Professional Bio
Currently a consultant serving a variety of institutions, Terry Ratcliff has held a variety of positions in higher education, most recently as Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chief Online Learning Officer at Antioch University. He has overseen degree completion programs, professional development, institutional research, and online teaching and learning. He works remotely from his home overlooking the Puget Sound.
He has enjoyed a long and varied professional life in higher education. Terry frequently says “I left high school to go to college—and never left.” His first career was in traditional student affairs. He started in residence life and moved to student activities and orientation, and finished in several dean of students and vice chancellor for student affairs offices. His interests shifted to non-traditional students and thus his second career has focused on adult learners and helping them succeed in the often challenging environment of higher education. He has overseen professional development, personal enrichment, and degree-completion programs. He started teaching online in 1995 and has been a proponent ever since.
Terry has been actively involved with ACHE since 2003, serving as West regional chair twice, on regional and national program committees more times than he can remember, and as an ACHE board member in 2013-16 and 2022-23. He became a member of the Executive Committee in 2023, serving as Vice President and President-Elect. He became president of the association at the Palm Springs conference in 2024 and will pass the gavel at the conference in Milwaukee in October of 2025.
In his free time, you will find Terry fly-fishing in mountain lakes in the Pacific Northwest and volunteering at the Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument, where he engages visitors from around the world on the hiking trails, tour buses, and in the Visitors Centers.
He has enjoyed a long and varied professional life in higher education. Terry frequently says “I left high school to go to college—and never left.” His first career was in traditional student affairs. He started in residence life and moved to student activities and orientation, and finished in several dean of students and vice chancellor for student affairs offices. His interests shifted to non-traditional students and thus his second career has focused on adult learners and helping them succeed in the often challenging environment of higher education. He has overseen professional development, personal enrichment, and degree-completion programs. He started teaching online in 1995 and has been a proponent ever since.
Terry has been actively involved with ACHE since 2003, serving as West regional chair twice, on regional and national program committees more times than he can remember, and as an ACHE board member in 2013-16 and 2022-23. He became a member of the Executive Committee in 2023, serving as Vice President and President-Elect. He became president of the association at the Palm Springs conference in 2024 and will pass the gavel at the conference in Milwaukee in October of 2025.
In his free time, you will find Terry fly-fishing in mountain lakes in the Pacific Northwest and volunteering at the Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument, where he engages visitors from around the world on the hiking trails, tour buses, and in the Visitors Centers.
Professional
Education:
University of Idaho 1979
B.S., Biology
Arizona State University 1983
M.Ed.
University of California, Berkeley 1999
Ed.D.
Volunteer Work:
Volcano Naturalist, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Conference Planning Committee
Yes
ACHE Leadership
Yes
Past President
No