Christopher Davis, with nearly 30 years of higher education leadership experience, has been appointed to the newly created position of chief academic officer at Cleary University.
Davis earned his doctorate degree from the University of Michigan, along with multiple graduate degrees in education, psychology and business. He also served as a trustee of Cleary University.
Prior to joining Cleary University, Davis was vice president of academic services and quality at the University of Maryland Global Campus, where he was responsible for executive leadership across accreditation, compliance, registrar services, assessment, market research and academic innovation.
In his new role, Davis will provide strategic oversight for all academic programs, faculty, curriculum development, and accreditation efforts, while advancing Cleary University’s mission to deliver career-focused, student-centered education with a strong return on investment.
“Chris is a highly accomplished, visionary leader who brings to Cleary a rare combination of academic rigor, strategic foresight, and deep operational expertise that will help further strengthen our university’s academic quality, expand our innovative programs and ensure our students are fully prepared to thrive in an evolving workforce,” said Alan Drimmer, president of Cleary University. “He has a reputation for maximizing the growth and development of organizations of higher learning through his thought leadership, expertise in institutional research and effectiveness, and demonstrated success in fostering a culture of collaboration and achievement.
“As Cleary University progresses rapidly toward its next phase of growth and new opportunities for our students, visionary leaders like Chris will help guide us thoughtfully, strategically and with accountability and clear direction as we prepare for academic expansion, enrollment momentum and campus development. The new leadership model we have adopted better positions Cleary for continued growth and sustainable success.”
Davis said that he is “honored to join Cleary University at such an exciting time in its evolution,”
“I am impressed with Cleary’s strong reputation for outcome-driven education, and I look forward to partnering with faculty, staff and leadership to support student success, academic excellence, and continued innovation,” Davis said.
His previous senior leadership positions also include: president and provost at Western International University in Tempe, Ariz.; vice provost at Colorado Technical University in Schaumburg, Ill.; and vice provost of institutional effectiveness at National Louis University in Chicago, Ill. Davis also worked at Baker College in Flint for 10 years, serving in a variety of leadership positions. He has extensive experience as an accreditation peer reviewer and has served on national boards focused on higher education quality and innovation.
