Melinda W. Grier was the University of Oregon’s General Counsel from 1998 to 2010. From 1977-1998, she served as Compliance/Affirmative Action Officer for the Oregon University System. Beginning in 1988, she was also the System’s chief legal officer, advising the State Board of Higher Education, the Chancellor’s Office, the Oregon regional universities, Portland State University and Oregon Institute of Technology. Melinda taught Employment Discrimination Law from 1992-2012 at the University of Oregon Law School, where she also taught courses in Higher Education Law and In-House Counsel.
As a NACUA volunteer, she served as President during 2005-2006, Treasurer during 1999-2002 and a member-at-large of the Board of the Directors during 1996-1999. She also participated in many other NACUA activities, including as an instructor for NACUA’s Title IX Coordinator Training online course. She received the NACUA Distinguished Service Award in 2009.
Melinda also then served as NACUA’s Director of Legal Resources from August 2014 until February 2017. Prior to working at NACUA, she consulted on issues related to higher education law, employment and discrimination law, governance and policy development, advising institutions of higher education and other employers through her firm, Melinda Grier Consulting, Title IX ASAP and as Of Counsel to Hirschfeld Kraemer LLP.
Her other professional activities have included the American Association for the Advancement of Science Access and Diversity in STEM Project, NCAA and AAU General Counsel Advisory Boards and numerous speaking engagements including Stetson University Higher Education Law Conference, University of Vermont Legal Issues in Higher Education and the Council of Independent Colleges Training for Deans and Department Chairs.
She received her A.B. from Stanford University in political science and communications, her M.A. from the University of Connecticut, and J.D. from the University of Oregon Law School.
Melinda has been noted as a person of great talent that has given much to the Association: volunteer, speaker, author, director, officer, and even employee. But beyond all she is the person she is: mentor, friend, confidant, advisor, and wise counselor.
NACUA is pleased to recognize Melinda W. Grier as a Life Member of the Association in recognition of her outstanding service and her sustained and substantial contributions to NACUA and the field of higher education law.