RINDGE — Dr. James F. Birge, president of Franklin Pierce University, has been elected to a two-year term as vice chair of the New Hampshire College & University Council (NHCUC), a statewide higher-education consortium of public and private colleges and universities.

Founded in 1966, the NHCUC is an 18-member consortium of higher-education institutions that manages collaborative inter-institutional programs in the areas of student recruitment, professional development for faculty and staff, resource sharing (including shared library collections), and public advocacy on behalf of New Hampshire's higher-education sector. The NHCUC is a unique, multi-purpose, statewide consortium of both public and private not-for-profit, higher-education institutions.

“We are indeed fortunate that Dr. Birge has accepted this important leadership role with the NHCUC during these challenging times for higher education,” said Thomas R. Horgan, president and CEO of NHCUC. “Dr. Birge is widely respected by college and university presidents, business leaders, and public policy leaders across New Hampshire, and his vision and leadership will be critical to moving the NHCUC's collective efforts forward on behalf of our member institutions.”

Dr. Birge also serves on the boards of the New England Council, the Jaffrey-Rindge Education Foundation, Campus Compact for New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission. He is a Paul Harris Fellow in the Jaffrey-Rindge chapter of Rotary International. Dr. Birge holds a Ph.D. in leadership studies from Gonzaga University, an M.Ed. in guidance and counseling from Plymouth State University, and a B.S. in elementary education from Westfield State College.