Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced the appointment of Walter E. Massey as Chairman of the Board for City Colleges of Chicago (CCC). Massey currently serves as the chancellor for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). He is a distinguished educator and scientist, with more than 50 years of experience as a leader of some of the nation’s most prominent higher education and scientific institutions. He replaces Dr. Charles Middleton, who served a two-year term as Chair.

“I am grateful for Dr. Middleton’s service in helping to implement the reinvention efforts that resulted in a significant increase in the graduation rate and job placement for our students,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Walter Massey’s extensive track record developing young minds, strengthening community ties and creating unique institutional partnerships across the city make him the ideal candidate to support Chancellor Juan Salgado’s efforts to ensure City Colleges students complete their education and succeed in 21st century careers.”

Since joining SAIC in 2010 as president, Massey has been successful in increasing student scholarships, diversifying the student body and broadening the school’s partnerships across the arts, higher education and business communities. With President Elissa Tenny, he launched SAIC’s first-ever major fundraising campaign, Beautiful/Work: The Campaign for SAIC, which has now raised more than $46 million toward its goal of $50 million by June 30, 2018. Massey was appointed to the position of chancellor in 2015.

“Walter Massey has proven his commitment to ensuring all children throughout the City of Chicago are able to achieve higher education, regardless of their zip code,” said Alderman Howard Brookins Jr. of Chicago’s 21st Ward. “He is the right candidate to join Chancellor Juan Salgado in CCC leadership and to helping ensure all students can access a high-quality, affordable college education that leads to a successful career.”

Massey is a leading voice in science and higher education, and has held additional leadership roles that include Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization, Director of the Argonne National Laboratory, Vice President for Research and Professor of physics at the University of Chicago, Professor of Physics and Dean of the College at Brown University, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for the University of California system and President of Morehouse College.

Juan Salgado began his service as Chancellor of CCC on May 1, 2017. In this role, Chancellor Salgado is doubling down on efforts to offer students a quality, affordable education that aligns with the demands of today’s workforce and catapults Chicagoans into the middle class and beyond. This aligns with Mayor Emanuel’s efforts to lead more of Chicago’s students to pursue and succeed in college and bolsters efforts to continue CCC investments without increasing tuition. In addition to the recent announcement of the CCC downtown headquarters sale, the board will soon vote on a FY2018 budget. This includes making investments that prepare students with the skills to seize jobs in fast-growing fields including the completion of the Olive-Harvey College Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL) Center and the Daley College Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Center.         

Massey has honorary degrees from more than 40 universities, including Harvard, Yale, Northwestern, Ohio State, Columbia, and Brown, and is also a Trustee Emeritus of the University of Chicago and Brown University. He is former Chairman of Bank of America and former director of McDonald’s. He has served on the boards of the Mellon Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, the Smithsonian and the Salzburg Global Seminar.

Massey is expected to begin his service in September 2017.

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