Chief government and legal affairs officer named
President Ronald Rochon named Aaron C. Trump as the university’s chief government and legal affairs officer Tuesday.
Trump, who is licensed to practice law in Indiana, has experience in superior, circuit and federal courts and advising governmental departments about policy at a local, state, and federal level.
President Ronald Rochon named Aaron C. Trump as the university’s chief government and legal affairs officer Tuesday.
Trump currently serves as the civil rights investigator at the University of Colorado in Denver. He previously was an associate attorney for two Evansville-based law firms where he provided counsel to universities on student affairs and federal compliance.
He also has served as a Section Chief and Staff Sergeant for Field Artillery in the United States Army National Guard.
Trump will take over responsibilities previously held by former Vice President of Government and University Relations Cindy Brinker who retired in June.
Brinker’s job served a dual role, with her overseeing university communications, marketing, and government lobbying.
Following Brinker’s retirement, the university promoted Kindra Strupp to Vice President of Marketing and Communications in April.
The newly established chief government and legal affairs officer position will now combine an internal role for legal affairs at the university.
Trump will work as USI’s chief government lobbyist and serve as a liaison to government officials and representatives. His work will include speaking with members of the Indiana General Assembly, Governor’s Office, and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education among others.
His work will also focus on providing legal counsel and guidance to the president and Board of Trustees.
Trump has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Indiana University. He also has a Juris Doctor degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
“Sound guidance in the government and legal affairs realms are vital to the university,” Rochon said in a press release. “Combining these fields is new to USI. Mr. Trump shows enormous passion and demonstrated skill in these two areas and we look forward to him joining our team.”
Trump will assume official duties Dec. 3 and report directly to the president.