Claire Van Ummersen

A unique passion and interest in science led her to Medford High School in Medford, MA, where she was enrolled in advanced classes in chemistry, physics, and biology. She enjoyed learning foreign languages, especially French and Latin. The latter helped her to excel in biology. In 1953, she was awarded the Mary Edward Peters scholarship to attend Tufts University, where she graduated summa cum laude in 1957 with a baccalaureate degree in biology. During her freshman year at Tufts, she calls to mind an incidence where she had to change her academic adviser because he didn’t allow her to enroll in as many science classes as she would want to at any given time. Later, she received her Master’s (1960) and Doctorate (1963) in biology from Tufts University, with a dissertation titled “An experimental study of developing abnormalities induced in the chick embryo by exposure to radio frequency waves.” She also holds several honorary degrees, including: doctor of science from the University of Massachusetts in 1988, doctor of science from the University of Maine in 1991, a doctor of humane letters degree from New England University in 2005, doctor of humane letters from Granite State College in 2009.

Dr. Van Ummersen’s academic and research career began when she was selected, while in Ph.D. program, as a member of Tuft’s Investigation Group tasked with investigating the effects of microwave radiations on human health. Her team is credited for its responsibility in establishing present day safety standards for microwave exposure. From 1963 to 1966, she served as a Post-Doctoral Teaching Associate. In 1967, she became Lecturer at the department of biology at Tufts, only to soon join the faculty of the University of Massachusetts at Boston in 1968, where she begin her 14 years of leadership and teaching positions including as assistant and associate professor of biology, director of the graduate program in biology, associate vice chancellor of academic affairs, and interim chancellor from 1978 to 1979.[1] She was also tasked with chairing the pre-med, pre-vet, and pre-dentistry committees and the faculty senate committee on strategic planning. Her legacy at the University of Massachusetts is best remembered today for her major responsibility in developing the first campus-wide Ph.D. program in environmental sciences with an emphasis on marine ecology, coastal zone management, and marine toxicology.

From 1981–1986, she served on Massachusetts Board of Regents of Higher Education, satisfying several leadership positions including as vice chancellor of management systems and telecommunications, and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. Statewide planning and program review were critical components of her responsibilities.

From 1986–1992, she served as the chancellor of University System of New Hampshire during which she launched the Instructional Video Network to link all of the system campuses as well as selected local schools. In 1994, as spoken by former U.S. Representative Louis Stokes on the floor of the House, "under Dr. Van Ummersen's leadership, higher education has witnessed a major reconstruction. Her energies have led to innovative techniques being used to foster education and expanded services being offered. From 1986 to 1992, while serving as chancellor of the University System of New Hampshire, she managed over 29,000 students and a $300 million operating budget. In addition, Dr. Van Ummersen was responsible for launching an innovative instructional television network. Her unyielding efforts resulted in the linkage of all of the State universities and colleges by televised instruction. She was also responsible for spearheading the implementation of a doctoral program in environmental sciences."[2]

In 1993, she was appointed as president of Cleveland State University, a post she maintained until 2001. During her tenure at Cleveland State, she developed major partnerships with the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, which led to Biomedical Research Cleveland, a research collaborative on structural biology. In collaboration with Kent State, University of Akron, Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine and Youngstown State University joint masters programs were developed in social world (MSW) and public health (MPH), delivered via a new interactive video network that also served 17 regional high schools providing advanced placement courses for high school students and graduate course work for teachers. Additionally, as stated by former U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich, "[u]nder her leadership, Cleveland University executed an extensive building construction program and implemented several resourceful degree programs. The University's endowment grew fourfold during her tenure. Recently, [in 2001] the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Institutions of Higher Education suggested that Cleveland State University be honored continuing accreditation without qualification for the next ten years."[3]

In 2001, Dr. Ummersen joined the American Council on Education as vice president and Director of the Office of Women in Higher Education until 2005, before serving as its vice President for the Effective Leadership Program, a post she maintained from 2005–2010. She was set national agendas to support the advancement of women leaders and state networks, which operate to identify emerging leaders.

She most recently serves as a Senior Adviser for the Institutional Leadership Group, Division of Lifelong Learning, where she is tasked with guiding and leading several initiatives aimed at enhancing faculty’s work-life flexibility and retirement transition practices in academia.

Dr. Van Ummersen has also served on numerous boards and commissions in several states and has consulted with universities in the United States, the Middle East, Russia, China, and Taiwan. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi honorary societies.

Dr. Claire Van Ummersen Presidential Leadership Award, NCAA-NACWAA Women's Leadership Symposium.

"The Dr. Claire Van Ummersen (CVU) Presidential Leadership Award is named for Dr. Claire Van Ummersen, Vice President of the American Council of Education’s (ACE) Center for Effective Leadership, and a passionate advocate for the leadership enhancement for women in athletics and higher education.

Sponsored by NACWAA and the NCAA, this award honors a university or college president/chancellor, vice president or provost, male or female, who has demonstrated leadership and promotion of women's opportunities in athletics administration or coaching. Nomination includes an essay of 500 words or less stating why the nominee is deserving of this award, citing specific examples of how he/she has promoted women’s opportunities in athletics or coaching."[4]

Past CVU Presidential Leadership Award Nominees

2013: Dr. Anne Ponder of the University of North Carolina, Asheville.[5]

2014: Dr. Mary Evans Sias, Kentucky State University.[6]

• Faculty Retirement: Best Practices for Navigating the Transition [7]
• Revitalized: Faculty Retirement Transitions[8]
• Women in Academic Leadership: Professional Strategies, Personal Choices [9]
• No Talent Left Behind: Attracting and Retaining a Diverse Faculty[10]
• The Widening Gyre: Lessons from the Fourth Women President’s Summit: Living in the Present, Shaping the Future [11]
• Breaking the Barriers: A Guidebook of Strategies: Advancing Women's Leadership III [12]
• Breaking the Barriers: Presidential Strategies for Enhancing Career Mobility (Advancing Women's Leadership II) [13]
• From Where We Sit: Women’s Perspectives on the Presidency: Advancing Women's Leadership I [14]
• Comparison of Absorption by Normal and Phantom Eyes Exposed to Cataractogenic Doses of Microwaves Radiation [15]
• The Action of Microwave Radiation on the Eye [16]
• Experimental Microwave Cataracts: Age as a Factor in Induction of Cataracts in the Rabbit [17]
• Effects of Microwave on the Chick Embryo [18]
• Biological Effects of Microwave Radiation with Particular Reference to the Eyes [19]
• Experimental Radiation Cataracts Induced by Microwave Radiation [20]