Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of California Baptist University, has been selected to serve as a member of the NCAA Division II President’s Council because of the outstanding performances of the university’s athletic teams.
Although Ellis will not officially assume his position until April, he began his training at the 2014 NCAA Convention Jan. 15-18 in San Diego, where representatives had the opportunity to discuss and vote on matters regarding higher education and intercollegiate athletics.
As a member on the President’s Council, Ellis will serve on a 16-member board of presidents and chancellors that will help assemble the schedule for Division II athletics.
PacWest Commissioner Bob Hogue, along with the president of Notre Dame de Namur University, Dr. Judith Maxwell Greig, approached Ellis about being a part of the council.
“This past year, the NCAA called for nominations for openings of the president’s council,” Hogue said. “Members serve for a certain number of years and there was a call for nominees. I met with the chair and we discussed who we thought would be an outstanding nominee. We reached out to Dr. Ellis, and he was willing to go through the application process. His name was put out, along with other presidents, and he was selected.”
Hogue said Ellis is the first university president from the PacWest conference to serve on the NCAA Division II President’s Council, the primary leadership position in the NCAA Division II.
During his 19 years as president, Ellis has gone to great lengths to make CBU what it is today.
“I nominated President Ellis because of his understanding leadership at California Baptist University,” Greig said. “He has been very involved in their athletics for many years; he also has experience and ethical judgment.”
Since Ellis’s presidency, CBU has been able to develop and expand academic programs as well as it’s athletics program.
