NSU Administrator Named to National Conference Task Force

NSU university relations Vice President Mark Kinders has been named to a national task force that coordinates a higher education state and federal relations conference.

Now in its 17th year, the conference is a collaborative effort of four national higher education associations: The American Association of State Colleges & Universities; the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; the American Association of Community Colleges; and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.

Kinders was nominated to the task force to represent AASCU, which comprises 430 public universities and state higher education systems that enroll over 3.5 million students. AASCU institutions include Northeastern and the states other campuses that are governed by the Regional University System of Oklahoma Board of Regents.

Most recently Kinders completed a two-year term as chair of the Advisory Council on Communications and Public Affairs to AASCU.

The government relations state and federal task force conference convenes annually to discuss government policy issues and perceptions that influence legislation and the practices of higher education institutions. Leaders in state and national government, as well as senior higher education administrators, weigh in on such varied topics as tuition costs, state support, federal tuition and grant programs, and the impact of higher education in such societal issues as economic development, sustainability, K-12 education and research.

The December 2009 conference will emphasize the implications of the American Recovery & Revitalization Act (ARRA) and its expectations that higher education institutions will play a leading role in helping to re-start and advance the nations economy.

Kinders, who joined NSU in December after 23 years in the University of Wisconsin System, oversees community, state and federal relations. He was recently assigned the responsibility by the RUSO Board of Regents to assist the RUSO institutional presidents in gathering information on the campuses opportunities to pursue federal funding for higher education through the ARRA, which is proving $780 billion in stimulus money to the states.

AASCUs decision to select Mark Kinders to serve on the conference task force was an insightful decision by the associations government relations staff, said NSU President Don Betz. Mark brings more than 20 years of experience in state and federal relations to the discussion. He is a seasoned professional who will help set the agenda for the national discussion. Through these new national networking opportunities he will gain knowledge on current and prospective public policy issues that will enable us to address them effectively to the benefit of NSU and Oklahoma.

4/9/2009

Published: 2009-04-09 00:00:00