USC President Carol Folt was elected chair of the board of the Association of American Universities October 25. The AAU is a college advocacy organization for leading research universities.
As president, Folt will be the spokesperson for the AAU when voicing the organization’s concerns and leading discussions with lawmakers about policies that affect universities.
In a press release, Folt said she is “honored to have been selected by [my] colleagues, the presidents and chancellors of America’s leading research universities … to chair the AAU board.”
Folt succeeds Patrick Gallagher, chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, who had served as chair since October 2021. Folt previously served as vice chair of the organization.
AAU President Barbara R. Snyder said, “[Folt] understands the unique role America’s leading research universities play in maintaining the United States’ leadership in science and innovation and in helping tackle some of the biggest problems currently facing our world. Her willingness to take on difficult challenges, even when under public scrutiny, makes her especially suited to serve in this role.”
The AAU was established in 1900 and currently has 65 affiliated public and private colleges in the U.S. and Canada.