The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal is pleased to announce Jane S. Shaw’s election as chair of the nonprofit’s board of directors.
“It is an honor to have been elected chair,” Shaw said. “I am fortunate to follow a chairman, Arch T. Allen, who had a clear vision of a better system of higher education.”
The Martin Center board voted unanimously to name Shaw chair after Allen announced his retirement from the position earlier this spring. Allen had served as chair of the board since the organization was founded in 2003, and the Martin Center celebrated his long tenure with a dinner in Raleigh, North Carolina on May 1.
Allen remarked, “I have been honored to serve as chair of our board of directors and appreciate the dedication and assistance of my fellow directors. But I concluded that it was time for new leadership, and I am confident that Jane Shaw will be excellent. I look forward to continuing to serve on the board under her guidance.”
Shaw was president of the Martin Center (formerly the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy) from 2007 until her retirement in 2015. Jenna A. Robinson currently serves as the organization’s president.
Robinson recognized Allen’s support during the transition between the end of Shaw’s time as head of the organization and the beginning of her own. “Arch’s encouragement and direction truly helped me grow into this position and become a confident leader for the Martin Center,” she said.
Shaw articulated her vision for the Martin Center: “Organizations such as the Martin Center must provide objective criticism of higher education policy that will enable colleges and universities to provide the kind of education this country’s students need and will, in turn, lay the foundations for a more enlightened future. My chief goal will be to facilitate the efforts of our capable president and her staff.”
The Martin Center, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, is dedicated to improving higher education in North Carolina and the nation through policy reform. It publishes commentaries and research reports about higher education policy on its website, www.jamesgmartin.center.