Dr. Jerry C. Lee
Chancellor, National University System
Dr. Jerry C. Lee has served as Chancellor since 2001, guiding the strategic direction of the six affiliates of the National University System, including National University, National Polytechnic College of Science, Spectrum Pacific Learning Company LLC, National University Virtual High School, WestMed College, the National University Academy of Health Sciences, and National University International.
From 1989 through July 2007, Dr. Lee spent 18 years as President of National University, championing its profound and measurable transformation. Since his arrival, Dr. Lee has challenged faculty and staff to remain attentive to providing a superior level of education to nontraditional learners while remaining true to National University's core values of quality, access, relevance, accelerated pace, value, and community.
By encouraging others to bring their enthusiasm to the implementation of his ambitious vision, Dr. Lee has guided National University through change energized by innovation and compassion, ensuring the endurance of an institution dedicated to providing opportunities for quality higher learning to persons for whom no other feasible alternative is available.
Under his leadership, National University has grown to become California's second-largest private, nonprofit university with 22,000 full-time students, more than 113,000 alumni, endowment funds in excess of $341 million, and $145 million in real property. Combined with National University, the affiliates of the National University System have an estimated fair-market value of nearly $1 billion.
While Dr. Lee's vision has resulted in impressive growth, he has also served as careful guardian of National University's commitment to provide its students the intimate classroom environment of a small, private university. As part of its commitment to accessibility, National University has remained one of education's most affordable, with tuition rates that are approximately 50 percent lower than the average private institution. Similarly, National University has consistently been ranked in the Top 10 nationally among private colleges and universities for its student services.
Dr. Lee's investment in infrastructure has, according to one industry expert, "raised the bar for classroom technology and integration." National University is a leader in Web-based learning, offering more than 50 degree and credential programs and over 1,200 courses online. The library boasts more than 285,000 volumes, one of the largest collections of electronic books of any university in the United States.
A distinction of President Lee's tenure at National University has been his dedication to the core value of access to quality education for under-served learners. National University is now ranked in the Top 10 schools in the United States in number of graduate degrees awarded to minority students.
Since Dr. Lee's arrival at National University, the number of minority students each year has risen from 16.8 percent in 1989 to 41 percent in 2007. National University now provides more master's degrees in all disciplines to African Americans and Hispanics than any other college or university in California, and ranks first in the state in granting master's degrees in education to all minorities. National University also ranks among the nation's Top 10 universities in awarding master's degrees to women. For these and other accomplishments, Dr. Lee was honored with a 2004 Visionary Award in the category of diversity by LEAD San Diego, Inc., an organization that promotes and fosters community leadership.
Dr. Lee's vision for National University has steadfastly maintained a mandate for mutual respect, encouragement, challenge, and support within its classroom walls and an institutional directive to "give back" to the communities it serves.
In 1996, as an element of National University's 25th anniversary celebration, Chancellor Lee awarded 25 scholarships to women who had been victims of domestic abuse. In subsequent years, he has renewed National University's support of survivors of domestic violence through initiatives including the awarding of grants to the San Diego YWCA Domestic Violence Hotline, and to Project Next Step, a program initiated in cooperation with the El Cajon County Court System and the San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Association to provide counsel to women who have legal issues related to domestic violence. In 2005, he was the first recipient of the Angel Award from WomenTogether, a committee of volunteers who raise funds for agencies that assist battered women and their children in San Diego.
This commitment has garnered a Guardian Angel Award from the San Diego Council on Domestic Violence, a Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Silver Medal for Community Relations, the Edward L. Bernays Award, and a certificate of appreciation from the San Diego Superior Courts for its efforts to assist victims of domestic violence.
In 2003, Chancellor Lee announced a reduced tuition rate of 50 percent for every teacher in California laid off due to budget cuts, and in September 2005, he announced that National will offer free tuition to displaced students in the Gulf States who wish to attend National University Virtual High School. National University leads higher education in support of community initiatives, committing almost 1.5 percent of its operating budget to do so.
Chancellor Lee's dedication to higher education includes terms on the President's Commission of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Board of Directors of the American Association of University Administrators, and the American Council on Education's Commission on Women in Higher Education.
His record of service also includes membership on the Board of Directors of St. Vincent de Paul Ministries, the Board of Directors of the San Diego Economic Development Corporation, the Board of Directors of the John Brockington Foundation, and the Board of Directors of the Children's School in La Jolla, California.
Other recognition received by Dr. Lee includes: Alpha Sigma Pi "Man of the Year"; the Advancement of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom Award from the United National Association of the United States; the "One-of-a-Kind" Award from People to People; a "Males as Positive Forces" Award from the Chula Vista Community Collaborative; and 2006 Honorary Chair for the Council on Literacy. In 2005, he was named to the John Brockington Foundation's "Circle of Honor."
He has been named Sertoma "Man of the Year" and one of San Diego Magazine's "50 People to Watch." Dr. Lee also received the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Distinguished Alumni Award, the West Virginia Wesleyan Distinguished Alumni Award, the American Association of University Administrators Eileen Tosney Award, the American Athletic Association of the Deaf Distinguished Service Award, the San Diego Leadership Alliance Outstanding Leadership Award, the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development Presidential Award for Exemplary Service, and has been named to the International Educator's Hall of Fame.
He has been presented with an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Gallaudet University and a National University Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. In 1997, Dr. Lee was knighted by the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
Dr. Lee lives in Fairbanks Ranch with his wife, Joan, and their bulldog companions Mugsy and Molly.
Dr. Jerry C. Lee, Chancellor, National University System
Over the course of his 18-year tenure, Dr. Lee built National University into California's second-largest private, nonprofit university.