CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- MIT President Charles M. Vest has appointed Dr. John C. Crowley, special assistant to the president and director of the MIT Washington Office, to the new position of vice president for federal relations, effective July 1.
Dr. Crowley has held his MIT post since 1991. For 19 years previously, he held various positions with the Association of American Universities (AAU), including vice president from 1986-91. He has also been a consultant for the American Council on Education and the US Department of Transportation. Other offices Dr. Crowley has held include founder and chairman of the Coalition for National Science Funding (1988-91), and member of the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (1994-97). He holds the BS from St. John Fisher College and the MPA and PhD in public administration from Syracuse University.
Dr. Crowley was honored for "distinguished service to America's research universities" by the AAU in 1991. He was also elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1988 for "contributions to policy for research and higher education as a scholar and, especially, a practitioner."
"Strong, positive federal relations are essential to maintaining the excellence of MIT's research and graduate education programs," Dr. Vest said in a letter to members of the Academic, Administrative and Faculty Councils. "Jack's knowledge and leadership are among our most valuable assets in maintaining strong federal support.
"As many of you know, Jack is held in extremely high regard in both university and government circles in Washington. He has done a simply extraordinary job in bringing about increased understanding among policy-makers about the critical importance of broad, deep and sustained national investment in science and engineering.
"Jack is the consummate coalition builder, bringing together people and organizations in common cause. He has been a leader in the development of the Science Coalition, which today encompasses more than 60 universities which, together with some 400 associated national organizations, have made a real difference in the national support for higher education and research.
"I hope you will join me in expressing best wishes to him on this well-deserved recognition of the exceptional leadership that he has provided to the entire research university community."
