President Marjorie Hass

Marjorie Hass, President, The Council of Independent Colleges

Marjorie Hass is a philosopher, leader, award-winning teacher, mentor, author, and one of the most influential thinkers in the independent higher education sector. She has led the Council of Independent Colleges since 2021.

Hass’ career at independent colleges has encompassed a wide range of roles, including professor, provost, and president. She is inspired by CIC’s impact on hundreds of member institutions and the more than two million students they serve. With a focus on sustainability and innovation, Hass is committed to ensuring CIC remains a valuable resource to help independent colleges and universities live out their unique missions vibrantly and fully. She guides CIC’s programming to ensure it engages a diverse membership; supports member financial health and innovation; and strengthens CIC’s role as a champion of independent higher education. 

A philosopher by training, Hass earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has published widely on the philosophy of language, logic, and feminist philosophy and speaks frequently on leadership, shared governance, and the state and promise of the independent sector in higher education. Insightful and relevant, Hass combines first-hand leadership experience with data-informed analysis. She has a deep understanding of the challenges presidents face and compassion and admiration for the work that presidents and other campus leaders do.

Immediately before joining CIC, Hass served as president of Rhodes College. Previously, Hass served for eight years as president of Austin College. Earlier, she spent more than 16 years as a member of the philosophy faculty and subsequently as provost at Muhlenberg College.

Hass was a member of the CIC Board of Directors from 2012 to 2016. She also has served as a board member of the Association of American Colleges & Universities and as former chair of the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees at Brandeis University.

“As the former president of two member institutions, I know how invaluable CIC participation can be. My CIC colleagues were a vital source of support and wisdom and my campuses benefited immeasurably from participating in CIC programs and services.” 

Marjorie Hass

Industry Thought Leader

Hass is a current expert source and thought leader with a rich history of media placements relating to higher education. Some recent examples include:

Her writing touches on other areas of cultural impact and importance. Some recent examples include:

Newsletter Archive


Council of Independent Colleges