TEMPE, AZ -- 11/06/09 --
EDUCAUSE, the association for information
technology in higher education, announced the appointment of Linda Thor,
president of Rio Salado College, to a four-year term on the EDUCAUSE Board
of Directors effective Jan. 1. Thor's appointment was confirmed by a
unanimous vote of the board at its Nov. 2 meeting.
EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger said, "Linda Thor leads a unique
institution and has a history of innovation and a wealth of experience in
higher education. Under her guidance, Rio Salado College has been a
national leader in the use of technology to make higher education more
accessible and responsive to the needs of students and communities. That
makes her the perfect person to join the EDUCAUSE board and inform the
association's efforts to advance the best interests of higher education."
In accepting her seat, Dr. Thor commented, "I am honored to have the
opportunity to serve on the EDUCAUSE Board of Directors. EDUCAUSE has
contributed greatly to how colleges and universities think about and
utilize technology to fulfill their missions. I look forward to working
with my fellow board members to enhance the association's outreach to
institutional leaders of all types on the difference technology can make to
achieving higher education's strategic aims."
As Rio Salado's president, Dr. Thor heads an institution that serves some
51,000 credit and 14,000 noncredit students each year, giving it the
largest enrollment among the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges serving the
greater Phoenix, Arizona, area. As a "college without walls," Rio Salado
specializes in serving working adults through distance learning, offering
customized degrees in business and government and accelerated programs such
as dual enrollment for high school students. The institution has attracted
national attention for award-winning online programs in areas including
post baccalaureate teacher preparation and nursing.
Dr. Thor has served as adjunct faculty for the UCLA School of Education,
Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and Rio
Salado College. She currently teaches for Northern Arizona University at
the master's and doctoral levels. She also serves as a member of the
American Council on Education (ACE) Commission on Lifelong Learning and the
Executive Council of the Western Cooperative for Educational
Telecommunications (WCET).
Dr. Thor holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Pepperdine
University, a master's in public administration from California State
University, Los Angeles, and the doctor of education degree in community
college administration from Pepperdine.
About Rio Salado College
Rio Salado, founded in 1978, is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges
in Arizona. The college serves more than 60,000 students annually, more
than half online, making it the "college within everyone's reach." Rio
Salado offers general education courses as well as a variety of degree and
certificate programs. For more information, visit www.riosalado.edu.
Contact:
Linda Bird
Executive Assistant to President Thor
Rio Salado College
w. 480.517-8462
