Michael A. Olivas - 2003
Michael Olivas is the William B. Bates Distinguished Chair of Law at the University of Houston (UH) and Director of the Institute for Higher Education Law and Governance, also at the University of Houston. From 1983-1987, he was Chair of the UH graduate program in Higher Education, and from 1990-1995, served as Associate Dean of the Law Center. Before joining the faculty at the University of Houston, Professor Olivas held teaching and research positions at The Ohio State University and Howard University. He received his B.A. magna cum laude from the Pontifical College Josephinum, an M.A. and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
Mr. Olivas is the author or co-author of nine books. He has published widely in higher education journals and law reviews (including four articles in The Journal of College and University Law), and has served on the editorial board of more than 20 scholarly journals. He was a member of the Editorial Board of the JCUL from 1983-1985 and rejoined the Board in 1998, serving as a member for the past five years.
Mr. Olivas served as General Counsel to the American Association of University Professors from 1994-1998. He is a member of both the American Law Institute and the National Academy of Education. He was chosen as Division J’s Distinguished Scholar by the American Educational Research Association in 1993 and was awarded the Research Achievement Award by the Association for the Study of Higher Education in 1994, which also gave him its 2000 Special Merit Award. Both the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and The Hispanic Bar Association of Houston have given him awards for lifetime achievement.
NACUA is pleased to bestow the honor of Fellow of the Association on Professor Michael Olivas in recognition of his on-going contributions to higher education, to the profession, and to the practice of law.