Primary Job Title Board Member Primary Organization Center for Innovative Technology
Location New York, New York, United States Regions Greater New York Area, East Coast, Northeastern US Gender Male
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Mr. Michael Rao, Ph.D. has been President of Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority since July 1, 2009 and serves as its Chairman of the Board. Mr. Rao joined Central Michigan University in 2000 and oversees one of Michigan's largest universities serving more than 28,000 students with an annual budget of $250 million. He is
leading initiatives to enhance the profile and role of teacher education; raise academic standards; strengthen undergraduate teaching; raise funds for scholarships; expand student engagement in study abroad, research, volunteer, and other activities; increase transfer students; offer a focused core of master's and doctoral degree programs; and expand research, discovery, and creative work at the university. Mr. Rao served as the President of Central Michigan University Inc., from 2000 to June 30, 2009.
Mr. Rao joined CMU from Montana State University Northern, where he served as chancellor from 1998 to 2000. During his tenure, the university resolved a major budget deficit and created an open budgeting process, initiated new niche-oriented bachelor's and master's degree programs, set and exceeded fund-raising goals to expand scholarships and academic programs, achieved records in grant funding for research, and developed an applied technology center.
Previously, Mr. Rao served as an administrator at Mission College, an 11,000-student public college in California's Silicon Valley. He joined the college as a dean in 1992; less than two years later he became its president.
