Leadership

Dr. Cornelius (Neil) M. Kerwin was the president of American University from 2007-2017. Before becoming president, he held positions as interim president, university provost, and dean of the School of Public Affairs. A nationally recognized specialist in public policy and the regulatory process, Dr. Kerwin is actively engaged in research and periodically taught courses in the administrative process, policy implementation, and American government. He founded American University’s Center for the Study of Rulemaking and is the author of Rulemaking: How Government Agencies Write Law and Make Policy. He is also the author of numerous scholarly articles and professional publications.

Dr. Kerwin is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a former president of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, and founding chair of the Section on Public Law and Administration of the American Society for Public Administration.

Dr. Kerwin served as a member of the board of directors of the American Council on Education (2012-15) and on the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities from February 2012 to February 2014. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, and the D.C. Government’s Economic Strategy Advisory Committee. He chaired the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area Board of Trustees (2013-15) and the Patriot League Council of Presidents (academic years 2013-14 and 2014-15) and served on the Board of Directors of Lumerit Education.