The Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University, has been named to the board of directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. The ACCU was founded in 1899, and serves as the collective voice of U.S. Catholic higher education.
"Father Maher brings to the ACCU board a depth and breadth of experience that will add greatly to our work as an association," said Brennan O'Donnell, ACCU board member and president of Manhattan College. "I have had the pleasure to work with him in a number of different roles, and have always admired his thoughtfulness, commitment, enthusiasm and capacity for hard work."
The ACCU strategic directions guide the organization to:
•Amplify the distinct strengths and assert the core values of Catholic higher education;
•Recruit and develop dedicated university leaders who can respond to contemporary challenges through a robust and innovative application of a worldview consistent with Catholic higher education; and
•Ensure mission alignment, operational efficiency and financial stability through intentional and collaborative planning regarding programs and services provided for its members.
The appointment to ACCU adds to the list of positions Maher holds as a servant leader. He is a trustee of DePaul University, a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I board of directors, and a member of the board of the New York State Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities. Additionally, he sits on the boards of the Darwin Martin House Complex and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, a privately funded, economic development organization and the largest regional chamber of commerce in Western New York. He previously served on the university and collegiate executive committee of the Fair Labor Association and was a leading member of the Global Alliance for Workers and Community.
