Members of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) have elected Mary Ann Villarreal, vice president for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, at the U to serve as chair of the organization’s board of directors. The official announcement was made at the AAC&U annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

The association is an international membership organization that works to push forward “the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation and excellence in liberal education,” a news release stated.

“I am excited to serve as the incoming chair for the board of directors and to work with such remarkable leadership dedicated to the principles of equity and inclusion,” Villarreal said. “It is an honor to do this work and advance the mission of AAC&U to promote ‘the democratic purposes of higher education’ at a time when these values are routinely challenged.”