Chancellor Miller Appointed CCSU President

December 14, 2004

Members of the Connecticut State University Board of Trustees today voted unanimously to appoint John W. Miller as the 12th president of Central Connecticut State University, ending a months-long, nationwide search.

Miller, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, was among 120 candidates considered for the position that became open when Richard L. Judd retired as president on July 1. Miller will begin his duties at CCSU in July 2005, and Robert Aebersold will continue as interim president of the university until that time.

"The board believes that Jack possesses the skills, experience, integrity and intellect to lead CCSU in this new century and help it fulfill its potential as not only one of the best public universities in Connecticut, but as one of the best in the region," said Lawrence D. McHugh, chairman of the board of trustees.

"It's been a challenging, and sometimes difficult, year for CCSU," McHugh continued. "But all of us believe that Jack is the person who can unite the Central community and move the university forward in a positive manner."

The trustees voted their approval of Miller during a regularly scheduled board meeting held at CCSU. Miller was present for the vote and later met with members of the university community.

"It's a great honor for me to be named the next president of Central Connecticut State University," said Miller, who began his career in higher education in 1974 as an assistant professor of teacher education at Wichita State University. "Central has the potential and the people to compete on a statewide basis and become an institution of choice for certain academic programs."

Miller, 57, has been chancellor and a professor at UW-Whitewater since 1999. The university is similar in size to CCSU with more than 10,600 students and staff of more than 1,000. CCSU has more than 12,000 students and employs more than 1,300 full- and part-time faculty and staff.
Miller said one of the things that attracted him to Central was its mission.

"I'm a great believer in regional, comprehensive universities, because I believe they make the greatest difference in our society," he said.
Another consideration that made Central appealing is that his wife, Barbara, has family in Connecticut. In fact, Barbara graduated from nearby Torrington High School, he said.

After starting his career at Wichita State, Miller rose through the ranks over the next 12 years. He served as an associate professor, professor and then associate dean. In 1986, he became a professor of education and dean of the School of Education at Georgia Southern University. Seven years later, he left the university to serve as professor and dean of the School of Education at Florida State University. He remained at FSU until 1999, when he became chancellor of UW-Whitewater.

A native of Chicago, Miller attended Ohio University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1969. He then earned a master's degree in education at Northern Illinois University in 1972. Two years later, Miller received a Ph.D. in education, linguistics and research design at Purdue University.

He is the founding president of the Wisconsin Campus Compact, part of a national coalition of college and university presidents committed to civic purpose. Miller serves as chair of the Board of Governors of The Renaissance Group, an affiliation of 35 universities that educate one in every nine teachers in the U.S. He also served as chair of the Chancellors Committee for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Committee from 2002-2004. In 2003, Miller was the recipient of the National Pacesetter Award, which is presented annually by the National Academic Advising Association to higher education chief executive officers who exemplify the greatest commitment to academic advising and advocacy for advisers and students.

An expert in teacher education, specifically literacy education, Miller has written more than 55 refereed papers and invited lectures at national and international meetings of learned societies, and 42 articles in national and international publications. He has also written 10 book chapters and three major monographs disseminated by international associations.