Cheng Yu Hou

Cheng Yu Hou serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Enterprise Rewards Solutions, where he provides leadership for the design, governance, and administration of the university’s enterprise rewards solutions strategy. In this role, he oversees Benefits, Classification, Compensation, Employee Records, Employment Tax, Global Mobility, Payroll, and Retirement that support Vanderbilt’s ability to attract, retain, and engage a diverse and high-performing workforce. His work aligns enterprise rewards strategy with institutional priorities, financial sustainability, and Vanderbilt’s commitment to excellence in education, research, and service.  

Cheng Yu has served in a variety of roles including chief human resources officer, vice chancellor, chief diversity officer, and chief labor negotiator in higher education, public, private and non-profit sectors. He has extensive legal, HR, and policy experience in non-profits and the federal government. In particular, he has worked in various capacities for the AARP Foundation; Human Rights Watch; U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; U.S. Departments of Justice, Transportation, and the Interior (National Park Service); U.S. Commissions on Civil Rights and International Religious Freedom; and the U.S. Federal Courts. 

Cheng Yu served on faculty at a variety of institutions including Albany Law School, Cornell University, Pepperdine University, University of California, Santa Barbara and University of  Southern California. 

Education  

Juris Doctorate, University of Cincinnati
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Chinese Studies, International Relations, Psychology and Political Science, University of California, San Diego