photo by: University of Kansas

Douglas Girod

University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod has been elected to a leadership position in North America’s top organization for research universities.

Girod recently was elected to serve as the vice chair of the board of directors of the Association of American Universities. KU has been a longtime member of the AAU — which includes just 38 public universities in North America — and leaders have said that it is critical to recruitment and research efforts that KU remain part of the prestigious organization.

As vice chair, Girod is expected to represent the AAU on a national stage regarding federal policy issues affecting research universities. Girod also will 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, KU said in a press release.

Girod will serve next to Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber, who was elected chair of the AAU board of directors.

“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 via press release. “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.”

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

KU has been a member of the association since 1909, but has has watched a couple other public universities from the region — Nebraska and Iowa State, in recent years — leave or be voted out of the association because they were no longer meeting research or other membership requirements.

The AAU currently has 71 universities in its membership, including many of the country’s most elite private research universities, such as Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, John Hopkins and others.

KU is the only university in Kansas that is part of the association, and the university uses its membership in the AAU heavily in recruitment of both students and faculty.

“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,” Girod said in a release. “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.”