on December 16, 2021, during the CUMU president’s council meeting. Members of the executive committee are presidents and chancellors of CUMU member institutions and are elected to serve two-year terms in their respective positions.

“CUMU relies on and is the beneficiary of the strong leadership of presidents and chancellors who lead CUMU member institutions. The new and returning executive committee members will work to advance the CUMU mission and to strengthen our urban and metropolitan communities,” said Bobbie Laur, executive director, CUMU.

Executive committee members are nominated and elected by peers from CUMU member institutions. Each has demonstrated their commitment to the CUMU mission of promoting and enhancing urban and metropolitan universities.

New member-at-large

Kristin Sobolik serves as the 8th chancellor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Sobolik was recruited to UMSL in 2017 to serve as its provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and after a nationwide search was appointed chancellor in 2020. Sobolik has enhanced the university’s research and fundraising efforts and has elevated the stature of UMSL’s inclusion, research and community engagement efforts by appointing first-ever vice chancellors for diversity, equity and inclusion and research and economic/community engagement, aligning the support structure of the university with goals of its strategic plan.

“I’m honored to be elected and serve on the executive committee of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities. I know how important universities like ours are in shaping the future of their communities through education and outreach aimed at addressing the pressing economic and social issues we face today. Working with and learning from each other can help us all strengthen our impact in the communities we serve.”

Re-elected members-at-large

Members continuing their 2020-2022 terms

  • Virginia (Ginny) Arthur, president, Metropolitan State University; member-at-large
  • Katherine Conway-Turner, president, Buffalo State College; vice president and treasurer
  • William Covino, president, Cal State LA; president
  • Gloria Gibson, president, Northeastern Illinois University; member-at-large
  • Frank D. Gilliam, Jr., chancellor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; member-at-large
  • Ken Iwama, chancellor, Indiana University Northwest; member-at-large
  • Devorah Lieberman, president, University of La Verne; president emerita
  • Ellen Neufeldt, president, Cal State San Marcos; member-at-large
  • Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, president, University of Central Oklahoma; member-at-large
  • Paul Pribbenow, president, Augsburg University; member-at-large
  • Kim Schatzel, president, Towson University; CEO of administrative headquarters

Join the CUMU headquarters team in congratulating each of our executive committee members on their roles and thanking them for their service to the CUMU membership.