Tri-C President Appointed to CHEA Board of Directors
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., begins three-year term today
CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., is one of five higher-education leaders named to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) board of directors.
Baston and the four other new members begin their three-year terms today (July 1). The new directors are:
- Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., President, Cuyahoga Community College
- Erica Holmes, Ed.D., President, Sisseton Wahpeton College
- Madeline Burillo-Hopkins, Ed.D., President, Brookhaven Campus at Dallas College
- Lily S. Hsu, Ed.D., President, Labouré College of Healthcare
- Patricia Marshall, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President, Fitchburg State University
CHEA serves its members, students and society through advocacy for the value and independence of accreditation, recognition of accrediting organizations and commitment to quality in higher education.
The council serves numerous roles as a major national voice for higher education and quality assurance. These include scrutinizing accrediting organizations for their effectiveness in advancing academic quality and serving higher education, students and the public; recognizing U.S. accrediting organizations, including regional, institutional, national faith-related and programmatic accrediting organizations; and supporting and working to advance the role of accreditation in maintaining the core academic values of higher education — commitments to institutional autonomy, academic freedom and institutional mission.
"I am very pleased to be named to the board of directors at CHEA," Baston said. "Proper accreditation is at the heart of everything we do in higher education. It affirms to each institution’s stakeholders a commitment to the highest standards of education and programming and a willingness to embrace a culture of continuous improvement. As a member of the CHEA board of directors, I look forward to working with my peers to continue advancing and advocating for the need for accreditation in higher education."
"This time is an important moment in higher education accreditation and institutional advancement. During this critical juncture, the CHEA Board welcomes the insightful vision and extensive institutional experience brought to it from Dr. Baston, Dr. Holmes, Dr. Burillo-Hopkins, Dr. Hsu and Dr. Marshall," said CHEA Board Chair F. Javier Cevallos, Ph.D., president of the American Academic Leadership Institute. "The strong backgrounds and impressive leadership in higher education will significantly contribute to CHEA’s mission and the broader higher education accreditation community’s goals."
July 01, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu