Presidential Announcement

Original: PresidentialAnnouncement

DALLAS-Dr. Paul R. Corts has been named the fifthpresident of the 30-year-old Council for Christian Colleges &Universities (CCCU). The selection of Corts, who has served asAssistant Attorney General for Administration for the U.S.Department of Justice since 2002, was announced at the CCCUInternational Forum on Christian Higher Education in Dallas, Texas,on March 31. Succeeding current CCCU President Bob Andringa, whoannounced his upcoming retirement in April 2005, Corts will assumethe office of president in the CCCU headquarters in Washington,D.C. in June 2006.

"I have known Dr. Corts for more than 15 years andhave observed with admiration his excellent leadershipabilities," says David S. Dockery, president ofUnion University in Jackson, Tenn., and chair of the CCCU Board ofDirectors. "He is a man of much wisdom and godlycharacter, a devoted churchman and a brilliant leader. The CCCUBoard is truly thankful that Dr. Corts has sensed God's leadershipto accept our unanimous invitation to him to be the next leader forthe CCCU."

Corts' acceptance of the position concludes an11-month search by a nine-member committee chaired by Carl Zylstra,president of Dordt College in Sioux Center, Ia. People ManagementInternational assisted the committee in the search for the nextCCCU president.

"As a search committee, we were extremelygratified to identify a candidate with Dr. Corts'experience, wisdom, and heart for Christian highereducation," says Zylstra. "We areconfident that he will prove to be a capable leader for theworldwide programs of the Council. We could not imagine a morecapable candidate to serve as a public policy advocate for ourmember institutions while also leading our respective campuses inarticulating among their own constituencies the case for Christianhigher education."

In his role asAssistant Attorney General for Administration, Corts serves on thePresident's Management Council, Council of Chief FinancialOfficers, the Enduring Constitutional Government CoordinatingCouncil, the Executive Board of the International CooperativeAdministrative Support Services (Department of State), and variousother federal organizations. President Bush has also appointed Dr.Corts to serve on the Board of Directors of the Federal PrisonsIndustries.

Prior to his workat the Department of Justice, Corts served as president of CCCUmember institution Palm Beach Atlantic University for nearly 12years. He also served as president of Wingate University in NorthCarolina, and he has held administrative and teaching positions atOklahoma Baptist University and Western Kentucky University.

Corts served manyprofessional organizations in higher education, including a term aspresident of the American Association of Presidents of IndependentColleges and Universities, an advisory policy board member for theNational Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, aswell as chair of the board of directors of the Independent Collegesand Universities of Florida.

"I have known Dr. Corts for several years and amexcited to pass the baton of CCCU leadership to such a highlyqualified leader," says Andringa."I began with far less relevant experience thanDr. Corts is bringing. He will help us move Christian highereducation to the next level. The search committee and board did afantastic job. We can all be proud of theirwork."

Corts holdsdegrees from Georgetown College and Indiana University. He and hiswife, Diane, are the parents of three grown children.

The Council forChristian Colleges & Universities is a higher educationassociation of more than 170 intentionally Christ-centeredinstitutions around the world. There are now 105 member campuses inNorth America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive collegesand universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. Inaddition, 71 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of theCCCU. The Council's mission is to advance thecause of Christ-centered higher education and to help itsinstitutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship andservice to biblical truth.