ACU alumnus named chancellor of college system

Dr. Jack Scott, California state senator and 1954 graduate of Abilene Christian University, has been named the 14th chancellor of the California state community college system by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. Scott will assume the role of chancellor over the 109-college system at the end of his Senate term, Jan. 1, 2009.

"Dr. Jack Scott has certainly had a distinguished career since leaving Abilene Christian, including college president, minister and well-respected state senator from the great state of California," said Dr. Royce Money, president of ACU. "We are pleased that Jack is now adding another dimension of his career as chancellor of the University of California community college system. I am confident that he will continue to serve the citizens of California well in this new and distinguished appointment."

Scott has served as a California State Senator since 2000. Prior to that, he was provost at Pepperdine University, dean and later president of Orange Coast College and president of Pasadena City College.

He graduated from ACU with a bachelor's degree in Bible in 1954. Scott later earned a master's degree from Yale University in 1962, as well as a doctoral degree from Claremont Graduate University in 1970.

Pepperdine University presented Scott with an honorary doctorate in 1991, and he was awarded the "Harry Buttimer Award," given annually to two distinguished administrators in the California Community Colleges, in 1993. Scott was named "Alumnus of the Year" at Claremont Graduate University in 2000 and "Outstanding Alumnus of the Year" by ACU in 2002. He is also the only person to have received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the California Community Colleges, which he was given in 2006 and 2008.

Scott currently serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Education, the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education and the Joint Committee on the Arts. He has been named "Legislator of the Year" by several organizations, including the California Federation of Teachers, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Association of California Community College Administrators and the Association of California School Boards.

If you are a member of the media who would like more information about this release, please contact ACU's Public Relations Office or call (325) 674-2696.