As we welcome Terry Allison in his new role, it’s time to thank our previous Executive Director and one of the co-founders of our organization, Charles R. “Chuck” Middleton.

After a six-decade career in both public and private institutions of higher education, Chuck retired as Roosevelt University’s 5th president in 2015. Subsequently he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago. Chuck is a Senior Consultant at the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) and serves as a mentor to the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program. A British historian, in recognition of his academic achievements, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1989. In addition to his passion for and work in higher education, Chuck has always been active in civic and community engagement. His service encompassed advocacy for inclusiveness and social justice for all people, with a personal focus on the LGBTQ Community. Over the years he has served on numerous Boards of not for profit organizations including those of ACE, SAGEUSA, and PFLAG National. The first publicly acknowledged out gay male president at the time of his Roosevelt appointment in 2002, Chuck was a founding member of the LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education in 2010. After his retirement he served as its Executive Director, pro bono, until 2019.

Chuck and his husband, John Geary are now settled happily in California. They have been generous with their time and also generous donors to LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. Thank you so much for your contributions to our organization.

PRESS RELEASE

LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education is pleased to announce the appointment of an Executive Director, Dr. Terry L. Allison of Indiana University South Bend. As chancellor of IU South Bend from 2013-18, Allison joined the young organization after his appointment at IU and has been an active member since 2013.  Dr. Erika Endrijonas, Superintendent-President of Pasadena City College and the organization’s current Co-Chair, notes “I am excited to welcome Dr. Allison as the Executive Director because he both knows how the organization evolved and he has some great ideas for how to expand our reach in support of LGBTQ leaders across all sectors of higher education.”  He served as co-chair of the program planning committee for the organization’s first two national institutes, was a member of the Finance Committee, and served on the Executive Board as Secretary/Treasurer of the organization from 2016-2018. He also has led several discussions at the American Council on Education (ACE), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and other venues on LGBTQ leadership in higher education. Allison will begin his part-time Executive Director position with LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education on August 1, 2020. The position was previously held by Dr. Charles R. Middleton, retired president of Roosevelt University of Chicago, Illinois.

Terry L. Allison is now Professor of English, teaching online in the English, Liberal Studies, and Theatre programs at Indiana University South Bend. He will continue to serve in this position while fulfilling the Executive Director role. Allison’s PhD is in Literature from the University of California, San Diego.  Prior to Indiana University South Bend, he served as Provost at Governors State University, and prior to that was Dean of Arts and Letters at California State University Los Angeles. He also worked in a number of faculty and administrative capacities at California State University, San Marcos, coming to that campus in its second year of existence. Allison has published literary, theatre, performance, and film criticism and is the author of CSU haiku. 

LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education advances effective leadership in the realm of post-secondary education, supports professional development of LGBTQ leaders in that sector, and provides education and advocacy regarding LGBTQ issues within the global academy and for the public at large. The organization counts over 100 members who currently or formerly served as presidents or chancellors from all sectors of higher education in the United States and Canada. LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education has held three international conferences since 2015. Members also meet regularly at annual meetings of the organization and have organized programs at ACE, the Association of Governing Boards (AGB), AASCU, and at state and regional conferences of community college leaders.

For further information about this appointment or LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education, please contact Dr. Erika Endrijonas at eendrijonas@pasadena.edu.