President Emeritus

Robert O. Davies was unanimously appointed as the 15th president of Central Michigan University on Sept. 1, 2018, by the CMU Board of Trustees.

Within the first year of his tenure at CMU, Davies launched a Strategic Envisioning Process designed to prepare the university for rigor, relevance and excellence in 2030 and beyond. This process engages multiple stakeholder groups including students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the Board of Trustees in an ongoing and iterative reimaging of the university’s goals, offerings and operations. Davies unveiled additional “moonshot” goals for the process, which establish CMU’s unique identity and role in the state; promote greater diversity and inclusion at the university while focusing on student success; and address the changing needs of students and stakeholders. Process outcomes will showcase the unique value CMU offers for students, families, communities, employers and our state; significantly increase and equalize degree attainment rates; and extend the reach of the university.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed Davies to serve on the Michigan Workforce Development Board. He is board chair of the Central Michigan University Research Corp. and also serves on the boards of CMU Medical Education Partners and the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance. More recently, Davies was appointed the Mid-American Conference representative on the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum and to the NCAA Division I Committee on Academics. He also accepted a position on the Board of Trustees at The Children’s Foundation.

Prior to his appointment, he served as president at both Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Oregon. Over the course of his career, he also held leadership roles in university relations, alumni relations and advancement.

Davies received a Bachelor of Science degree in management from the University of Nevada, Reno. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and marketing from the University of Oregon and a doctoral degree in higher education administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He attended the prestigious Harvard Institute for Educational Management as well as leadership seminars for both new and experienced presidents.

On January 31, 2024, after nearly six years of service and leadership, Dr. Davies announced his plans to step down in the Fall 2024 semester.

Throughout his tenure, Davies was recognized for his commitment to student success.

“I am so proud of the roles we each have played to ensure every Central Michigan University student had the opportunity to feel welcome, seen and supported, and successful within our community,” Davies wrote. “More than anything, I feel proud of their achievements, their successes, and the impact they continue to have wherever they go.”