Douglas L. Christiansen, Vanderbilt University’s vice provost for enrollment, dean of admissions and assistant professor of public policy and higher education is a national trustees for The College Board. Christiansen’s term runs through October 2015.
Prior to his appointment as trustee, Christiansen served on the College Board’s National Task Force on Admissions in the 21st Century, the Advanced Placement (AP) National Higher Education Advisory Council, the trustee-appointed Membership Committee and recently completed a three-year term on the National Colloquium Planning Committee. He also led Vanderbilt as a pilot member in the College Board’s Access Success Initiative.
“My personal philosophy of educational opportunity and access to higher education for all students is mirrored by the philosophy of the College Board. It is through education that the world will continue to move forward, and through the work of the College Board and its member institutions, we can all make a tremendous difference in the lives of those we encounter,” said Christiansen. “Helping to connect creative, hard-working and intelligent students with the ideal school for them and creating innovative ways to improve access into higher education has been my life’s work for more than 20 years. It’s an honor to expand this mission as a national trustee with the College Board.”
“The College Board and Vanderbilt share a commitment to excellence in every aspect of education, from increased rigor in the high school curriculum to the admissions and financial aid process and to the ultimate matriculation and graduation of each student. Doug brings a level of experience and creativity as a College Board trustee that benefits students and institutions,” said Richard McCarty, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Christiansen joined Vanderbilt in 2006 and currently holds the position of vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions. In this capacity he serves as the university’s chief enrollment strategist, overseeing the offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Aid and Undergraduate Scholarships, Enrollment Management Information Systems, The University Registrar and Vanderbilt Institutional Research Group. He also has administrative responsibility for the Chancellors and Cornelius Vanderbilt scholarship programs and the Posse scholars program. In addition, he is an assistant professor of public policy and higher education in the Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations at Peabody College.
Prior to coming to Vanderbilt Christiansen, was assistant vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. He also served as associate director of student recruitment and high school services at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration, a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science. Christiansen also has served as a consultant for over a decade to numerous U.S. universities on the issues of enrollment management, domestic and international admissions, access and equity and revenue generation funding models.
Founded in 1900, the non-profit College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of more than 5,700 of the nation’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education.
Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.
