Wayne State University's Board of Governors voted unanimously today to appoint Jay Noren, M.D., as the university's 10th President, effective August 1, 2008. The announcement was made by Eugene Driker, chair of the Board of Governors and the Presidential Search Committee.

Noren will succeed Irvin D. Reid, who is stepping down on August 1 after a decade at the helm of one of Michigan's largest research universities.

Noren's appointment follows an extensive search that began in October 2007. "The presidential search committee conducted a national search that produced outstanding candidates who held high-level positions in higher education, government and the corporate world," Driker said. "Dr. Noren brought to the table not only exemplary credentials and skills, but an extensive background in higher education leadership. We are confident that he is the right person to lead this university, and look forward to great success with him at the helm."

Before coming to Wayne State, Noren held leadership positions in higher education spanning a 36-year career. Recently, he was the Founding Dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He also held positions as the Executive Vice President and Provost at the University of Nebraska; Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin as well as Acting Dean for Allied Health and Associate Vice Chancellor at Wisconsin; Chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; President of the Health Science Center and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at the Texas A&M University System.

"I think the Presidency of Wayne State University is one of, if not the most, exciting leadership opportunities today in higher education," Noren said. "This point in history for Wayne State poses unprecedented opportunities to confront immense challenges that have far-reaching impact not only regionally on Detroit and Michigan, but also nationally. Wayne State's challenges are, more than ever before, the nation's challenges in higher education, economic development, and societal stability, today and for the foreseeable future. I am proud and excited to be a part of this great university."

Noren's research and teaching emphases have focused on health services research, health policy and health politics, health services leadership and management, health workforce, the role and operation of academic health centers, Native American health care and executive education. He has participated in extensive funded research projects and has authored numerous papers and book chapters. He developed and directed the Wisconsin Center for Health Policy and Program Evaluation and was an originator and director of the University of Wisconsin graduate program in Administrative Medicine.

His international experience has included negotiating educational exchange agreements with universities in China and Lithuania and working in collaboration with educational enterprises in Africa and England.

Noren received two bachelors' degrees from the University of Minnesota, a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and a master's degree in public health from Harvard University. He was a research fellow at the Harvard Center for Community Health and Medical Care, Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences and U.S Congress, and a Winston Churchill Fellow in England and Scotland.

Media Resources:

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http://www.media.wayne.edu/manager/release.php?id=2894

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.