About the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio (AICUO)

A commitment to public service pervasive throughout Ohio’s independent colleges and universities is a consequence of their diverse histories and their emphasis on value-based education. Located in every region of the state, Ohio’s independent institutions include research universities, traditional liberal arts colleges, comprehensive universities, single-purpose institutions, religiously affiliated colleges, and a historically black university.

As our missions vary, so do the learning environments that our campuses offer. Some independent colleges are primarily residential; others have no dormitories. Some independent institutions were formed out of the wilderness; others were created to meet the needs of their 20th century urban communities. Regardless of their histories and locations, independent institutions have enhanced the quality of life of the communities in which they are located and the quality of life in Ohio. 

Staff Biographies

Julia F. Arnott - Director of Administration
jarnott@aicuo.edu
Julia Arnott has been AICUO’s Office Manager for 19 years, and her position was expanded in 2006 to Director of Administration. Her responsibilities include accounting, financial, and tax services oversight, computer support, database management, meeting coordination, equipment purchasing, human resources management, office receptionist, and administrative assistant. Julia has overseen the transformation of the office into the technology era: from the first fax machine, expanding AICUO’s computers from one computer to individual PCs and later to networking all of the office computers, digital copying, DSL service, and even creating AICUO’s first website. Her previous employer was the now-defunct Cardinal Industries where she served as the statistical coordinator for the corporation’s four manufacturing plants located in Ohio, Maryland, Georgia, and Florida. She and her husband of 45+ years have three married children and seven grandchildren.

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Robert P. Burke - Director of Research
rburke@aicuo.edu
Bob Burke has directed AICUO’s research program since 1996. He represents the Association as a member of several statewide commissions, including the Chancellor’s Planning Committee for Higher Education Learning, the state Articulation and Transfer Council, the Secondary-to-College Articulation Committee, and consultations on student financial aid and the state’s higher education performance report. Bob also serves as state ‘intermediate’ coordinator for private colleges with the National Center for Education Statistics.

Since coming to AICUO, Bob has made presentations to meetings of the Ohio Association for Institutional Research and Planning, the Ohio Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and national higher education association research meetings. He came to AICUO from the University of Notre Dame, where he worked for and occasionally directed a faculty development and research administration institute. He has other experience in management, city planning, and communications in nonprofit organizations and municipal government in Boston. He holds degrees from Harvard College and the University of Notre Dame. He is also an experienced choral singer and recently retired after 32 years as a football official.

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Stacey M. Dorr - Director of Public Relations
sdorr@aicuo.edu
Stacey Dorr joined AICUO's central staff in 2006 with over 8 years of experience in non-profit communications. She previously worked with the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, PBS and The Columbus Community Clinical Oncology Program and is a graduate of Bowling Green State University, B.S. (Public Relations).

Stacey is responsible for all internal and external association communications, including our major publications, our AICUO website and our Ohio private colleges website. She also coordinates all AICUO professional development meetings for our members (which included sessions this year on emergency preparedness planning and international recruitment and enrollment) and manages the implementation of all strategic communications efforts to better serve our 52 members and our organizational mission. In addition, Stacey travels throughout Ohio annually speaking to students and guidance counselors about the resources available in Ohio to help match each student with the college that best meets their needs.

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Dustin A. Holfinger - Director of Government Relations
dholfinger@aicuo.edu
Dustin joined AICUO as the Director of Government Relations in the summer of 2006. His duties include lobbying efforts in Ohio and in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the Association’s 52 independent colleges and universities. He regularly works with elected and appointed officials in all three branches of government. Dustin's responsibilities include maintaining AICUO’s advocacy databases; summarizing pending legislative issues; raising awareness of independent higher education policy issues; as well as planning special events such as AICUO’s Student Lobby Day, Legislator-in-Residence Program, and the Legislative Breakfast.

Prior to coming to AICUO, Dustin worked as the Senior Legislative Aide and Committee Clerk for the Financial Institutions, Real Estate, and Securities Committee for Representative Chris Widener (84th District) in the Ohio House of Representatives. Dustin began his political career as a Congressional Intern for Congressman Hobson (7th Congressional District) while attending Bowling Green State University, where he graduated in 2003 with a B.A. in Political Science with a focus on American Domestic Public Policy.

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C. Todd Jones - President and General Counsel
tjones@aicuo.edu
C. Todd Jones became President and General Counsel of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio (AICUO) on November 1, 2005. He joined AICUO after serving nearly four and a half years as a member of the Bush administration in the U.S. Department of Education. During his final three years, Todd oversaw policy development and budgeting for over $110 billion in federal spending as the Associate Deputy Secretary for Budget.  Prior to that, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) managing 670 staff in a dozen offices. For a period of time he was delegated the functions of Assistant Secretary for OCR, and was responsible for designing and implementing a national Quality Assurance Program in the regional offices. Finally, while working at OCR, Todd served simultaneously as Executive Director of the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education. That commission’s recommendations served as the core framework for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.

Before joining in the administration, Todd was the first President
of the National Education Knowledge Industry Association, an association of researchers, educational developers, service providers, and entrepreneurs. He also served as an attorney on the staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. In that capacity, he was the chief staff negotiator of the landmark Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, and helped develop legislation that was enacted as the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998. Prior to that, he served as Assistant Counsel for the American Rehabilitation Association. Todd holds a B.S.B.A. and J.D. from the University of Denver and an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. Todd is a member of the District of Columbia and Colorado Bars. He is not a member of the Ohio Bar at this time.

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