Richard W. Roper, Public Policy Executive,
Civic Leader Inducted to Rutgers Board of Governors
October 2, 2013
sey-New York region through his professional
and many civic activities and the university
will benefit from his keen insight into the chalNEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Richard W. Roper, lenges and opportunities we face at The New
president of the Roper Group, Public Policy Rutgers.”
Consulting and senior fellow and New Jersey
Besides founding his own consulting firm,
field research analyst at the Nelson A.
Rockefeller Institute of Government, was in- Roper has held numerous positions in the pubducted to the Rutgers Board of Governors at lic sector and higher education, including several executive policy and planning positions
today’s meeting in Camden.
with the Port Authority of New York and New
Roper joins the board as a public governor Jersey, and administrative and teaching posichosen by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as tions at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilpart of the New Jersey Medical and Health Sci- son School of Public and International Affairs.
ences Education Restructuring Act. The act exRoper also has served in federal, state and
panded the university’s Board of Governors
local
government positions, including the Offrom 11 to 15 members, eight of whom are sefice
of
Secretary, U.S. Department of Comlected by the state’s governor. Roper’s term
merce; the Division of Youth and Family
runs through June 2019.
Services, New Jersey Department of InstituA 1968 graduate from Rutgers-Newark’s tions and Agencies; the Vice Chancellor, New
College of Arts and Sciences, Roper, who with Jersey Department of Higher Education; and
his wife Marlene, lives in Maplewood, has the Mayor’s Education Task Force, Office of
served his alma mater in a variety of capacities, Newark Studies.
including as a member of the Rutgers UniverIn the civic arena, Roper currently serves
sity Foundation Board of Overseers; President’s
on
the
board of trustees, The Fund for New JerBusiness Leaders Cabinet; Advisory Commitsey;
the
board of directors of Brick City Develtee, Center for Government Services; Provost’s
opment
Corp.; New Jersey Public Policy
Advisory Committee, Newark College of Arts
and Sciences; Advisory Council on Undergrad- Research Institute; La Casa de Don Pedro and
uate Education, which he also chaired for six Bethany Cares Inc.; the board of deacons,
years; and visiting associate at the Eagleton Bethany Baptist Church; and on the New Jersey
Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on
Institute of Politics.
Judicial Conduct.
We are delighted that Richard Roper’s disHe has received numerous awards and
tinguished history of service to Rutgers continhonors,
including the Leadership and Commuues with his Board of Governors membership,”
nity
Service
Award from the Oranges and
said Rutgers President Robert Barchi. “He has
Maplewood
unit
of the NAACP; Edward P.
served many constituencies in the New JerBullard Distinguished Alumnus Award from
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Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School; New Jer- nation’s premier public research universities.
sey Institute for Social Justice Service Award; Serving more than 65,000 students on camand Leadership Newark’s Founders Award.
puses, centers, institutes and other locations
Established in 1766, Rutgers, The State Uni- throughout the state, Rutgers is the only public
versity of New Jersey, is America’s eighth-old- university in New Jersey that is a member of the
Association
of
American
est institution of higher learning and one of the prestigious
Universities.
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