The Association of American Universities has granted GW membership to the prestigious organization, according to a Thursday release.
The release states that the membership to the AAU is by invitation only and the association comprises America’s “premier” research universities. Member institutions convene in regular meetings to share best practices for acquiring research funding and employing highly awarded and cited faculty as well as lobbying the federal government on education policy.
“AAU member institutions are also leading voices that shape policy in higher education, science and innovation; set the standard for excellence in undergraduate and graduate education; and have a positive impact on society,” the release states.
According to the release, GW will join 70 other institutions across North America, including Harvard, Carnegie Mellon and McGill universities. Five other schools also joined the association Thursday — Arizona State University, the University of California, Riverside and the University of Miami, Notre Dame and South Florida.
In October, University officials said joining the AAU was a top priority in their search for a new president, and officials’ presidential profile — which outlined the traits and qualifications the presidential search committee is looking for — stated GW’s long-term goal is to become the only D.C. member of AAU.
Incoming University President Ellen Granberg said she is looking forward to the ways AAU membership will “elevate” the University’s impact.
“GW is a university on the rise, and the invitation to join the AAU is a testament to the accomplishments of an ambitious community that strives for academic excellence and advances the university in its prominence and impact every day,” Granberg said in the release.
Interim University President Mark Wrighton said the University is proud to join the AAU in their shared mission of advancing research and scholarship that addresses the world’s most “urgent” and “vexing” challenges.
“We are honored by this acknowledgment of excellence by America’s leading research universities,” Wrighton said. “The George Washington University has a long and distinguished history of academic leadership at the nexus of research, scholarship, policy and service, and the vital distinction of membership in the AAU reflects GW’s rapidly growing impact locally, nationally and globally.”
Once accepted into the AAU, continued membership is not guaranteed, according to the website. Member universities must maintain levels of research and education on par with peers within the organization and above schools outside of it. Universities must also pay $139,500 per year in membership fees, according to The Gazette.
