BIBA UOG – A PROFESSIONAL LIFE AT UOG Robert A. Underwood, Ed.D. President Emeritus

Abstract

Robert Underwood is a former Member of the U.S. Congress and recently retired as the longest serving President of the University of Guam. He has served as a high school teacher, curriculum writer, administrator, Dean of the College of Education and Academic Vice President in his professional career. He is a distinguished scholar with many publications on education, regional political issues, indigenous concerns and cultural change. He is widely quote in many publications regarding Guam’s history, politics and cultural issues. He was active in community and cultural issues early in his life. He is still a passionate organizer of demonstrations and community activities on behalf of political status change, maintenance of the CHamoru language, indigenous rights and a more sustainable island community.

He served as the Congressional Delegate from Guam in the 103-107th Congresses (1993-2003) during which he sponsored major legislation for Guam, played an active role in Department of Defense authorization bills and was a forceful advocate for political development for insular areas. He also played a national leadership role in Asian Pacific American issues especially in educational opportunities and legislation. He served as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus and was the founding Board Chair of the Asian Pacific American Scholarship Fund. He has also served on numerous boards and commissions including service as Chair of the CHamoru Language Commission, the National Board of Educational Sciences (Obama Administration), Guam Board of Education, founding member of the Guam Humanities Council and National Advisory Council on Bilingual Education (Carter Administration), and American Folklife Center Board of Trustees (Appointed by Speaker Pelosi). He was recently appointed a Commissioner of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders by President Biden. He continues to be active in academic and community issues by serving as Principal Investigator for a NSF Documenting Endangered Languages grant and Project Director for a National Humanities Endowment Project on CHamoru Vietnam War veterans.