The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges has hired Framroze M. Virjee, president emeritus of California State University, Fullerton, as its new president and CEO.
Virjee succeeds interim president Ellen Chaffee when AGB's former executive chairman and CEO, Henry Stoever, resigned last fall amid plagiarism allegations.
In addition to serving as president at Fullerton for more than six years, Virjee has experience serving as liaison to the Board of Trustees of the California State University System. He worked as a lawyer before pursuing higher education.
“We selected Fram because of his deep experience with many of the issues facing boards today,” Ross Mugler, AGB board member who co-led the search, said in a press release. “He had to make the call as chairman, which gave him insight and empathy for higher education leaders around the world.”
“Higher education leaders have a lot on their plate right now,” Virjee said in a statement. “There is very little room for error and the results are huge. A board can be a pillar of strength for an institution when it is 100% engaged and 100% committed to its role as a trustee and partner.”
And even if that weren't the case, he might have added, the opposite is true.