University Leadership

On August 1, 1997, James C. Votruba became President of Northern Kentucky University, a 14,700 student metropolitan campus located in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area. Dr. Votruba came to NKU from Michigan State University where he was vice provost for university outreach and professor of higher education from 1989-97. Prior to his tenure at MSU, he was dean of the College of Education and Human Development (1983-1989) at Binghamton University. He previously held faculty and administrative positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Drake University.

President Votruba earned his B.A. in political science, M.A. in political science and sociology, and his Ph.D. in higher education administration from Michigan State University. He is a frequent lecturer, author, and consultant in the areas of higher education leadership, strategic planning, and public engagement. In 2002, he chaired the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' National Task Force on Public Engagement, and he serves as a faculty member in the AASCU New President's Academy. In 2004, he delivered the annual AASCU President-to-Presidents Lecture entitled "Leading the Engaged University". Dr. Votruba is currently Secretary-Treasurer of the AASCU Board of Directors and served as President of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities from 2004 to 2006. He serves on a variety of boards including the National Campus Compact Board of Directors, the Association of Governing Board's Council of Presidents, and the Board of Directors of the Ohio National Mutual Holding Company. He recently co-chaired Vision 2015, a Northern Kentucky regional planning process.

Dr. Votruba's wife, Rachel, is actively involved in several community-based non-profit organizations. Their family includes three children and five grandsons.