Gora, currently chancellor of University of Massachusetts at Boston, is the first woman appointed to serve as president of a major public university in Indiana. She will take office Aug. 9.

Gora has served in her current post since August 2001, following a 21-year career in higher education administration. Prior to her position as chancellor, she served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

"We are delighted to have someone with Dr. Gora's outstanding background and proven leadership capabilities to build on the momentum Ball State has generated over the past several years," said Thomas DeWeese, president of the Board of Trustees.

"Ball State is at an important point in its growth and development, and we are confident that Dr. Gora's breadth of experience makes her the right person to move the university forward in its multiple roles, which range from contributing to the economic vitality of the state to continuing our commitment to providing students with a high-quality learning experience in an exceptionally personal and supportive environment."

Gora will oversee a university with an operating budget of more than $240 million and on-campus enrollment of more than 18,000 students. Ball State has seen strong growth in both private giving and research grants in recent years. During the 2002-03 fiscal year, the university achieved record levels in both categories, with more than $23.7 million in private gifts and $25.2 million in research grants. The university is also seeing significant enhancements to academic facilities including completion of the Art and Journalism Building in August 2001, construction of the Music Instruction Building, slated for completion in the fall, and recent funding approval for the Communication Media Building for which ground will likely be broken this fall.

"I am pleased and honored to have the opportunity to lead an institution where so much has been achieved and there is so much potential," Gora said. "The entire university should be proud of what has been accomplished and how the institution is viewed nationally. I look forward to working with students, faculty, senior leadership and the Board of Trustees to further enhance the visibility of the university, the resources available to it and the quality of the student experience.

"I am strongly committed to working with industry and government partners to promote economic development in Indiana and to building strong and positive relationships with leaders locally and across the state."

During her tenure at University of Massachusetts at Boston, Gora played an integral role in raising the university's admission standards, expanding its honors college, developing interdisciplinary centers of excellence, increasing community outreach and improving instructional technology infrastructure. She also led the university's strategic planning process and oversaw development of an information technology strategic plan, which includes participation in Internet 2, increased bandwidth and rewiring of the campus.

University of Massachusetts at Boston enrolls more than 13,000 students, has more than 800 full- and part-time faculty members and has a $175 million budget.

At Old Dominion, Gora guided the university through two strategic planning initiatives. From this work came a guaranteed undergraduate internship program, which offers undergraduates four years of workshops, seminars and degree-related work activities. She also led the charge to raise the university's admission standards, expand its honors college, revise its general education requirements and develop a statewide distance learning program.

Gora was instrumental in implementing several economic development initiatives that allowed Old Dominion to address community problems. These efforts not only increased the area's economic viability, but also saved hundreds of jobs.

Ball State search committee chair and trustee Frank Bracken said Gora has the qualifications and personal strengths the search committee emphasized after hearing from members of the university community.

"We had a long list of important skills and attributes, and without question we've found an individual who really brings those characteristics to the university," Bracken said. "I want to thank all of the members of the search committee for the time and energy they devoted to this very important task."

American Association of State Colleges and Universities President Constantine W. (Deno) Curris, believes Gora, who is currently serving on the association's Council of State Representatives, is an excellent fit for Ball State.

"Dr. Gora is an engaging and capable individual who will give special attention to building on Ball State's great tradition of service to students and who will make every effort to further enhance the quality of the educational opportunities offered to students," he said. "She also does an excellent job of reaching out to the external community to build a sense of engagement between a university and the region it serves. She will be very visible."

Bob Atwood, former president of the American Council on Education, describes Gora as having both the experience and the personal qualities essential to successful leadership.

"She is a very lively person, a people person, and she is just really very experienced," Atwood said. "She is a wonderful choice for Ball State."

Gora earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Vassar College and master's and doctorate degrees in sociology from Rutgers University. She has published two books -- The New Female Criminal: Empirical Reality or Social Myth? and Emergency Squad Volunteers: Professionalism in Unpaid Work -- as well as numerous articles in the fields of criminology, medical sociology and organizational behavior. Her current research focuses on institutional culture.

Gora is married to Roy Budd, who will relocate to Muncie with her. Budd works in the area of workforce and economic development. Her son, Jesse Gora, is a clinical psychologist in Salt Lake City, and her stepdaughter, Tiffany Budd, works for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture in Raleigh.

Gora has received a five-year contract with a starting base salary of $260,000. The compensation package also includes use of Bracken House, the university's presidential residence.

Note to Editors: For more information on this story, contact Heather Shupp, executive director of university communications, at (765) 285-1560, (765) 748-4823 (cell) or hshupp@bsu.edu.  A print-quality photo, bio and other background information are available at www.bsu.edu/president/newpresident.