American University
Ladner was appointed President of, and professor of philosophy and religion at, American University in 1994. His appointment is credited with bringing stability to the University after a period of turmoil and rapid turnover of presidents. During his tenure, the University experienced financial and academic growth, along with recognition as a leading international university, that partnered with and helped found new universities around the world. The main thrust of Ladner's leadership was defined in a "15 point plan" in 2001, which was approved by faculty, staff and the board.
During his tenure at AU president, Ladner chaired the Board of Trustees of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, the Patriot League Council of Presidents, and served on numerous other boards and commissions including the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Washington Board of Trade, and the Committee for Economic Development, the Commission on International Education for the American Council on Education, among others.
He was also a member of the Federal Election Reform Commission, co-chaired by Jimmy Carter and James Baker; the NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Intercollegiate Athletics; and a United Nations Advisory Group Member and Manuscript Reviewer for the ground-breaking Arab Human Development Report, 2002.
In 2003, Ladner fired Susan Clampitt as the head of university-owned WAMU, due to donor and staff outrage at fiscal mismanagement of the NPR affiliate. Clampitt later sued both Ladner and the University, claiming that Ladner had approved all of her financial decisions, which depleted a $4 million endowment for the station. The Court of Appeals subsequently denied Clampitt's employment-related claims.
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