Dean of admission named chair of the board of directors for The Common Application

Gil Villanueva, University of Richmond’s dean of admission, has been named chair of the board of directors for The Common Application, according to a news release.

Villanueva, who has been a member of the board since July 2012, will serve a one-year term as chair through August 2016, where he will work closely with admissions colleagues from colleges around the country, according to the release.

"As we strengthen our efforts to improve the college admission process for all students, I am especially excited to have such an accomplished and experienced leader as Gil to serve the membership as the chair," said Paul Mott, chief executive officer of The Common Application.

The Common Application, a standard application that more than 600 colleges, including Richmond, use, had about 750,000 unique applicants in 2012-2013, according to its website. About 3.3 million applications were submitted.

The Common Application, which began streamlining the college application process 40 years ago, continues to grow, as 69 new colleges and universities will allow applicants to use the Common App for the 2015-2016 admission year.

The board of directors is composed of deans of admissions, directors of college counseling, vice presidents of enrollment and high school counselors "who are united by a common thread — a passion for advancing college access on a global scale," The Common Application website reads.

Contact editor-in-chief Jack Nicholson at jack.nicholson@richmond.edu