Mark Emmert has been president of the UW for just four years, yet he has managed to gain prestigious recognition on a national level.

Emmert was nominated to be a life member of the organization, joining the ranks of Madeleine Albright, Tom Brokaw and John F. Kennedy, among others.

The Council of Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan research group, considered the most influential source on foreign policy outside of the State Department. It is best known for its publication of the bimonthly journal Foreign Affairs.

There are about 4,000 life members of the council, including past U.S. presidents and other significant leaders.

“The Council on Foreign Relations … gathers experts and political leaders on specific topics in international affairs for discussion and debate,” Emmert wrote in an e-mail. “Becoming a member means that you are invited to participate in these activities and [the council] provides all the members with access to these events.”

As a university president, Emmert will provide insight on issues of higher education, he said.

“It’s really a feather in his cap,” said Norm Arkans, executive director of UW media relations. “[The nomination is] another form of recognition that he is among the nation’s top leaders.”

Job proposals from other universities, including Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, have added to Emmert’s reputation as successful president.

“As vacancies come up, universities look for people with proven track records,” Arkans said. “There aren’t a lot of people who have those particular skills as they relate to a university.”

Running a university is similar to running a business, Arkans said. Using the same metaphor, the UW would be a $3 billion corporation responsible for a number of constituencies like students, elected officials and taxpayers, as well as two medical hospitals and countless research studies.

As president, Emmert has helped in the fundraising campaign “Creating UW Futures,” increased the UW’s ties to China and added additional programs in global health.

Emmert turned down the offer from Vanderbilt University, a private institution known for its highly paid officials, despite his contacts at the university, which include his mentor Gordon Gee, the recent chancellor.

“Vanderbilt contacted me when they first began their search process some months ago and on a few occasions after that,” Emmert wrote.

Despite the institution’s repeated contacts, there was no specific offer of $1.8 million as reported. Gee, in his final year at Vanderbilt, had a salary and benefits totaling roughly $1.8 million, and many expected Emmert would have made a similar amount.

Emmert has a salary of a little more than $900,000 and is considered to be the third highest paid public university president.

While a few students have come out in opposition to Emmert’s high salary, whether vocally or in Facebook groups, some acknowledge that the national recognition of the president is an indicator of Emmert’s achievements.

“If other people want him, then its okay to pay him that much,” sophomore Ty Wheatley said.

Senior Aaron Menkens agreed, but believes that $900,000 is a lot for a public university salary.

“If he’s bringing in tens of millions of dollars, then it’s OK,” he said. “It’s just hard to watch tuition increase every year and have a president make that much.”

Vanderbilt was not the only university to make Emmert an offer. According to a Feb. 28 Seattle Times article, the University of California system, University of Wisconsin, the University of North Carolina and Louisiana State University — where Emmert was previously employed as chancellor — have each approached Emmert.

Emmert, however, has no intention of leaving the UW anytime soon.

“I greatly enjoy being part of the UW community,” he wrote. “This is genuinely a world class university, with much to be proud of. We have many exciting things going on here and I’m looking forward to helping the UW become an even more successful university.”

[Reach reporter Erika Cederlind at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]