Iowa State President Martin Jischke has been chosen to serve as chairman of the Council of Presidents of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC).

As part of a three-year, three-step process, Jischke will serve as chairman of the Council of Presidents for 1997, then chairman-elect of NASULGC’s Board of Directors in 1998, and finally as chairman of the Board of Directors in 1999.

He will continue to serve as ISU president.

“I’m pleased to have this opportunity to provide leadership to the land-grant universities,” Jischke said.

“I’m a very strong believer in the land grant ideal. I want to reaffirm our commitments that define these ideals.”

NASULGC is a group of about 200 public universities and land-grant institutions which was founded in 1887.

It is the nation’s oldest higher education association.

“I believe I would be the third Iowa State person to have these responsibilities,” Jischke said. Anson Marston, who once served as the dean of the College of Engineering, and former ISU President Robert Parks both served as chairmen of NASULGC’s Board of Directors at one time.

Jischke’s name was suggested by a nominating committee for the position.

During the three-year process Jischke said he wants to make certain that land-grant universities continue support for education through investing in research and student financial aid.

“It is important that the nation invest in these students so that we can continue to carry out research and solve real problems,” he said.

Jischke, whose area of study is chemical engineering, is in his fifth year as ISU president, serving since 1991.