James B. Milliken

James Bennett Milliken (born 1957) is the chancellor of the University of Texas System. He is the former chancellor of the City University of New York, the largest urban university system in the U.S. from 2014 to 2018, after serving as president of the University of Nebraska from 2004 to 2014, where he was also a professor at the School of Public Affairs and at the College of Law. He served as senior vice president of the University of North Carolina's 16-campus system from 1998 to 2004. Before his career in academic administration, Milliken practiced law in New York City. Early life and education Milliken was raised in Fremont, Nebraska. He received his bachelor of arts degree with distinction from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, in 1979. While at Nebraska, Milliken was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After graduating from UNL, he spent a year working in Washington, D.C. as legislative assistant to Congresswoman Virginia D. Smith, R-Neb, who represented Nebraska's 3rd congressional district from 1975 to 1991. Milliken earned a J.D. degree in 1983 from New York University School of Law; he was a Root-Tilden Scholar and research assistant to Professor Norman Dorsen, then-president of the American Civil Liberties Union. After graduating from NYU Law, Milliken worked for the Legal Aid Society's Civil Division in New York City, then as an attorney at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. Career Milliken was named Chancellor of the University of Texas System in August, 2018. The UT System Board of Regents touted Milliken's rich higher education experience over three decades and his track record of success in creating and executing strategic plans.