New role provides university with additional access to student-focused resources
Indiana University Northwest Chancellor Ken Iwama was recently named to the executive committee of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), the longest-running and largest organization committed to serving and connecting the world’s urban and metropolitan universities and their partners. Members of the executive committee are presidents and chancellors of CUMU member institutions and are elected to serve two-year terms in their respective positions.
“I am delighted to have been nominated and elected to serve as a member of the CUMU executive committee,” said Iwama. “At IU Northwest, we take immense pride in our role as an anchor institution for the region. We are inextricably linked to our local communities, and uniquely positioned to play an active role in supporting the long-term, well-being of Northwest Indiana.”
“This starts with a commitment to provide our students with the best possible educational experience. Working directly with other CUMU leaders helps facilitate the sharing of best practices for student success initiatives and community engagement,” he added.
Iwama began his tenure as the seventh Chancellor of Indiana University Northwest on August 1, 2020. Since becoming Chancellor, he has hit the ground running and continued to focus on the IU Northwest mission to enhance the quality of life of the most diverse, urban, industrialized region of the state, to engage the community in high-quality teaching, and scholarship for our students, while partnering with surrounding communities to impact and promote social, economic, and cultural development.
He brings significant experience and higher education leadership to campus, having previously served as the College of Staten Island’s founding Vice President for the Division of Economic Development, Continuing Studies, and Government Relations. There he guided efforts to enrich the diversity and inclusiveness of the College of Staten Island, graduate highly skilled and innovative students, and expand opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to improve the surrounding community through scholarship, research, and civic engagement.
