Long-time James Madison University, President Jonathan Alger, has been appointed as the 16th President of American University effective July 2024.
Jon Alger is highly regarded as a visionary leader in higher education who has an impressive record of accomplishments at JMU and throughout his career in academia.
Alger previously served as senior vice president and general counsel at Rutgers University. While assistant general counsel at the University of Michigan, he played a leading role in two landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases on race and admissions. While at both Michigan and Rutgers, Alger taught courses in leadership, law, higher education, public policy and diversity. He also worked as counsel for the American Association of University Professors and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Alger earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School.