Antioch University Names New Chancellor

In a unanimous decision, the Antioch University Board of Governors has appointed Ms. Felice Nudelman as the university’s 5th chancellor, effective July 1.

Felice Nudelman is the Executive Director of Education for The New York Times Company where she is responsible for developing and overseeing education initiatives, including The New York Times Knowledge Network. She has helped lead the strategic thinking and implementation of their national and international education programs. She also led the development of a business model in e-Learning that includes collaboration with colleges and universities to create and deliver on-line courses. “I understand the importance of executing at the highest standards while maintaining the ability to be agile,” she said, adding “I am extremely delighted to have the opportunity to serve this national university as an innovative and collaborative leader.”

Antioch’s long-standing commitment to social justice and the common good resonated with Ms. Nudelman, who has a deep appreciation for the quality of education Antioch University provides its adult learners, both inside and outside the classroom. “I am thrilled to join a community that has such exceptional faculty and academic programs like the PhD in Leadership and Change, and I am honored to serve Antioch during this next phase of development,” said Nudelman.

Before joining The New York Times, Ms. Nudelman served as executive director for Pace University’s School of Education, receiving Pace’s Outstanding Contribution award for her work. In her work with faculty, students, and administration at Bloomfield College, Ms. Nudelman’s leadership as associate dean of academic affairs led to increased focus on student-centered services and faculty support, gaining Bloomfield a national award in the area of academic advising.

“We were looking for a leader who not only will build on what is here, but a leader who is innovative and can make the good ideas come to life quickly to benefit the entire institution. Ms. Nudelman is known for her significant experience in national and international initiatives and excellent relationship-building skills,” said Lawrence Stone, Ph.D., chair of the Board of Governors. “The board is ecstatic that she has agreed to make this commitment to lead Antioch University to a position of strength and vitality.”

Known for her significant experience in national and international initiatives and excellent relationship-building skills, Nudelman described her vision for Antioch University as one in which “the institution develops its concepts to drive growth across the entire system. Antioch is in the process of identifying new opportunities that will advance the institution in a variety of ways. This is a very exciting time.”

In 2007, she led the creation of The New York Times Knowledge Network, a service that works collaboratively with colleges and universities in the design and delivery of e-learning courses and certificates. An innovative partnership, the Network worked successfully with the Texas Education Agency to launch Project Share in 2010. Project Share is a learning community initiative which offers professional development programming to the 400,000 teachers and four million K-12 students across Texas (www.projectsharetexas.com).

Mr. Art Zucker and Dr. Charlotte Roberts, members of the Board of Governors and co-chairs of the search committee, expressed their excitement with the outcome of the committee’s work.

“I am extremely proud of the process we followed. It was inclusive and collaborative, garnering input through various forums from the faculty, administration, staff, and our boards,” said Zucker, who also serves as the board’s vice chair. “Felice is clearly a creative thinker with proven strategic, organizational, and interpersonal skills.”

“We had a truly impressive pool of candidates in this search, and all of us feel a deep sense of satisfaction with the outcome,” said Roberts, president of an executive consulting firm whose work in systems and leadership extends to boards. “With representatives from all sectors of the University present around the table, we collaborated with one goal in mind and that was to select a leader who will take this institution to the next level and beyond. Ms. Nudelman’s track record for identifying opportunities and mentoring teams for successful implementation align perfectly with the challenges Antioch University faces.”

In 2003, Nudelman partnered with The American Association of State Colleges and Universities to launch the American Democracy Project, a multi-campus initiative involving more than 240 institutions focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy (http://www.aascu.org/programs/ADP/).

She has brought her insights and wisdom to her service on the Board of Trustees for the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), and as a board member of Epsilen LLC, the Education Writers Association, NYU-Poly Enterprise Learning Board, and SXSWedu Advisory Council. She is also a member of the College Board Innovation Advisory Board, has served on the University of North Texas Board of Visitors, and was Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors for The National Teachers Hall of Fame.

An alumna of the 1995 Harvard Management Development Program, Ms. Nudelman obtained her B.A. in Fine Arts and Philosophy from Allegheny College, and her M.F.A. from the Pratt Institute.

Ms. Nudelman succeeds Dr. Tullisse Murdock, who announced her retirement last November effective June 30, 2012, after 15 years with the University – 8 as President of AU Seattle and 7 as University Chancellor. “I’ve known Felice since we served on the CAEL Board together, and could not be more pleased with the Board’s selection of her as the next chancellor. Felice’s enthusiasm for Antioch’s core values – excellence in teaching and learning, nurturing student achievement, supporting scholarship and service, a commitment to social engagement, and building and serving inclusive communities – will serve the system well. This University is in good hands.”

A native of New Jersey, Ms. Nudelman will make her new home in southwest Ohio.