Daily Skiff

Chancellor Victor Boschini will be named chair of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities' board of directors today during a year of immense change, the association's vice president of public affairs said.

With the changes a new president will bring to Congress this year, the association will be dealing with the different dynamics of a new administration, said Ronald King, the association's vice president for public affairs.

"This year, the (association) will have a year of incredible change and uncertainty," King said.

Boschini is taking over when the association is dealing with a lot of major issues, King said.

The organization serves as the unified national voice of almost 1,000 independent higher-education colleges, said Tony Pals, director of public information for the association.

The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities represents private, non-profit colleges and universities on public policy issues with the federal government, Pals said.

The group's mission is to ensure student aid programs promote tax policy to help families pay for college and to seek appropriate regulation of private colleges and universities, Pals said.

Pals said the main goal of the board's chair is to set the organization's agenda and help guide the organization during the next year.

"This is a really important and critical time in higher education and I'm proud to be a part of it," Boschini said.

The group works with Congress to help promote laws that will benefit students at private colleges and universities, he said.

Recently, the group worked on the congressional debates about Pell Grants, which resulted in Congress putting more money into need-based grants to promote access to postsecondary education, Boschini said.

Pals said the board of directors meets twice a year to discuss and evaluate the state of the organization's agenda. A four-day meeting ends today in Washington, D.C.

Pals said members of the association will meet with top policy makers, leading public opinion and political analysts, respected national thinkers and fellow higher-education decision makers. A variety of higher-education issues, including opportunities and challenges facing private higher education, students and the nation, are being discussed, Pals said.

King said Boschini has been highly regarded as an involved and knowledgeable leader, and the organization is confident and looking forward to working with him during the next year.

Boschini was elected by his peers to serve two three-year terms on the association's board of directors. Out of the 44 members on the board, he was elected to serve as chair of the board of directors for one year, Pals said.

After his one-year term, Boschini will still stay on the board with title of past president, Pals said.

"As title of past president, he will help ensure continuity and maintain stability even after his term is up," Pals said.

Pals said the assocation wanted the chair to be someone with wide and deep knowledge of issues and have strategic planning and leadership abilities.

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